Year in Review

Coming into my first year at Ohio State, I had no idea what I wanted to do or how I wanted to spend my year to get involved. I was overloaded with an overwhelming list of options and no clear plan as to what I was looking for. It took me an entire semester to finally feel comfortable enough to know which options I wanted to pursue.

The first year of college is filled with so many changes and so many experiences for personal and professional growth. My scholars’ program helped me build a strong foundation for the years ahead and it also helped me find lifelong friends. I quickly learned the difference between ‘studying’ in high school and studying in college. I had to practice time management skills and create some form of routine, even though each day’s class schedule was different. I learned how to stand on my own and that taught me a lot more about who I am and what I want in life.

Coming out of my first year at Ohio State, I have a rough draft of what I want to do and how I want to be involved. I have devoted myself to an organization called CHAARG and will serve on the executive board next year as the secretary. I will participate in 75+ hours of community service next year as a part of Mount Leadership Society; and, I have an idea of where I’d like to intern in the coming years. This past year, I gained a better understanding of how I want to be as a person and as a professional and I have Mount to thank for aiding in that.

Global Exposure

img_2195 This past summer, I was fortunate enough to be able to travel across the beautiful country of Italy. My family and I made our way through Rome, Venice, Florence, Cinque Terre, and the Tuscan Countryside. As you can imagine, I immediately fell in love with the food, the views, and the culture. We went there having never gone there before and not being able to speak a lick of Italian. This made for a very exciting and very confusing two weeks. I was surprised, though, at how easily we were still able to find our way around the large cities of Rome and Florence. Thanks to modern technology and google maps, we only got lost a few times (maybe a little more than a few), and most of the natives knew enough english to communicate with tourists. When we got into the Tuscan Countryside, however, the locals there did not speak any english. This created a large language barrier for us along with our already obvious cultural barrier being that we were tourists in non-tourist towns. To our surprise, the locals were very welcoming and friendly people that made an effort to find humorous ways to overcome the barriers.

It was quite a learning experience and it opened my eyes to new history lessons, new sites, and new ways of life. Each city told a different story about the history of the country and taught me more about the world around me. It has inspired my desire to learn more history lessons, see more sites, and experience more ways of life by studying abroad and taking advantage of more opportunities outside of my comfort zone that allow me to grow and explore.

About Me

Skylar Armentrout is a first-year Scholars student from Mason, OH, majoring in Business with a specialization in Accounting. She is a member of the Mount Leadership Society Scholars program at Ohio State and enjoys dedicating her free time to serving the community. She is a new member of Fisher’s Accounting Association and the female fitness organization, CHAARG. Skylar enjoys maintaining a healthy lifestyle and being active. She is currently working toward her goal of completing her first marathon.img_0500