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Year in Review
Year In Review:
This year has been quite the experience in leading me to move forward as an undergraduate student at the Ohio State University and as an Honors and Scholars Student for the Health Sciences program. I have completed service, met amazing individuals, and learned more about my field of study by partaking in this program.
I, like many others, have had my ups and downs for the semester. I feel as though I was successful in being able to get through my courses and make great friends along the way. I definitely struggled, however, in course loads that involving heavy time investments such as doing laboratory experiments. Overall, however, I would say my experience was rather pleasant and would say to next years first years that it will be necessary to push onward regardless of the difficulties they may face if they are truly passionate about what they want to do.
Completing my service requirement was one of the most fulfilling aspects of being in HSS for me. My mentor was in charge of a program known as “Project Downtown” which specialized in providing meals for the financially disadvantaged and so I decided to participate in it. I learned quite a bit in regards to how donations should be given, where they taken to, and overall just the distribution process. Visiting the distribution centers opened my eyes to the impact I was having in the community around me. In attending the meetings that took place on Sundays, I was able to accrue a total of 22 volunteer hours for the semester.
The people I have met these past two semesters were fantastic as well. The students in HSS were just as smart and ambitious as I was, some even more so. They were interested in the same things as I was so I could always go to them if I needed casual advice over something. I would like to thank my mentors such as my first semester TA Kim as well as my mentor Oumou who both have provided me great advice and assistance as well. I would also like to thank the program manager Gail who has been a supportive role model not just for me, but for all the students in this program.
I myself have learned so much from taking the time to commit to this program. The first day I met everyone, I heard a mentor say that you will get out what you put into the program and as a rising first year, I can definitely see what they meant by that. Admittedly, it was quite difficult for me to participate in the program events due to my status as a commuter, but with what time I had I was able to learn important information in terms of progressing through the field of health science. I hope to progress forward in this study and improve myself in the coming years!
G.O.A.L.S.
Original Inquiry(2018-2019):
I think having a deep understanding of the functions of society and how it relates to what we learn within the classroom is an important consideration to take into account for. As someone who is interested in the health sciences, specifically optometry, I need to be able to utilize the skills I have from my courses and extracurricular activities in an effective manner. This is why I have decided to join the pre-optometry club, as it allows me to understand not just the inner mechanization of the program I am interested in, but also its application in helping people with vision problems. I have been able to bolster my communication skills and apply concepts I have learned in discussing with the general populace through something known as “health literacy,” the extent to which people understand the health sciences and their ability to make informed decisions regarding their health. Through my courses and pre-optometry, I have learned the means to which I can apply and share my knowledge in a way anyone can understand.
Academic Enrichment:
For my interview, I decided to communicate with my peer mentor Oumou who, although is undergoing a biochemistry major compared to me who is doing a biology major, is interested in pursuing a field in the health sciences like I am. She talked about being a phlebotomist, or someone who extracts blood in hospitals from people using a needle. From there the conversation progressed. Here are a few samples from our discussions:
Me: You say that you enjoy drawing blood in hospitals, so I was wondering what misconceptions do you find people have regarding this field of study?
Her: Some misconceptions people have about the job is that I feel horrible when I have to stick someone and that it is an overwhelming job. I do feel a bit bad, but the blood tests will help determine what is wrong with the patient. It can be a little stressful working but overall I got used to the hospital environment.
Me: In middle school, I was often told that blood was blue in your body because it wasn’t oxygenated, but upon looking online it seems that it stays red?
Her: I did hear about the blood being blue in the body, but I really never looked into it that much. All I know is when I see a vein, it looks blue and once the blood comes in the tube, it becomes reddish-black, so maybe that’s the case. I really don’t know, don’t take my word for it.
Me: What would you say was the biggest challenge so far in your biochem major?
Her: The biggest challenge was Ochem!
Me: Anything surprise you with how easy it was?
Her: Biochemistry was actually okay.
Me: What goals do you have set for yourself going forward?
Her: My goal is to boost my GPA [laughing].
Through this year, Oumou has provided me with countless advice and help through my freshman year which I know I can never pay back. My only consolation is trying to be as great of a mentor for the upcoming first years!
Leadership(2018-2019):
For my leadership skills, I decided to become a peer-mentor within HSS because I wanted to give back to the community I have received so much from in the year prior. Becoming a mentor allowed me to interact with my juniors and provide any assistance they needed to a reasonable extent. I tried to find other ways to be useful to them, so I decided to buy them lunches and breakfasts as they studied for their exams in difficult courses such as chemistry. Another aspect of leadership I took into account was for Project Downtown, which I was a part of in the previous year. I decided it was necessary to step up and take a stronger presence within the program and help out more. I would often show up early and help set up the tables with supplies and help the director with other duties. Due to my ever present nature within the program, I was appointed to help run the program in the following year.
Service:
One of the biggest aspects for this year in HSS was definitely the twenty hour service requirement I had to complete for the semester. Personally I found it to be the most rewarding aspect of being a member of the health scholars program, namely because because I could personally make a difference in the lives of the those in my community. One program I participated in was the Garden of Hope project, which was particularly interesting because it focused on growing produce that could help nourish those who had or were undergoing cancer treatments at our local hospital. The work itself was physically demanding, with acts such as pulling weeds as well as left-over produce and plastic. Another project I participated in was the soup kitchen my HSS mentor Oumou ran known as Project Downtown, which focused on making lunches bags that could be distributed at local community centers for the financially disadvantaged. Although my schedule was tight, at some points I was able to visit the community centers and see the people who had been affected by this program’s work. Needless to say, it was a great feeling for me each time I went which is why I decided to attend six meetings the second semester compared to the first where I went around four times.
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
Hello! I’m Anis, an Honors and Scholars students, but most importantly, an Ohio State student. I’m originally from the hills of central Ohio, so I’m quite familiar with the terrain I’m in right now. My high school experiences have lent very well in my abilities in working with new people and learning new concepts. Here at OSU, I’m currently pursing a Biology major with the intention of heading along the health sciences path. In my personal view, I believe that with the proper work ethic, motivation, and a bit of luck, anyone can make it to where they need to be. Although it’s important to stay realistic with your expectations and goals, never stop reaching for what seems far. I believe that a proper education is the catalyst to reaching these things, which is why I plan on working vigorously to get there. The Health Sciences Honors and Scholars program will be essential for me to make connections with others who share the same academic and career-based goals as I do, so I plan to work hard in this program as well. If there’s any questions, feel free to shoot me an email!