Wow! I’m already approaching the end of my sophomore year? So much has changed, but much of what is important remains the same.

Looking back at my G.O.A.L.S. from 2016 I am pleased to see the progress and evolution of my intentions.

My “global awareness” has broadened with each new friend as my acceptance of alternate perspectives has persisted. Though many of the friends I made in my first dorm suite have remained my closest, I continue to meet new people with open arms, because with every new relationship there is great opportunity for personal growth on both ends.

I have become involved in the tedious process of “original inquiry” by joining the Wold lab in the DHLRI, researching the effects of particulate matter (pollution) on the development of Alzheimer’s and cardiac disease in mice. Although occasionally repetitive or monotonous, this experience has been really interesting in that each protein analysis or isolation I preform is then used as data to construct bigger-picture answers to new questions. This idea of finding new knowledge was appealing to me when I first wrote my G.O.A.L.S. and being on the forefront is even more thrilling. Additionally, I got a taste for clinical research when I spent much of my 2017 summer at Cleveland Clinic Anesthesia Outcomes Research. Though I was not qualified to preform tests or collect data, witnessing the precision, organization, and diligence of the researchers heightened my appreciation for such work. Without such intelligent people, and such demanding scientific methods, what we know now and what is yet to be known in medicine would remain a mystery, costing lives and resources.

Since I started college, I have taken many challenging courses, some of which were easier than expected and some of which were more difficult. I was pleasantly surprised to find how naturally organic chemistry came to me. I was told by an adviser that starting my freshman year with organic chemistry could be a mistake; although this scared me, I took the honors section and turned the fear into attention, which then turned into genuine interest. After only a few classes, I looked forward to the lectures. The classes that I found were difficult to get a high grade in were those that did not fully hold my interest. Some GE courses that either were slow paced or were comprised of mostly busy work were the worst experience for me. Sometimes, I couldn’t help but get distracted. This made me realize that more demanding courses were actually easier for me to succeed in; a revelation that pushes me to challenge myself to learn more when the option is presented to me.

My leadership skills have been improved and expressed in many ways since I started college. A few friends I met in my freshman dorm have become my band-mates, now meeting at least weekly to jam or put together some music. Because of my experience with music since the age of five, my opinion is respected by my friends and I often lead the writing of new songs or parts. Sometimes I see this role as a continuation of my “squad leader” position in high school marching band. In terms of academic leadership, I enjoy helping fellow classmates understand coursework, whether it be during group-work or studying outside of class. Often times, after answering a few questions at the start of a semester, students will turn to me with their questions, as if I know everything. Yeah right! Regardless of whether or not I know something, I am always happy to help. Teaching is just as rewarding as learning. This will apply to my intended future career as an anesthesiologist because as an anesthesiologist, I must be able to express my knowledge succinctly, not only with words but also with my actions in regards to patient care.

I continued to volunteer at the Wexner medical center for three semesters, until this semester where I did not have time in my schedule. After my not-too-interesting position as a hospital ambassador, I got a position at the Harding hospital, an inpatient psychiatric hospital. Here I took the opportunity to get involved in patient care, which was much more rewarding and all around a great experience. I helped feed the patients, held conversations, and played piano for them. This semester, I began volunteering at Wold lab which has been a pleasant experience. Just recently, I was offered a paid position to stay over the summer.

These last few years have been really good to me.