In this blog post, we’ll explore how to write a personal statement for the School of Interdisciplinary Studies, covering key content and structure.
Describing Academic Experiences and Reflections
Meticulous Class Notes and Review Notes
When my grades weren’t improving, I reflected on why—and realized that what I had been overlooking was my schoolwork. I had assumed that cram school classes and private tutoring were the only parts of studying. However, it was the school classes that allowed me to build a solid foundation. There was no way my grades would improve if I ignored them. So, from then on, I began listening attentively to the lectures and taking meticulous notes. Amazingly, my grades started to improve gradually. This was because the clues to every exam were in the teacher’s lectures. And thanks to having thoroughly organized the fundamentals, I was able to easily solve even application problems.
To avoid dozing off or falling asleep during class, I made sure to get a good night’s sleep at home. After getting enough rest, I came to school determined not to doze off or fall asleep even for a single moment. During class, I always used Post-it notes along with my notebook. While taking notes, I would jot down anything I didn’t understand, questions I needed to ask, assignments given by the teacher, and concepts I needed to review, and I would organize them during breaks. Through this process, I realized that solidifying the fundamentals was extremely important. I came to understand that my grades hadn’t improved before because I had been focusing solely on solving problems and relying on cram-style tutoring.
So, when I got home, I spent time creating review notes to solidify my foundation. I organized and memorized the concepts I had learned each day, one by one. In my review notes, I meticulously summarized everything covered in class, using the concepts as subheadings. Additionally, after creating the review notes, I would break up my breaks into five-minute intervals to review and memorize them. By effectively utilizing both class time and breaks in this way, and by studying diligently at home, I was able to make better use of my time than before. As I built a solid foundation through this efficient study routine, my stagnant grades began to improve, and I was able to achieve higher scores.
List 3 major school activities and your reflections
“Reusing Resources: The Responsibility of Being the Class Recycling Leader”
To be honest, when I was first assigned the role of recycling leader, I felt more resentment than enthusiasm. I even resented the teacher a little for giving me this position after I had applied for class president and failed. There were countless things to manage during breaks, lunch, and cleaning time. It just felt like a hassle that we had to separate all that trash—paper, plastic, bags, and metal—even though it was all the same kind of waste. I also got angry that while my classmates were resting, I had to go to the trash area and work. However, while I was there, I learned about the various uses of trash, and from that point on, I gradually began to realize the meaning and value of being the recycling monitor.
For example, paper is very easy to recycle. In fact, there’s probably no other country where paper is used and discarded as easily as it is here. In other countries, reusing the back of a sheet of paper is considered standard practice, but in Korea, when we use paper—especially for tasks like submitting documents—we tend to throw it away immediately because we feel it must look “neat.” But doing so leads to the consumption of more trees and inevitably worsens the environment. So, I thought about ways to make better use of paper and even went out to see these alternatives with my own eyes. I learned of an organization that collects waste paper, turns it back into paper, and then makes it into notebooks to provide free of charge to homeless people so they can resell them. Seeing this example made me realize that if we act a little more consciously and think things through, we can save a lot and do things that help others.
I also learned that, surprisingly, many people throw away clothes and shoes. These days, people often buy clothes online or through apps, have them delivered to school, and then simply discard their old clothes—even though they’re still usable. I started collecting those clothes and shoes and donating them to thrift stores or people who deal in secondhand clothing, striving to turn discarded items into something useful. Through these experiences, I gradually began to feel a sense of responsibility toward the role of waste sorting—a task I initially disliked—and developed a sense of mission that this was something I simply had to do. As a result, I worked even harder on waste sorting and sought out various channels with greater passion to find ways to ensure recyclable items did not end up as trash. Through these activities, I began to reflect more deeply on environmental issues and felt a growing desire to study in greater depth how to utilize resources effectively. As part of this exploration, I developed an interest in basic science, and my curiosity expanded further into new materials and environmental engineering.
Examples of Consideration, Sharing, and Cooperation, and My Reflections
“Cleaning Up the Surroundings by Picking Up Trash Discreetly”
As my interest in the environment grew, I began participating in various campaigns and interacting with like-minded people through online communities. Through these activities, I came to believe that even small actions can bring about significant environmental change. So, from that point on, I started putting these small actions into practice.
During breaks, I walked the hallways picking up trash left on the stairs, and when walking across the playground in the evening, I didn’t just walk past trash lying on the ground. When moving between classrooms, I stayed behind until the very end to check the lights and make sure no switches were left on. I also turned off any faucets that were running unnecessarily and regularly checked to see if there were any such faucets. In this way, I carried out small, everyday environmental protection practices. Even if others didn’t notice, I made sure to sweep the classroom at least once every morning, and if the hallway was dusty, I mopped it, striving to make the classrooms where my friends studied and engaged in activities more comfortable.
Although I didn’t do these things to receive praise, surprisingly, people began to take an interest in my actions, and others started joining me. Even though I did these things when no one was around, my friends, having experienced the improved and more pleasant environment, began to pay attention to environmental beautification alongside me. Before I knew it, many students were picking up trash together and working to improve the classroom environment. It was truly delightful and amazing to realize that my small actions not only changed the environment but also moved people’s hearts. Although I started this on my own, as it spread to those around me and grew in scale, I felt the gradual transformation taking place. This made me realize that the environment can indeed be protected in this way. I came to hold onto the hope that one person’s actions can lead to many people taking action, and that many people’s actions can lead to greater environmental protection.
