In this blog post, I will summarize my academic experiences and school activities during high school, examples of my consideration and cooperation, as well as my motivation for applying and my career plans.

Academic Experiences and Reflections

I am a student who has always been passionate about the subjects I am interested in and have consistently worked hard based on that passion. In particular, I developed a deep interest in Japanese, and by engaging with various content such as Japanese manga and movies, I cultivated an understanding of different cultures. During the first semester of my sophomore year, while taking Japanese language classes, I created my own Japanese study notebook to improve my skills. I organized Hiragana and Katakana, memorized unfamiliar words to improve my reading comprehension, and focused on preparing for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test. Additionally, I made Japanese pen pals online and practiced conversing in Japanese to hone my practical language skills. As a result of these efforts, I received the Excellence in Japanese Award during the first semester of my sophomore year, and I realized that passion for what I love leads to greater achievements.
The first semester of my third year was a time for me to clarify my career path and goals. While taking Information Society and Computer Science courses, I was first introduced to “big data,” and I developed a dream of becoming a big data expert. Once I had this dream, my interest in my studies grew, and I solidified my foundation by previewing and reviewing the material for my computer science classes. To earn a grade of 1, I continued my studies beyond the scope of school classes by searching for related online materials, the latest news, and industry trends at home. I printed out materials related to big data and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, organized them into a scrapbook, and read them whenever I had free time. As a result, I received a grade of 1 in the Information Society and Computer Science course during the first semester of my senior year, and I was able to take my first steps toward becoming a big data expert.

Major School Activities and Reflections

One of the most memorable activities during my high school years was my experience in the choir club. The choir club served as a driving force that helped relieve the stress of studying and school life, and preparing for the musical I participated in during my freshman year remains a particularly joyful memory. At the time, we planned to perform the musical both on and off campus. Although I was not a music major and was assigned a small role, standing on stage felt unfamiliar and made me nervous. Due to my shyness and lack of singing ability, I made minor mistakes, and keeping up with the choreography was overwhelming. However, as my friends helped each other correct our shortcomings, I gradually mastered all the movements and songs, and through that process, I built deep friendships with them.
We banded together with the single goal of practicing the choreography during every break and performing on stage together, experiencing genuine, joyful collaboration rather than competition based on grades. Through this experience, I learned how to achieve goals by helping each other with our weaknesses and the importance of teamwork; it remains one of my most enjoyable and happiest memories of school life.
Another important school activity was the reading club. I enjoyed reading books and frequently visited the library, and from my second to third year, I worked hard to read a variety of books while learning speed-reading techniques in the reading club. During reading club sessions, I mainly read books related to big data, information and communications technology, and future industries, which helped me develop an interest in the field of big data. I was drawn to the nature of big data, where various disciplines converge to produce results, as well as the ability to find necessary information within rapidly accumulating data and identify people’s hidden needs. The reading club provided practical help in exploring my career path and, along with the choir, remains a precious experience that had a profound impact on me.

Examples of Consideration, Sharing, and Cooperation, and My Reflections

I enjoy keeping things tidy and have a habit of maintaining a clean environment around me.
It was common for me to pick up trash I saw on the street on my way to or from school rather than just walking past it. Thanks to this tendency, I naturally got involved in school cleanup and environmental activities, and every spring, I joined my friends in cleaning the streets and classrooms during the annual spring cleaning and campus cleanup events.
At first, while I took the lead in picking up trash, my friends sometimes showed reluctance to touch anything dirty. As the area we needed to clean grew larger, I suggested we divide the tasks among ourselves. Although my friends complained at first, I calmly persuaded them that if we worked together, we could finish faster. Fortunately, they accepted my suggestion, and we were able to complete the task by dividing the roles and working together. Seeing the clean environment, we received praise from our homeroom teacher, and I felt a sense of pride in having faithfully fulfilled my responsibilities. This experience taught me the importance of doing my best even in unseen areas and the value of a cooperative attitude—sharing and solving problems together, especially when the task is difficult.

Efforts and Preparation Related to Motivation for Application and Career Plans

I also participated in academic conferences and seminars to prepare for my career. While attending this year’s Yonsei University Big Data Conference, I was particularly impressed by the fact that students from various departments—not just computer science majors—formed teams to present big data projects. This experience made me realize that big data creates value through the convergence of multiple disciplines, and I found it rewarding to learn programming and visualize data myself. After enrollment, I plan to start a big data club to collaborate with students from various departments, host seminars, and develop new ideas. Moving forward, I will study big data in depth, building on my expertise and passion for the field, and work diligently to grow into a competitive big data specialist who contributes to the university.