In this blog post, I’ll summarize my academic efforts and school activities during high school, my experiences with empathy and collaboration, and my college career plans and preparation process.
Academic Experiences and Reflections
The most challenging part of studying was the moments when I had to demonstrate “perseverance.” Anyone can do well if they only study subjects they find interesting, but to consistently tackle subjects that don’t interest you, you need the strength to stay focused and see it through to the end. I believed I had to do well in my studies, and I saw that as a process of building perseverance. So, once I had set my sights on this dream, I made it my goal to gain admission to the university and department of my choice by demonstrating that perseverance.
To achieve this goal, I made a daily plan and tried my best to stick to it without fail. Rather than simply focusing on quantity, I prioritized quality. Even with plans like “solving 10 problems,” I tackled them calmly and diligently, ensuring I didn’t compromise my integrity. When homework and study plans overlapped, I tried to adjust them, but when I inevitably had to work late, I saw it through to the end. My determination to stick to my plan no matter what drove me forward.
What I gained through this process was a “sense of accomplishment.” Beyond the mere results of my grades, the satisfaction of sticking to the plan I had set for myself was a far greater joy than simply going to bed early and resting comfortably. After feeling that sense of accomplishment throughout the semester and seeing it reflected in my actual grades, I naturally felt energized starting the next semester. I became such an enthusiastic student that people around me would ask, “How do you have so much energy?” and I developed an attitude of giving my absolute best to my efforts.
Major Campus Activities and Reflections
At first, I wanted to start a club focused on game design and development. As friends with similar interests gathered for deep discussions, the idea arose to try bringing our ideas to life. However, the topic of “games” conflicted with school regulations, and we faced opposition from the teachers in charge, so the attempt ended in failure. I was very heartbroken at the time and even went home crying every day.
Through that failure, I learned to distinguish between “what I can do” and “what I cannot do.” Rather than acting like a child and feeling wronged, I resolved to accept reality and create miracles within the limits of what was possible. As a result, instead of a game club, I proposed an “app development club” and broadened the definition of “content” to soften the association with games. This allowed our activities to expand into creating educational and practical apps, and we were actually able to gain better game ideas from diverse perspectives.
While running the club, what I felt I lacked most was the ability to look after others. Having grown up as the youngest child, I had some personal competence, but caring for others didn’t come naturally unless I made a conscious effort. So, I let go of my personal ambitions and set “working together as a team” as my goal rather than “doing what I’m good at.” Once I abandoned the desire to excel as a leader and shifted my focus to moving forward together, I faced many challenges but learned how to care for others and the true meaning of cooperation.
Examples of Consideration, Sharing, and Collaboration, and My Reflections
Within the club, I established a monthly meeting where team leaders and members gathered to openly voice their concerns. The purpose of this meeting was to alleviate frustrations with the leaders and suggest improvements to enhance team operations. I acknowledged my own shortcomings as a leader and believed that by providing members with an opportunity to speak up, we could all improve together.
To be honest, that process was also very painful for me. While there were some kind words, most of the feedback was critical or expressed disappointment, and it was difficult because there were many aspects I hadn’t considered. Nevertheless, as I listened to my friends’ opinions, I kept thinking about how to solve these problems and worked hard every month to become a better leader.
Through this process, I learned to keep an open mind. Accepting criticism is painful, but I realized it is an opportunity for growth. I received various evaluations—such as that I tend to get fixated on one thing and overlook others, or that while I lack planning skills, I have strong drive—which allowed me to view myself objectively. This self-awareness became the foundation for leading the club in a more successful, democratic, and creative manner.
Efforts and Preparation Related to Motivation for Application and Career Plans
What intrigued me most was “fun.” I wanted to understand what makes things fun for people, and I always kept that question at the center of my reflections during club activities. I worked hard to build a group that generated more fun activities and ideas, and as an extension of that, I developed a dream of creating the world’s most fun game.
To achieve this goal, I plan to develop my skills in language and emotion during college. Since the game market is expanding rapidly, I believe I must be able to operate on the global stage rather than focusing solely on the domestic market. Therefore, I plan to learn English as a foundation, along with other foreign languages such as Chinese, Japanese, and Russian. Proficiency in various languages will help me communicate with a broader user base and understand cultural contexts.
Another important preparation is “understanding emotions.” I believe that only by knowing and feeling a wide range of emotions can I design diverse forms of fun. I believe that fun can be found even in sadness, anger, or the small moments of daily life, and that understanding the nuances of these emotions is essential to creating richer games. To this end, I plan to meet many people and gain experience through both classes and extracurricular activities.
By diligently participating in classes and cultivating both my language skills and emotional understanding, I will grow into a versatile game developer. Through these preparations and efforts, I aim to achieve my goal of creating the most entertaining game in the world.
