I had a great first year at Ohio State and learned a lot about myself and my major. Two meaningful experiences from my first year include my first football game and the volunteering day with GES at a local protected wetland.
When I was in high school, I never went to football games, because I never connected with my school and classmates and I had little school pride. My parents made me get season tickets and I will never forget my first game. I never felt more connected to a group of people more than the moment J.T. Barrett took the field. Games are always exciting and the first game was no exception. I finally felt like I was a part of something greater and that I would love school.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etUoZNl4gbc
On one of my first days at Ohio State, I went to a wetland with the Green Engineering Scholars. We removed an invasive species from a protected wetland and cleaned off pathways. This was my first GES event and my first chance to interact and spend time with a group of people that I would be living with for the year. I enjoyed the introductions and the way the event forced students who had not taken their first class to become part of a small and large family.
For more information on the importance of wetlands: https://www.epa.gov/wetlands