In this blog post, I will explain how my academic efforts, school activities, and experiences with compassion and generosity during high school led me to choose a major in international law and shaped my future career plans.
Academic Experience
I’m a bit embarrassed to admit it, but I had a reputation at school for being good at memorization. The reason for this was that I once memorized an entire textbook. There was a teacher at my school who was notorious for being strict—my homeroom teacher and English instructor during my sophomore year. She possessed a formidable charisma that commanded students through her firmness, and her assignment was to memorize the entire textbook by the end of the month. Naturally, not many students could do it. And among those few, I was the only one who passed that test.
At first, memorizing the text every month was really hard for me too. But I discovered a trick. First, it was “reading a lot.” If you start trying to memorize every single word, it’s truly never-ending. Also, since there was so much to memorize, I felt overwhelmed by the thought of when I would ever finish. But once I started reading it over and over, the overall context and content began to sink in. After that, I moved on to the second step: “memorizing vocabulary.” I would read the text in context, identify the words I didn’t know, and memorize them. That way, I was able to learn frequently used words along with the content. Finally, I practiced “memorizing in phrases.” After memorizing “cup,” I memorized “cup of coffee.” By memorizing in this way, I was soon able to memorize entire sentences.
This is how I began memorizing, and I became one of the few students in the entire school to pass the text memorization test. And this memorization technique, once mastered, soon became my specialty. I realized that memorizing other subjects this way worked just as well. For example, in social studies, I could memorize details much more effectively after first grasping the overall context, and I applied this memorization technique to various other subjects.
School Activities
The Power of ‘Decisiveness’ I Learned as Broadcast Director
An indispensable part of my high school years was my involvement in the ‘Broadcast Club.’ This activity, which was intense from the very beginning, left a profound impact on me. There, I learned just how grueling it is to produce broadcasts—reporting, filming, and writing articles. I also realized and experienced firsthand that these activities are driven by passion; when you’re fueled by passion, there’s nothing you can’t do—whether it means pulling all-nighters or pleading with strangers to grant an interview. And the time when I realized the most—or, to put it another way, when I struggled the most—was when I served as the head of the Broadcasting Club.
The head of the Broadcasting Club is in a position where they must make many decisions while also bearing a great deal of responsibility. First of all, approving articles and approving proposals are both tasks of the head. Furthermore, deciding whether to revise or scrap a proposal, as well as suggesting the direction for revisions, is also the head’s responsibility. As a result, moments came when I had to make many decisions. First, I had to consider two things. One was the school’s perspective. Since our school has a very active social media presence, videos produced by the broadcasting club are posted on Facebook and Twitter. The problem is that this reaches everyone following our social media accounts, and our school’s name is on the line. If that happens, our work naturally goes out under the school’s name, and if it’s done poorly, it could tarnish the school’s reputation. Additionally, I had to think about my friends. On a smaller scale, I had to consider the friends within the broadcasting club. I couldn’t forget that everyone had worked hard on the proposals and put in a lot of effort. However, I also had to consider whether the content would be fun and beneficial for the students to watch.
Being in a position where I had to weigh all these factors, I realized just how difficult it is to make a “decision.” And I also came to understand that making a decision is something that simply must be done. If I were to hesitate and fail to consider other factors, my lack of decisiveness would ultimately lead to a situation where my friends’ efforts would be put on hold. During my year and a half as director, I experienced firsthand how difficult it is to make decisions after weighing these factors, but also how essential it is.
Our biggest event: the donation drive!
The biggest project we undertook in the Broadcasting Club was the “donation drive.” We collected donations not only of money but also of various foods, supplies, clothing, cosmetics, school supplies, and more from both teachers and students. We then donated these items to organizations doing good work. The biggest challenge was ‘promotion.’ Our goal was to get as many students as possible to participate, and through hard work and broadcasting, we eventually succeeded in attracting a large number of participants. It was a truly rewarding and valuable experience.
Consideration and Sharing
Fortunately, many of my friends saw me as someone with leadership skills. They recommended me for the positions of class president and station director, and I worked hard to live up to their expectations. When I served as station director, I wanted to do my best in that role to coordinate the busy operations within the broadcasting station. As class president, I worked to create a harmonious and diligent class by assisting teachers and classmates. In doing so, the quality I focused on most was “compromise.”
People in positions of responsibility often face moments when they must exercise restraint. For example, when I was the broadcasting club president, I always ate last during meals with my friends. I would only eat after ensuring everyone had been served, settling the bill, verifying that the club funds had been used correctly, and checking that no one was without water. I did this because I had to take “responsibility” for everything that happened there. It was the same when I was in my class. There were many times when I wanted to play or rest. But my friends trusted me and elected me as the class leader. I felt I had to live up to that trust. So even when I wanted to play, I checked everyone’s assignments for the sake of my friends, and even when I was hungry, I gave in for their sake. In particular, even when I wanted to rest, if cleaning was needed, I would always take the lead in cleaning and give up the easier tasks for my friends.
I made those sacrifices because I believed that compromise is the most essential element in group life. I knew that if no one was willing to compromise, the group would eventually fall apart and collapse due to selfishness. However, if just one person makes a concession, the group can function thanks to that concession, and a culture of mutual compromise takes root. I always hoped to be that “one person.” So I always tried to make concessions, and there were many times when that effort paid off.
Background and Career Path
I was born into a loving family
My greatest source of pride is that I was born into a loving family. I grew up surrounded by the love of my grandmother, who always cherished me; my grandfather, who always taught me to think with integrity; my parents; and my two older sisters. That is why I was able to grow into a confident and ambitious person. This is because I had people by my side who believed in and loved me no matter what I did. So even if I wasn’t good at schoolwork, I believed I could do anything. In fact, my two grandfathers always told me that schoolwork is useless—what matters is how you think and live your life. Also, no matter how difficult the task, I drew strength from seeing the faces of those who watched over me and believed in me.
My family fully supported me, telling me, “No one but you can do this.” Thanks to these people who always loved me, I was able to grow into an enterprising person who isn’t afraid to try new things and boldly forges my own path.
Careful deliberation and making decisions are incredibly appealing tasks
For someone like me, the most appealing thing is making a “decision.” I believe that making a decision is both the most difficult and the most enjoyable thing in the world. Once I make a decision—no matter how small—I must take full responsibility for it. That’s why I have no choice but to think things through carefully before deciding. But that’s precisely what makes it so appealing. I even find it fun to struggle through the process of weighing all the factors. It’s also enjoyable to consider various possibilities to ensure I make a decision I can stand behind. And the joy I feel when I finally make a decision is immense. And the joy is even greater when that decision leads to a better outcome. Making decisions like this—taking on new tasks and carrying them out—carries significant risks, but it is equally rewarding. Realizing this, I felt a desire to do work that helps people make decisions even in diverse and challenging situations, and to create better outcomes through sound decisions. That is why I chose to major in International Law.
I aspire to become an international lawyer
My dream as a student majoring in International Law is to become an international lawyer who resolves international disputes. It is said that the legal boundaries between nations are gradually disappearing. This signifies that the physical and psychological distances between countries have grown closer. Therefore, I wish to serve as an international lawyer, mediating the interests of various nations and businesses to help them make sound decisions. To achieve this, I will diligently follow Kyung Hee University’s curriculum. I will study earnestly to build a solid foundation of specialized knowledge. I will also gain practical experience. By observing and resolving various issues within the university, and by broadening my perspective through experiences abroad, I will continue to learn about life, knowledge, and practical skills.
