When Hwang Hwi does not understand something in a lecture at Hanyang University, he no longer panics. He goes back to the materials, looks for other resources, reorganises the ideas in a way that makes sense to him, and keeps working until things finally click.
Hwi (12 Austin, Class of 2024–2025) built that approach over his three years at Dewey. He used to struggle with deadlines and keeping track of what needed to be done. With support from his teachers, he gradually learned to plan ahead and organise his workload. What started as a small habit now helps him stay on top of group projects, individual assignments, exams, and a busy university schedule.
When a topic gets difficult, Hwi usually tries to figure it out on his own first. He then explains what he understands in his own words and uses AI to spot gaps or parts that still need work. Technology does not do the learning for him. It helps him see what he has missed so he knows where to dig deeper.
One experience that shaped this mindset was taking AP (Advanced Placement) courses at Dewey. The workload and level of difficulty were challenging, and there were times when Hwi felt discouraged. Instead of trying to understand everything at once, he learned to start with what felt manageable, work through one idea at a time, and then move on to the harder parts.
“My time at Dewey gave me the confidence to know that I don’t have to understand everything straight away. If I keep working through it step by step, I know I’ll eventually get there.”
That mindset has stayed with him at Hanyang. When a lesson does not make sense right away, Hwi no longer sees it as a sign that he cannot do it. Sometimes he simply needs more time, a different approach, and the patience to keep going.
Finance Management had interested Hwi from an early age. Projects and experiences at Dewey gave him room to explore different fields, test that interest, and better understand the direction he wanted to follow.
What Hwi carried with him from Dewey was never one particular lesson. It was learning how to manage his time, stay calm when something does not click, and find a way of learning that works for him.
Those habits are still doing their job — now on a very different campus, at Hanyang University.
