Semester in Review
AU19 in review
Wow, time flies by! The first semester of my college career is already starting to come to an end. Coming into college, I had no idea what to expect. I have lived away from home before when I was in Germany, but even then I didn’t need to organize my life and keep track of my time and responsibilities all by myself. This semester really put my independence to the test. Being a student at The Ohio State University and a biological sciences scholar helped me grow so much; anywhere from learning how to do my laundry, to becoming a better leader to others. I have become more mature, and I now realize the importance of putting myself out of my comfort zone and being open to new ideas and experiences. I believe that every experience, no matter how big or small, contributes to one’s growth as a person, as well as one’s perspective. This is why personal growth is one of my constant major goals in life.
SP19 in review
I can’t believe my first year of college is already over! This semester really put my time management skills to the test, as I juggled being on the Ohio State Rowing Team and completing a full course load at the same time. I learned a lot about the importance or organization and how to stay organized, so that I could complete everything that I needed to complete on time. I also continued to become more adept at being independent and caring for myself, as I needed to make sure I was taking care of myself in the midst of all that I had going on. Although I will not continue rowing due to an injury, I made some lifelong friends and was fortunate enough to race at the Big Ten Championships while maintaining a good GPA. It took some hard work and determination, but I definitely learned a lot this semester.
G.O.A.L.S.
G – Global Awareness:
This area concentrates on cultivating one’s appreciation and awareness for diversity and everybody’s unique differences. During my Junior year of high school I was very fortunate to have been able to spend ten months living with a host family in a small southwestern German village. During this time I integrated myself into the culture, language, and family, and I developed valuable life-long relationships with German people and exchange students from all over the world. At OSU so far, I have experienced a great amount of diversity where I was able to learn about and gain appreciation for different cultures and people.
O – Original Inquiry:
This section focuses on understanding the research process and developing useful inquiry skills. During my undergraduate time at Ohio State, I hope to participate in research and contribute to the research and scholarly inquiry.
A – Academic Enrichment:
This section focuses on academic excellence by integrity and rigorous academic activities inside and out of the classroom. So far at Ohio State I have demonstrated this goal by giving my 100% on all of my classwork and studies.
L – Leadership development:
This area focuses on developing and demonstrating important leadership skills within the classroom, community, and co-curricular activities. So far at Ohio State I have developed these skills by becoming a Biological Sciences Scholar, volunteering at the James Cancer Center, and participating in the Ohio Welcome Leaders Program, helping peers move into their dormitory rooms on move-in day. I have also learned about leadership skills by being a part of the OSU Novice Rowing team, interacting with and supporting my fellow teammates.
S – Service Engagement:
This area concentrates on committing to service in the community. So far at OSU, I have taken advantage of service opportunities at the James Cancer center, where I volunteer two hours weekly in the Art Gallery. During my time in the gallery, I interact with and provide information about the art and the hospital to the patients.
Career
Artifacts
Last year I was lucky to have been a part of a field trip to Beacon Orthopedics where I was able to participate in a cadaver lab guided by an orthopedic surgeon. This was a very cool experience, as I was able to further explore my passion for science and medicine while working with a person in a high up position. This experience developed my interest in the medical field, and I got to see the normal day-to-day life of somebody working at the clinic.
This fall I was privileged to attend an Opioid Research Panel through the Biological Sciences Scholars program. This panel consisted of four researchers at Ohio State University who were studying different aspects of the Opioid crisis. This was very eye opening to me, since this was not much of a problem in my area growing up. This event really sparked my interest in addiction medicine and research, and all of the different, creative methods in which one can develop original inquiry.
This fall I decided to try something new join the Ohio State Sailing Club! This particular club struck my interest because I spent a large portion of last year on the rowing team, where I developed an appreciation for being outdoors on the water. It’s a really great way to get away from all of the everyday stressors on campus, and to just relax for a couple hours. I’ve really enjoyed the sailing team so far. Even though I barely knew anything about sailing before joining, I’ve learned a great deal and I even got to participate in a regatta at Western Michigan University. It’s been a great experience overall, and I’ve met some great friends in the process. I will definitely continue to be involved with the Sailing Club!
About Me
Hi there, my name is Lena Bercz! I am a first year student at The Ohio State University, and I am pursuing a major in Biology and a minor in German. I am from a suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio. I was a competitive gymnast growing up, and I spent most of my time in the gym with my teammates and staying active. Because of this, one of my biggest interests is sports and exercise. My other interests consist of biology and medicine, sustainability, and linguistics. In my sophomore year of high school, I was awarded a full scholarship through the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange program to study abroad in Germany for ten months as a “youth ambassador.” While abroad, I was able to live with a host family in a small village in southwestern Germany where I became fluent in German and built life-long relationships with German people and other exchange students from all over the world; this is what really sparked my interest in languages as well as cultural studies. During this time I was able to connect my passion for biology and medicine with my German experience, as I often spent my time helping out in the village doctor’s office.
At The Ohio State University I am a member of the Biological Sciences Scholars. This program offers a learning community of peers with similar interests, as well as many volunteer opportunities and resources for a potential future in the biological sciences field. I chose this scholars group because I wanted to explore my passion for the biological sciences while having access to the amazing resources and opportunities offered. So far this community has shaped my interests for biology and medicine, and developed my leadership skills. I have also joined the novice women’s rowing team and the German Club. I also volunteer weekly at the James Cancer Center.
Throughout my college journey I hope to make the most out of all of my experiences, and to develop strong relationships with others. In my future I hope to be able to help people to the best of my ability and to potentially earn an MD and become a physician.
