My first semester at Ohio State has been an overall incredible experience. The year started out with more lows than highs – I was homesick for my first few weeks here, and trying to navigate such a monumental life change seemed overwhelming. However, as I got more involved and adjusted to campus, college stopped feeling like a behemoth of challenges and started feeling like home. I’ve already had great experiences here that I wouldn’t have had without stepping out of my comfort zone and taking risks – I’ve joined an a cappella group, become a research assistant, gotten involved in the Indian-American community on campus, joined a public health organization, and met more amazing people than I could have imagined. My initial fears about college – maintaining my grades, making friends, finding a sense of community, managing my time – have been tackled and conquered.

I’ve also loved, in my first semester here, the wide variety of humanities-related resources and opportunities available on campus. Whether it’s performances put on by the school of music, exhibits at the Wex, enjoying art in the Short North, or exploring culture around Columbus, OSU has provided no shortage of humanities activities to involve myself with, and this has been especially magnified by the opportunities made available by the Humanities Scholars program. In my future at OSU and in the humanities scholars program, I hope to deepen my involvement with the humanities on campus and to further enrich my life with the culture and art that can be experienced throughout OSU.