My Academic Experiences

 “Since someone you know went/is going there, why don't you go there too?” These words made me the student that you see before you. I came to America at the age of five without knowing what to expect in this foreign ground. My family moved here seeking better living conditions for me and my siblings. We flew to Nevada first before riding a bus to California. Once we arrived to California, we moved to the city of Los Angeles.

My family chose to live in the busy area of Koreatown. Why Koreatown? My family does not know any English. Koreatown has many Koreans living in it. There are signs written in Korean.  Our family took a blind jump coming to the States. Living in Koreatown, we became friendly with this one family that lived about 2 doors away from us. Coincidentally, their son and I were the same age, both of us being Korean as well. My parents didn't know which school to send me to, so they asked my newfound friend's parents. They insisted that I follow their son to Hobart Blvd. Elementary School, for it was nearby my house at the time. My parents asked me the question, “Since your friend is going there, why don't you go there too?” I didn't know anything so I accepted it. Hobart Blvd. Elementary is located in 980 S. Hobart Boulevard. The area around Hobart was and still is a bustling neighborhood with cars going every hour of the day.

 When the time came for me to choose which middle school to attend, I had not a single clue. No one had ever told me which school is good which school is bad. I didn't have contacts with my elementary school friends. My parents didn't know where to send me either. They found out that Berendo Middle offered a Korean-dual language program. My parents seemed happy about it and my older sister of currently 23 years of age culminated from that school as well. My parents enrolled me into Berendo Middle School, located at 1157 S. Berendo Street (still in koreatown). The neighborhood around this school had an eerie, unsafe feeling than the neighborhood around Hobart Blvd. Elementary School. I spent 3-4 years in the school, making friends and going through changes.

 Eventually, the time came for me to choose which high school I wanted to enroll into. I had no clue about high schools and was, for the most part, afraid of entering high school. The movies I have watched and the bullying I have seen seemed to put quite an impact on my perspective of high school. I knew my sister had attended Los Angeles High School, but I myself did not want to enroll in Los Angeles High because I've heard rumors about the school and the negative comments about the students in the school.

My parents knew this and they asked me “ Since your friends are going to Fairfax High, why don't you go there too?”Once again, most of my friends were going to enroll into Fairfax High School, located in 7850 Melrose Ave, this school is located outside the premises of Koreatown. My home school is West Adams High School, which I did not want to go to. I knew that Los Angeles High School and West Adams High School were closer to me in terms of distance. Comfortable as it may have been, I felt that Fairfax High would provide a better education. Despite the distance, I accepted the idea. I felt that going to a school near my house would tarnish my education so I decided to attend Fairfax. I am now a current student of Fairfax High School.