In this blog post, I will summarize my academic habits and school activities during high school, my experiences with empathy and collaboration, and my plans for my college career.

Academic Experiences and Reflections

I view studying in two distinct ways. One is “desk-bound” study, the traditional approach focused on learning course material and solving problems. The other is “learning outside the desk,” a method of expanding knowledge beyond textbooks through interaction with peers. During high school, I devoted particular effort to the second approach.
The core of learning outside the desk was conversation and discussion with others. I organized study groups with friends who shared the same goals to delve deeper into current affairs and social studies; we met twice a week for an hour, chose a topic, and each researched relevant materials to present. When discussing issues covered in newspapers or the news, unfamiliar concepts would often come up, and in those cases, we would explain the concepts based on our individual preparations to help each other understand.
Since the study group was a formal gathering with friends from other classes, the rules and preparation were relatively structured. In contrast, with my classmates, we developed a habit of meeting more naturally during meal times to chat and discuss various topics. We called this “dinner table discussions,” and they took the form of freely sharing our thoughts on current issues without any specific preparation.
Through these regular discussions, I began to pay attention to a wide range of topics, from political, social, and international issues to entertainment news, and I naturally developed intellectual curiosity even in areas I had previously had no interest in. Being exposed to my friends’ deep thoughts broadened my perspective, and through each other’s explanations and questions, I was able to quickly grasp concepts I hadn’t known before.

Major School Activities and Reflections

Building on my experience serving as a class officer in middle school, I continued my involvement in the student council during high school. In my freshman year, I served as class president, and upon entering my sophomore year, I was elected as a department head within the student council, taking on more planning and management responsibilities.
Although those around me encouraged me to run for school president, I decided that the roles of vice president or department head suited my personality better than that of president. This is because the president’s role involves many official duties related to school operations, faculty, and the steering committee, focusing primarily on coordination with external parties, whereas department heads and vice presidents actually carry out many tasks, communicate directly with members, and drive change.
Therefore, I served as the head of the Student Communication Department within the student council, where I gathered student feedback and worked to improve school policies. Our school’s student council was not merely a formal department; each division functioned effectively, such as the International Exchange Department organizing homestays and the Club Department planning club exhibitions.
In the Student Communication Department, we revitalized the online community to create a channel for receiving numerous anonymous suggestions. For suggestions submitted anonymously that were adopted, we required the sender to reveal their identity and explain their opinion to ensure accountability. We also operated a system that rewarded students who proposed ideas that were adopted and institutionalized. Through this process, I created an experience where students’ voices were actually reflected in school operations and felt a sense of fulfillment in driving change through communication.

Writing about examples of consideration, sharing, and cooperation, and my reflections

The “Research Project” class, which was part of the regular curriculum, involved students forming teams to select and research topics of their own choosing. Since we were accustomed to textbook-centered learning and completing assignments assigned by teachers in our regular classes, this was our first experience with a completely self-directed learning format.
At first, we felt overwhelmed, not knowing where to start, even with selecting a topic. Our teacher told us she would only offer help if we encountered difficulties during the research process, and it wasn’t until we had several “silent meetings” that we began to share our opinions little by little. I brought up a social phenomenon I had always been curious about and proposed the issue of “passion pay” as our team’s research topic.
Some team members had part-time work experience and empathized with the problem, so we decided to investigate the reality of passion pay and propose institutional alternatives. Through the process of writing the research proposal, giving midterm presentations, and submitting the final report, I learned how to divide roles and collaborate with my teammates. The experience of independently selecting a topic and carrying it out with a sense of responsibility not only fostered teamwork but also made me realize how significantly self-directed research impacts academic achievement.

Efforts and Preparation Related to Motivation and Career Plans

My aspiration to become a diplomatic expert was sparked by witnessing the global spread of Korean pop culture, including K-pop, as part of the “Hallyu” wave. Hallyu extends beyond music to various industries such as food, beauty, design, and materials. I felt that experts equipped with cultural diplomacy and communication skills are essential to promote exchange and cooperation in these cultural sectors.
Through my student council activities, I found great fulfillment in serving as a bridge, mediating between different groups and fostering mutual benefit. I believe the experience of gathering students’ voices and translating them into institutional policies mirrors the role I will play in the diplomatic field, where I will be responsible for mediation and communication among various stakeholders.
I believe that the Political Science and International Relations major is better suited to a learning approach that involves continuous discussion and research with people holding diverse perspectives on a single topic, rather than simply preparing for rote-memorization exams. Therefore, after entering university, I plan to actively participate in international events such as the UN Model General Assembly and, in particular, to explore cultural diplomacy and communication diplomacy as research topics from both practical and academic perspectives.
Specifically, I wish to research ways to create synergy through communication by utilizing cultural elements as a core resource in diplomatic strategy. My goal is to grow into a diplomatic expert who can connect culture and communication in real diplomatic settings to drive positive change, building on my research and international exchange experiences in college.