Norwegian Wood 2

          Toru Watanabe is said to be lost meaning he does not have a clear goal. Although some might view that as lost, such occasion can be spotted numerously; Toru can be seen as an ordinary teenager’s status. Toru is at the verge of going over to 20, the number that is seen as an ‘adult’. Many teenagers at the age go through confusion; they do not really have a clear goal in life but just drifts away with the environment. Maybe because of this lack of fervor in life, he does not form deep relationships with others. Toru somewhat uses his relationships as the relationship itself is formed for use. Another reason for such personality is that Toru encountered death too early. After his best friend Kizuki’s death, Toru realizes that death is something that is a part of life, not something that is the opposite of life.

           Toru is a medium of the story. The author uses Toru to ask questions to readers. One question is, are we normal as we think? In the story, Toru considers himself as the normal person. However, the author shows that we might think as if we are normal when we might already be in the well of insanity already. Toru also shows the conflict between the teenager and the adult. Toru is confused between the teenager’s role and the adult’s role. Another conflict in Toru is the conflict between two girls. However, the choice can be seen as the choice between in retreating and progressing in life. Naoko symbolizes the depression; she depends on Toru to hold her sanity. On the contrary, Midori symbolizes vitality; she imbues new ideals in Toru making him to progress.

Norwegian Woods

           In the story, the main character Watanabe’s daily lives are depicted. What struck my mind was that the life of Watanabe is the life of most students in real life. Of course, the death of one’s friend at a relatively young age is not what occurs to most people but other aspects of Watanabe represents the life of most students. Watanabe does not have a real close friend that he can really rely on or trust. He makes friends with people just by one common point such as having read The Great Gatsby. The notion of real friend kept coming up in my mind after reading the book to chapter 3.

           The book somewhat shows the reality of many high school students if not at least in KMLA. Students are busy focusing on their own lives. Of course since life is one’s own, one’s action of focusing on oneself first is natural. However, as many people say, the phenomenon of caring only oneself is becoming more serious. People are becoming ‘oblivious’ of neighbors. In the book, Watanabe notices something different of his friend Kizuki. However, Watanabe does not give much thought into Kizuki and that night Kizuki dies. Although not to this extent, many students go through same experience at some point in Watanabe’s or Kizuki’s point. Students might just go over friends’ hardships or concerns. Or friends might just act as if they do not notice your hardships.

           In the story, love is also an important theme. Toru Watanabe makes promises to Naoko that he will never forget her. At that scene, they were having a talk. Toru tries to relax Naoko by telling her to relax a bit letting go some rigidity in life but is replied with Naoko’s anger. Naoko is angry at Watanabe that he is telling the words that is so obvious and cliché. After the anger, Naoko apologizes to Watanabe and he says that he does not understand her that much right now but will if he has time. Watanabe understands her purpose for making him to say he will never forget her later on as he reflects upon his experience. She knew that he would eventually forget her as time passes. Maybe this is what happens to most of the experiences. As time passes, people’s memories fade away. Also, people make promises that we might not understand at that time but later find out the purpose.

           I enjoyed reading the book since the book made me to reflect upon my past experiences and throw questions at myself. I had time to look back and somewhat think about how I lived and how I want to live from now on.

Never Say Die- Prompt 2

Essay Prompt 2: Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?

Never Say Die

111156 Hwang Sung Jae

12V4 English Composition

           25-17, 25-10. Overall 2-0.

           A gap between the two teams seemed so big to cross. Confronting the harsh reality, one of the players burst into tears. He was the only 1^st grader chosen as a starting lineup of volleyball competition. Maybe the reason for the tears was a feeling of emptiness and hopelessness. Although the reason was unsure, there was one thing sure about him; he was not going to give up because of only one failure.

           A year before, he was just a skinny student who did not like sweating or running. It was an accident that he actually ended up in volleyball team. He enrolled for the volleyball class by mistake. As he started to play volleyball, he fell in love with the sport. He looked up for online lessons and spent most of his time studying or playing volleyball. As input increased, output increased as well. He soon became one of the most key players in the team. Due to an accident, he got into the volleyball team and went out to the competition.

           A year passed from the competition. The boy who cried at the competition was a leader of the team. He made great accomplishments. The team now had regular practice times and had its own rules and formations when playing game. However, fortune and misfortune happen together; a week before the competition, he fractured his ribs. He had to make a choice. He had to choose between the values of the great and the values of the self.

A week later, he was riding on a bus. There were around twenty other people in the bus. He was looking outside the window seeming to be full of thoughts. When the bus stopped, he got off with his team and made his way into the gym. With a loud fighting, the team prepared for the competition. The game was easy. His team won 2 to 1. He chose to stay calm. He thought that behaving overly frivolously in front of the other team was not right. His team celebrated the victory simply and got ready for the next match. The next match was not that easy for his team. Suffering from shortage of strength, his team started to lose focus. His team’s victorious march was stopped. However, unlike a year before, he did not cry. Although he was not satisfied at the result, he thought that the result was fair. He knew that his team had found the weak spots that needed to be fixed.

           Another year passed. Based on experiences from previous two years, he made a practice schedule reinforcing the weak points. His team had practices much more solid than before. This time, he promised to himself that he would never get hurt and would focus on fundamentals. Now it seemed to him that the gap that once seemed too big to cross is now just a hole of a fair size.

            The boy who cried at the competition two years ago is now preparing for the third trial. The experiences have given him many lessons and opportunities. He will try his best as he has done so for the past two years because he has learned that effort gives off the same amount of output as input. He now knows that persistency is the basis for success. With this knowledge, now the once tear dropping boy is preparing for the bigger goal. He has made promises to himself that he will try his best at all the goals he has set and will set. Most of all, he now promises that he will grasp the chances that come accidentally.

30... Too much... I think

Thirty things about me

1.     Daegu

I was born in Daegu. Actually, I moved around a lot after I was born. I was in Daegu, Daejeon, Seoul, Gangwon-Do, and so on. I could experience a lot and I have a lot of photographs of me in many places.

2.     Volleyball

I believe this word describes one third of my life at KMLA. I have devoted tremendous amount of time in volleyball. I can dare to say that volleyball club could stand up again due to me. This might seem haughty but Mr. Sung also knows my accomplishments since the men’s volleyball club achieved a prize for the first time under my lead.

3.     Soccer

Soccer also describes one third of my life in KMLA. I have started playing soccer when I was in elementary school. However, in school, I could make many friends by playing soccer at the beginning of the semester.

4.     Friendship

This is the last word that would fill up for the missing third of my life at KMLA. I can proudly say that there is at least one friend that can put everything else beside for me. Because of this friend, I believe my life at KMLA was easy for me to go through.

5.     Life motto #1

This motto has been the first that I have tried to live up to. My life motto number 1 is ‘Live your life happily all the time.’ Maybe this motto might be the reason why I smile often.

6.     Life motto #2

‘Do not do things I will regret.’ This motto is another motto that enabled me to do all the things I have wanted to. I believe that there will not be many chances for me to do in the future. Thus, I have always chosen to act first when there are goals I wanted to reach.

7.     Academics.

I know that the student’s primary focus should be on studying. However, maybe because of my life motto number one and two, I was interested more in athletics and chose to focus more on athletics. However, I do not regret my choice because I believe I have gained priceless experiences due to sports.

8.     FFT

For and From Them. This is a name for volunteer group that goes to India every year. We get a chance to volunteer to little children to teach them what they cannot experience easily such as painting and origami. Since we have to cut all the materials since children cannot use scissors, we have to do lots of work. I believe that my personality grew up a lot going to India.

9.     Student guidance

I had to stand up almost every day in front of the school to catch late people. Although burdensome, I could feel the weight of responsibility doing works related with student guidance.

10.   Robot

When I was young, I played with numerous robot toys my father bought for me. Since I was in contact with robots since I was young, my interest for robot gradually grew up. I went to many robot competitions and I could see lots of types of robots and foster my dream as a robot engineer.

11.   Physics

My grade at Physics is not good. However, I kept on studying Physics maybe because of my dream as robot engineer or my refusal to yield in. And now I am taking AP Physics C and I am surprised that I am enjoying physics.

12.   Simplicity

Most of my friends tell me that I am simple. I agree. I do not like complex situations or complex people. I want the situations to be easy to organize. Complex situations usually create many misunderstandings. Thus, I do not like complexity.

13.   Health

This word is the word I focus the most. I believe that health is the most important aspect in life. Without health, I believe that people cannot live happily.

14.   Sacrifice

I made many sacrifices in this school. Before coming to KMLA, I did not have to think about sacrifices. However, I had to give up my position and time and energy for many reasons after coming to this school.

15.   Food

I like to eat a lot. One of the best things for me in this school is good food. I can eat delicious food in this school. Cool!

16.   Leadership

The school’s full name is Korean Minjok Leadership Academy. I believe that this school has fostered my leadership through numerous activities. However, being a captain in volleyball team made my leadership grow the most.

17.   Tsundere

Well… This word is not what I think of myself. But my friends told me that I am Tsundere a lot of times. I do not really know why they call me as this.

18.   Weepinball

I like this name that my friends gave me. I also believe that this Pokemon looks like me.

19.   Ability to be serious when I need to be

I try hard to make the atmosphere of volleyball club very fun and bright. However, I believe that all sports need some parts when we need to be serious in order to advance. Thus, I usually make the volleyball fun but I become serious when I need to be.

20.   Straightedness

I am a person who do not really like hiding feelings and words. I just say what I feel towards people whether they might like it or not.

21.   Love

To be honest, I am writing this because I ran out of topics… From many tryouts, I have concluded that I am too young to love HaHa…

22.   Strict

I am a person who does not compromise with others. I usually make standards for choices and follow those lines.

23.   Positive

Since I try to enjoy my life all the time, I live positively! I laugh a lot and smile a lot. Well, I think that it is never bad to be optimistic!

24.   Loyalty

I believe I am faithful to friends. Once I make friends, I try to stick to them. I believe their words over others’.

25.   Astray

I did not follow my parents’ words many times. I believe that I have strayed a lot. However, I also believe that straying a lot made me grow up a lot.

26.   Candy

I like candies. A lot! I am running out of ideas… ARGH.

27.   KMLA

This school I believe is the biggest luck that came to me. All the invaluable experiences came from this school. I hope that I can make a lot out of this school this year as well.

28.   Puberty

I am not sure whether if I went through puberty or not. I still fight a lot with my parents to be honest. Through puberty, I hope I grow up a lot!

29.   Canada

I was in Canada when I was in 5^th grade in elementary school. The memories will never be forgotten and I absolutely will keep on contacting with my foreign friends

30.   Mr. Garrioch

I love you! I hope this statement makes up for the last one.^^

The last time I hated myself

           The last time I hated myself. On 28^th of July, I was on a swing in a nearby playground at 11 o’clock. On the sky was a moon that seemed to look inside me and know everything and every aspect of me, a knowledge that seemed for me impossible to gain. A feeling of guilt and regret swerved over me. I did not study at school which my parents paid. I used a lot of money doing extra activities such as going to India. All the activities I took pride in just seemed as excuses for my lazy behaviors. In short, I felt despondent.

           As all the other feelings do, the feeling of regret faded away as time passed. One day, after a week or so, I had a chance to have introspection. I found out that I am a person who is straight forward, a person who only does something when I am interested, and a person who is full of potentials. Of course, this might seem a bit haughty. However, I concluded that it is not bad to take some confidence in oneself after all. I believe that was the time when I actually planned out for my life. Before, I was a person who just ran into incidents without actually planning.

           I planned for my third grade in high school. I was a person who did not care about grade that much. I focused more on athletics and my interests. However, maybe because of feeling nervous about college or because of just interest to see how much I can achieve in academics, I planned my study. I felt satisfied and estranged at the same time. Since I have never planned out my life specifically, I do not really know how it is going to be. However, what I can know for sure is that I am going to do well. Why? Because I have faith in myself and in my plans, I know that I am not going to fail. Even if I do, I know that I am not going to fall hard.