This year I was planning on doing College Mentor for Kids as my Capstone Project because I really wanted to make an impact on children’s lives. I have tutored in the past, but I wanted to be a mentor not just in the academic setting but outside of the classroom as well. I was really looking forward to this, but unfortunately because of lack of children signing up due to not having access to a computer for virtual sessions, I was not able to do this.
I then decided I still wanted to be a role model and set a good example for those in my Columbus community. I was nervous I would not be able to do this because there was very limited options out there due to the pandemic. However, on the first warm day after the long winter we had this year, I was walking on the Olentangy Trail on campus and I found myself seeing a bunch of liter. I decided that this would be my capstone project. I was going to clean up Columbus. I have spent the last few months going to various parks around the Columbus area with the intent of picking up liter. I have developed my leadership and service engagement by giving back to the community I live in. I noticed that other people would pick up trash they saw on the ground too after seeing my friend and I walking around with trash bags.
It was sad to see how cluttered the parks were when there are trash cans very readily available. I am passionate about taking care of the earth and not littering not only because it looks better when it is clean, but it also protects the natural environments and organisms that live in these environments. This project also allowed me to take a step away from my computer in a world that is mostly virtual now and appreciate nature and the outdoors. This is something I have missed greatly since having classes online. I was amazed to see how much just being outside for a few hours a day reduced my stress and made me happier.