My Semester at OSU

It really is a different world.

Everybody says that college is a completely different experience than high school. However, I did not know how true that statement was until I experienced it for myself. My classes were mine. My meals were mine. All of my decisions were mine and consequently, the responsibilities rested squarely on my shoulders

It was pretty simple at first. I went to class, did my homework, and managed to carve out time to eat. I thought that I was doing well. None of my classes were overly difficult. However, I got a rude awakening after my first mathematics mid-term.

Math and I had never been the best of friends in any capacity but I did not know I was that bad at it.  Seriously, sixty-four percent? It was then that I realized that casual studying was going to get me nowhere. So I had to re-evaluate my time.

Cutting back on the Netflix was hard but a necessary sacrifice. I started going to the math lab at the behest of my mother and my grades improved. Thankfully, it was an easy fix. However, I realized that college was different, not just lifestyle-wise, but academically as well. I had to step my game up.

I realized that spending two afternoons a week in tutoring helped me retain information. That meant a little less hanging out but I barely did that anyway. This semester was pretty easy however, I had all light classes. Hopefully this study habit helps me when I start to take more intensive classes next semester.

I’ve never been much of a social person but college kind of forces you to be. I’ve had more  group projects in the past three months than I had in my last year of high school. I know almost everyone who lives on my floor which is a feat because I barely know my neighbors back home. All in all, this semester has been a very interesting ride.

Strengths Reflection

When I first took the Strengths Assessment, I was a little suspicious. I had taken a few tests like this in the past and none of them were really accurate.  I had never put much stock in tests like this, believing that I didn’t need someone else to tell me what I was good at. I am a very skeptical person when it comes to things of this nature. However, upon receiving my results, I was pleasantly surprised.

I received the five strengths of input, individualization, ideation, context, and restorative. I was a bit confused at first. I did not understand what he words meant or what they had to do with me. But then I read the description and I found them to be quite accurate. The Strengths Quest actually did a good job of addressing what I do well.

It seems that I am a curious person. I like to collect all sorts of things, people included. I also like to listen to people’s stories. It lets me build trust and forge deeper relationships with people than I otherwise would have. The Strength’s Quest also stated that I take the time to identify what makes individuals special. In reality, that is what makes me a good leader. I can put together and organize a group based on people’s strengths. I know that later on in my classes and at whatever job I have, I will have to work with complete strangers. This is a skill that could help us achieve our goals.

Personally, I the idea of Strengths is an interesting one. There is a major push in our society to focus on the things that we do wrong as individuals. It is a nice change of pace to narrow in on the things that we do well. However, I fail to see how this is more helpful that trying to improve what I am lacking in. Ever since I started hearing about the strengths, I have found a pattern in the presentation style. We are being told to focus on our strengths rather than improve our weaknesses, the point being that we can become excellent in our strengths more easily than we can strive to become competent in our shortcomings with a little extra effort. This might not

My First Week at OSU

No one told me that there would be cockroaches.

The large insect scared me half to death when I went downstairs to do my laundry on Sunday.  Thankfully he was dead and therefore unable to wreak havoc among the washing machines.

Looking back, my first week as an official Ohio State University student was pretty mild. There were no tears when my parents dropped me off and when I was sitting alone in my dorm room that first night, I was not reflecting on how my life had changed in the span of a few hours. Instead, I remember having a craving for oreos.

At some point, I knew that I had to get myself acquainted with the campus or else find myself hopelessly lost on the day classes started. So the next day I did some exploring. I had read somewhere that Ohio State was one of the largest college campuses in the United States. However, while I was walking around the day, it actually seemed quite manageable.

Sadly, one of the classes I had failed to get to before I had to be back at the dorm was my Math Recitation class. At the time, I chalked it up to bad luck and figured I could get there early and have time to search for it. After all, it was my first class on the day.

That plan failed the moment I realized that room 1005 was nonexistent. Or at least to me it was.  I spent twenty minutes roaming the first floor until a benevolent upperclassmen took mercy on me and helped me find it.

However, besides those two incidents, my first week at OSU went fairly smoothly. I was on time to all of my classes and the food at the dining hall was infinitely better than high school fare. The people that I’ve met so far all seem really interesting.  I am excited to uncover what else OSU has to offer.

 

 

Year in Review

[ “Year in Review”  is where you should reflect on the past year and show how you have evolved as a person and as a student.  You may want to focus on your growth in a particular area (as a leader, scholar, researcher, etc.) or you may want to talk about your overall experience over the past year.  For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

G.O.A.L.S.

[ “G.O.A.L.S.” is a place where students write about how their planned, current, and future activities may fit into the Honors & Scholars G.O.A.L.S.: Global Awareness, Original Inquiry, Academic Enrichment, Leadership Development, and Service Engagement. For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.

Global Awareness: Students cultivate and develop their appreciation for diversity and each individual’s unique differences. For example, consider course work, study abroad, involvement in cultural organizations or activities, etc .
Original Inquiry: Honors & Scholars students understand the research process by engaging in experiences ranging from in-class scholarly endeavors to creative inquiry projects to independent experiences with top researchers across campus and in the global community. For example, consider research, creative productions or performances, advanced course work, etc.
Academic Enrichment: Honors & Scholars students pursue academic excellence through rigorous curricular experiences beyond the university norm both in and out of the classroom.
Leadership Development: Honors & Scholars students develop leadership skills that can be demonstrated in the classroom, in the community, in their co-curricular activities, and in their future roles in society.
Service Engagement: Honors & Scholars students commit to service to the community.]

Career

[“Career” is where you can collect information about your experiences and skills that will apply to your future career.  Like your resume, this is information that will evolve over time and should be continually updated.   For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

Artifacts

[Artifacts are the items you consider to be representative of your academic interests and achievements. For each entry, include both an artifact and a detailed annotation.  An annotation is a reflective description of the artifact that attempts to communicate its significance.  For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

About Me

My name is Jessica Wallace. I am a first year student at The Ohio State University pursuing a zoology major. I am a very self driven and independent person, who learns best by doing rather than hearing about it.