In this blog post, I will summarize what I learned and my preparation process based on my study habits, school activities, experiences of caring for others, and my motivation for applying to the Economics program during high school.

High School Experience

Academic Efforts

While studying, I focused most of my attention on “daily life” and “time management.” I realized that studying is a “habit,” and I believed that academic effectiveness depends not on being smarter than others or having a better memory, but on how well one cultivates those habits. I came to this realization by observing my older brother. Even though our sleep and wake-up times were similar, my brother did well in his studies because he had developed the habit of clearly setting aside specific times for studying and focusing. To emulate him, I began strictly adhering to my daily routine and schedule starting in my second year of high school. First, I maintained six hours of sleep, and from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM, I went for a walk or did some light exercise. For the remaining time, I planned my study schedule by time slot and stuck to it. Even during exam periods, unless there was a special reason, I went to bed at midnight to maintain my sleep and exercise routines. For example, if I scheduled Korean from 8:00 to 9:00 PM, I would finish my exercise quickly and be seated at my desk by 8:00 sharp, refraining from idle chatter or distracting thoughts and focusing solely on my studies. As a result, I was able to increase my study load without significantly reducing my sleep time, and I maintained both my health and my concentration. I believe this is what helped me endure the long period of exam preparation.

Editorial Board Activities

I joined the editorial board because I was deeply impressed by the school magazine I received on my first day of high school. That magazine captured the school’s unique character through lyrical essays, social analysis and criticism, moving stories, and reflections on academic struggles, and the editorial board logo at the end looked impressive. The editorial board was a club with a heavy workload, including publishing the school magazine, assisting with newspaper production, and helping teachers compile teaching materials. There, I learned “how to write” and “how to read.” From my very first day, I naturally practiced writing by contributing to the school magazine. At first, I felt awkward, so I consulted writing guides and sought advice from upperclassmen. As I made an effort to write frequently, my ideas flowed more quickly, and I developed a knack for polishing my work. Additionally, through the editing process—checking for typos and reviewing context—I developed a sense of spelling and contextual understanding. As my reading speed increased, my ability to read a variety of texts improved. Discovering sentences and vocabulary in good books made me fall in love with the charm of writing itself. Reading and writing helped me relieve stress and find inner peace, allowing me to continue my exam preparation with ease.

Consideration and Sharing

The cleaning lady at our school was a kind and diligent person. Since it was an all-boys school, the hallways would often turn into a mess during sports festivals or art class, but she never complained about the hard work and always handled it with a smile. One day, I started helping her with trash cleanup, and once I began, I kept doing it. She would empty the trash cans every morning, going up and down the stairs multiple times, but when I helped, she had to make fewer trips, so I started coming in a little earlier in the morning to assist her. Through conversations with my aunt, I learned a great deal. For instance, she often shared stories about what happened after she ranked first and second in the school, emphasizing that studying isn’t everything and that how one lives is what truly matters. Hearing such words of wisdom and personal stories, I realized that people are what matter most, and I gained a valuable lesson from helping my aunt. Even now, I happily assist her with deep respect.

Reasons for Applying

I believe South Korea is a country where capital plays a significant role. In fact, due to the unique circumstances of military division, the country lacks abundant minerals and natural resources, so it has relied on capital to develop various industries. I aspire to become an expert who can analyze the flow of capital and contribute to South Korea. My dream is to become an economist who proposes solutions to economic crises. I aspire to be someone who analyzes the causes of the wealth gap, the sustainability of the current economic situation, and future trends, and who identifies both the root causes and the solutions. That is why I hope to be admitted to your university’s Department of Economics. To prepare for admission, I have studied diligently, built up my knowledge of current affairs through newspapers, and maintained disciplined daily habits to consistently improve my grades. Furthermore, I make a point of keeping up with current economic trends through newspapers, and once I enter university, I intend to devote myself entirely to my major, studying step by step from the basics. By attending lectures by economists to gain insights, and through various volunteer activities and experiences alongside my studies, I aim to become a scholar who directly observes, listens to, and reflects on the diverse aspects of society.