This year has overall been pretty good for me. Classes this semester have still been very rough, however, I did learn that recycling is virtually just a way to make people buy more plastic, which is very disheartening to learn. I feel as if this is the point of some of my classes, to tear you down to your bare minimum and then building you and your belief system back up in a way that is more catered to the school’s perspective. I do not have much of an issue with this as having general hope about helping the environment is not the reality, there is nothing I can do in order to save everything, and that is ok. Now I need to be able to learn the I personally can do and achieve in order to make the world a better place now that I more fully understand the actual state of the world. I also learned outside the classroom that everyone is really just experiencing everything through their own eyes, morals, and opinions. I could think that someone is doing something wrong but they truly believe that they are correct and right, it is all just a matter of perspective and one’s own experiences. This of course then brings up the question of how do we then agree on anything, which the answer is that we don’t, and that is ok. You just have to be able to surround yourself with people who are morally similar to you if you do not want to constantly have to defend your stance on the world. I learned about myself that I am also not the best person, and that is ok. I have to be willing to change and grow with the new information I hear and learn about myself. For example, it is not my place to speak for others in situations where I am unneeded and misinformed. I am able to offer my support, however, my experiences limit me on what I can contribute to. I should not be speaking for racial minorities as a white person, I should instead be willing to listen and learn in order to more properly understand their experiences, instead of spouting my belief’s that were well-intentioned, but misinformed. I personally think that I have done a lot of growth in this past year, in learning more about myself and others I have been able to grow my experiences and make myself an overall better person. My favorite memory from this past year has to be going to a small plant nursery with a friend, eating bagels in the parking lot, picking out two plants, and then driving back and making plant hangers out of twine. I am looking forward to growing my independence and learning how to do more things for myself. I am still not where I would like to be and I am excited to be able to grow, adapt, and evolve this next year to become someone even better.

This month honestly did not seem as bad as last month. My classes, which are still very tough, have seemed more manageable this month. This may just be due to more procrastination and not pushing myself as hard as I could be, however, I am doing better mentally which I believe is a good thing. Chemistry is still very hard, however, I do think that I have learned a little bit of information regarding acids and bases, which is a necessity for my career down the line. My Stats class is still very much a mess, however, hopefully, the new teacher that was brought in is more helpful. This month I learned that I should be willing to value my mental health and my own self above others, however, I am still struggling with finding a balance between indulging myself and getting what I need to get done done. I am currently procrastinating on studying for my chem test, however, it is very hard to prioritize that over doing things that bring joy to my life and make me happy. This month, I achieved a 98% on a sociology midterm, even though I accidentally missed a lecture due to oversleeping. I was able to study the information and compile what I needed to in order to perform well on the exam. I still struggle with a large amount of test anxiety, however, I was able to push through and get a good score despite being extremely nervous. I have also been a lot better at taking care of myself this month, making sure to take time for myself as to not burn myself out. My classes for next fall are going to be a bit of a nightmare, however, I know that I will, learn, grow, and adapt in order to be able to overcome any situation.

This is a full-time position at OSU as a Research Associate where you assist in the planning, execution, and monitoring of a variety of projects throughout Ohio related to the conservation and recovery of amphibians and reptiles. This job would seem very interesting to me however you need a Master’s to apply for it. I do think however that this would be a good position for me as I would be able to analyze data as well as collect it. I do think that this would be a good type of job for me to have after I have completed my Master’s. This position requires you to travel a lot, which does not bother me, but I do not have a personal transportation vehicle yet.

Requirements for the position include:

• A minimum of one-year of experience conducting surveys or field research with amphibians or reptiles.

Not yet acquired, I am attempting to get hands-on experience now, however, there are not many places hiring.

• Highly motivated and self-starting with the ability to accomplish tasks with minimal supervision.

I am able to do this.

• Excellent communication skills; ability to speak and write clearly and accurately.

I am able to do this.

• Confidence and willingness to identify and overcome issues as they arise.

I do not think I can do this, as I have no experience in the field as of yet.

• Ability to work well with others in a collaborative fashion and be professional and respectful while interacting with private landowners and the public.

I am able to do this.

• Ability to work under a variety of adverse conditions, including in cold water and summer heat.

I am able to do this, as I currently work outside the majority of the time for my current job.

• Dedication to recording thorough and accurate data.

I am able to do this, but again, I do not have enough experience in this.

• Familiarity with computers and common software, such as Microsoft Office.

I am able to do this.

• Physical ability to lift at least 50 lbs. from the ground and carry bulky field gear up to ½ mile through rough terrain.

I cannot do this, however, this level of fitness is my current goal.

• Ability to swim.

I can do this.

• Possession of a valid Driver’s License.

I have this.

• B.S. in Biology or equivalent education/experience. Desired qualifications include: Proficiency with R statistical software; experience with Hellbenders, Massasaugas, freshwater turtles, and other species native to Ohio.

I do not have this yet, I am currently working towards this.

I will need to finish my schooling up to a Master’s Degree, acquire some experience in the research field, and become more physically fit for this job.

Before I got to college, I had been warned about the adaptation period that most college kids experience where they are adjusting to living without their parents. In all honestly, my adjustment period ended once I re-entered the building after walking my parents out. I’ve always been an extremely independent person and college has allowed me to grow even further as a person and a student. In the academic aspect, I do not really think that high school prepared me all that much for my classes so I may still be in the adaptation period for that. At this point in the semester, I am honestly just trying to get assignments done as I am having to allocate most of my time to taking care of myself mentally due to my apparent degradation of mental stability. When I was back on campus, I really enjoyed the independence that college has to offer. I really did enjoy the sense of community even during this time. For example, the Stair-A-Thon at Morril Tower although it is a very small event and I did not participate in the actual running part of the event, I enjoyed even the small sense of community that came with cheering on the competitors as they climbed the stairs past our floor. Although I knew none of them, I still felt a bond with them as a Morrill Tower resident and OSU Student. In all honesty, something that I struggled heavily with while I was on, and now off-campus is my mental health. I am still battling with it every day to go to class and get work done, or in other words, putting in minimal effort. Something that I achieved this semester is that I reached some personal goals regarding my health that I have been trying to reach for about 2 years now, which gives me hope that I am able to take good care of myself. My goal(s) for the next semester can honestly be broken down into two sections: academic and personal. My academic goals are to increase my GPA and stay on top of my course work. I would also like to be able to attend every lecture and study correctly and efficiently. My more personal goals would be to take even better care of myself mentally and physically. I want to be able to take some time for myself to unwind and do things that I enjoy such as reading for fun or doing some art. I also would like to start making some money with an either on-campus or off-campus job. This semester I am not taking as many hard classes and I think that I will be able to take some time away from my studies to begin saving for college expenses. I have a job at home for the summer and winter but since I currently do not have a job for doing the semester, I am simply raking up expenses for everyday things like food. I would like to be able to save up while still having some expenses, hence the need for a job.

For my Alumni Interview, I interviewed Jonathan Kubesch, who is an OSU graduate currently working on his Crop Science Masters focusing on Forages and Grasslands at the University of Tennessee. While at OSU he studied Evolution and Ecology, as well as Agronomy. He is currently doing research and has done similar research in his past, as well as worked in the Industry. Personally, I decided to interview him due to the fact that I am interested in pursuing research as well as working in my field of study, and getting a graduate degree, which is very similar to the path that Jonathan took. While he is not studying the same thing as I am for my undergraduate degree, I believe that his experience in research is a far more valuable insight for me to learn about.

From our correspondence, I learned a great deal of information about getting a job in the future, which was the focus of most of my questions. He suggested looking for workplaces, not with perks such as ping-pong tables, but rather look for a place that values good people in the field. These places are much more likely to be more secure and stay around. Supportive superiors and professional, yet personal colleagues are especially important to look for when looking for a place to work. He also talked about how right out of college he was “ready to fight for anything and everything,” whereas in the workplace he was forced to change this and put up boundaries in order to put most of his focus on his own work while only allowing his colleagues to push his boundaries a little as he gave himself time to accept or reject requests from work without being mean back to someone. He also gave me a great deal of advice on how to present oneself either in the workplace or in college. He suggested preparation and taking some coursework in scientific writing and communication in order to prepare for presenting findings and thesis to your superiors. Also I asked specifically if he had any questions that he liked to ask prospective employers at the end of an interview and he suggested (1) What led you to come and work for this organization? Which gives you a glimpse into the company culture from someone who is already on the inside and (2) What advice do you have for me when I start this position? Which subconsciously makes them choose you for the job, as well as gives you some background on the soft skills that they expect from you besides your technical proficiency.

Overall, his answers were very interesting and will definitely help me as I look for a professional job in the future. His tips will also help me to apply myself better in school situations as well as I present and defend my opinions or research to superiors or classmates in the future. He also suggested that I read The Curmudgeon’s Guide to Getting Ahead by Charles Murray while I am a student at OSU in order to help me as I go ahead into professional and personal development.

October has been a wild ride so far for me. There have been big ups and downs however I do think that I have grown from this. One thing especially that I learned was that even if you fail at something, there are always more options, you are never left with all doors closed. Aside from this, I also learned a few things about myself. One, people care about me and my well-being, may that be friends or family, I am cared about. Secondly, I have learned that I need to learn how to effectively study. As of now, I am not doing incredible in my classes and I need to find a way to remedy that. Lastly, I learned that I need to take more care of myself if I am to prosper in this environment. I definitely have struggled with taking care of myself recently as school has been increasingly stressful, however, the finish line is near and I need to persevere. I don’t believe there has been much that I have achieved, but I did schedule some appointments for myself today that I have been procrastinating on, so that’s good. I guess I also am still persevering which is definitely an achievement.

The month of September has personally been a whirlwind of classes and new experiences. My classes have been rough, to say the least, but I have been enjoying myself in my more environmentally focused classes. For example, in my Intro to Environmental Science class, I have been working on my end-of-the-year Poster Project in which I create a scientific poster about a subject of my choice. I chose to focus on one of my favorite environmental topics, the Restoration of the Cuyahoga River, and the repopulation of the Great Blue Herons population in relation to the health of the environment. I have been researching papers related to this topic and I have learned more and more about the migration and nesting habits of Great Blue Herons than I ever thought I would know. In doing this, I learned about myself that I love to learn about the restoration of habitats and it is truly one of my passions. Due to my struggle with Calculus and Chemistry, I was worried that maybe the Environmental Science route would not be the best choice for me, however, in doing more research I am confident that I have found my path in life. Now I will have to put more effort into succeeding in Calculus and Chemistry so that I can begin work with conservation. I would like to possibly look for research or internships this summer that relate to conservation in order to help me more fully realize my goal as a student in Environmental Sciences. Despite my failures this month in a few of my midterms, I do not think I have lost sight of what I believe that my goal is at the moment. I have continued to work hard despite the pitfalls I have fallen into and I plan on doing so for the remainder of my schooling.