I had the chance to meet up with Leah yesterday and talk about her academics, involvement on campus, her experience with ENR scholars and just hear some general advice about settling into college.
Leah shared with me that she is currently pursuing a major in theatre. Although undecided when first coming to OSU last fall, Leah has been pursuing studies in theatre, someday hoping to pursue stage management as a “side hustle.” She also mentioned the possibility of wanting to drop theatre down to a minor and take on FFW or EPDM as a major. She told me about how taking calculus was the most challenging thing for her class wise coming to college. She loves to study in the big room with all the windows in Thompson because of all the natural lighting, but room would have to be her favorite study spot.
As far as involvement around campus goes, she’s not currently involved in any clubs. She does like to go to the yoga classes and other fitness classes offered at the RPAC and North Recreation Center. She had tried out the Art of Living Meditation Club for a little while, but quickly realized that wasn’t her thing. She does, however, participate in volunteer work form time to time. It’s mostly events through ENR Scholars and with the orginazation, FLOW (Friends of the Lower Olentangy Watershed). She also worked last summer for one of her professors, helping him write a book. The topic focused on religion and environmental values in America, and so she really enjoyed the time she spent working on that.
For Leah, being involved on ENR Scholars gave her the foundation she needed coming into college. It has provided her with a network of people that give her connections to the School of Environment and Natural Resources, as well as just allowing her to have a group of people from which her closest friends are found. She wanted to specifically be a mentor for the program because she wanted to be involved in the lives of the incoming freshmen. She also mentioned wanting to be a better mentor and be more involved than her mentor was her first year. This is also a really great way for her to stay involved in the scholars group, being a second year. Leah has been exposed to many types of outdoor recreation that she had never before experienced, like slacklining. She also enjoys camping, and going on the upcoming backpacking trip to Dolly Sods, West Virginia.
The advice that Leah gave to me was that you really get out of ENR scholars what you put into it. She told me that my involvement depends on how heavily involved I want to be. Since there are so many events, she advised me to go to the ones that really interest me. This group is also a really valuable community to be able to build that framework in to be able to be successful in pursuing my degree and my endeavors after college.
After college, Leah plans to “roll up her diploma and throw it at a wall. Just kidding- well kind of.” She really wants to work somewhere in the wildlife sector, either with endangered species conservation or preservation. She also really loves sharks, so maybe something involving marine wildlife. She hopes to be able to stage manage as a side job as well. Her dream job would be to work in the wildlife biology field and be up close and personal with wildlife, preferably sharks because they are just so cute!
From having this conversation with Leah, I learned that being a part of this program has already equipped me with tools that I can use for my success in college. There are so many programs at my fingertips to expose me to new things, and it’s up to me to take hold of this opportunities. I learned that time management is hard to figure out, and that I may never fully figure it out, but that it will get better with time. She taught me that it’s okay not to know exactly what I want to do at this very moment in time. She said that she wished someone had told her that “you’re not behind!” I realized that it’s okay not to have an internship, or be involved in research, or to strictly follow my 2 year plan right now. Coming to college and learning how to adjust to all the changes, emotionally, mentally, and physically is something that will get easier the more experienced I have.
Leah left me with a final piece of advice, and I wrote it down because I could really connect with it. She said, “Life is weird. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, life throws you a curveball and you’re forced out of your comfort zone and you’ve just got to pick yourself up and deal with in. In these times of hardship, you will learn new things: things about yourself, things about what you are passionate about. Your idea of that life is is going to be shattered like a million times and you have to constantly be shifting your thinking to be able to adapt and go on with life.” I really appreciate the time I was able to spend with my mentor and I can’t wait to see what amazing adventures we embark on together!