College Transition/Student Panel Reflection

As I begin college I am most worried about adjusting to a new and unfamiliar lifestyle. At home I had a particular way of doing things. My schedule was consistent and concrete and included school, homework, working out and extracurricular activities. Throughout high school I developed habits and rituals that worked for me. For instance, every Sunday I prepared healthy lunches for the week. Now that I am a college student I must make changes and adapt to this new lifestyle. I have more flexibility, more responsibility and more independence. It will take time to sharpen skills like time management and self-discipline. I will also have to learn to deal with dining hall eating and increased study time. Nevertheless, I am confident that I have developed the necessary skillset in high school to be successful.

I am most excited to get involved on campus and find communities of my own. The size of OSU is both intimidating and exciting. I have endless opportunities to discover clubs, organizations and societies that I am passionate about and find interesting. As soon as I do so I cannot wait to get more involved, become an on-campus leader and share my passion with others. I look forward to meeting people with similar interests and hopefully making lifelong friends. Then the vastness of OSU will promise only opportunities and not fear.

If anything, my hard work ethic, diligence and commitment to academics will make me successful here at OSU. In high school schoolwork always came first and I (usually) had the discipline to prioritize academics over extracurricular activities and social events. I am well acquainted with the art of challenging myself but not pushing myself over the edge. Hopefully I will stay true to this as I schedule classes throughout college. My high school success came only as a result of lots of hard work both in and out of school. I am confident that I have a sturdy foundation from high school to achieve great things in college.

I feel so fortunate to be able to choose from a plethora of extracurricular activates on campus. In an effort to continue my passion for leadership and community engagement, I hope to get involved with USG and Student Ambassadors.  To build upon my commitment to community service and volunteer work I hope to also join Buckeython in some capacity. Finally, to continue my religious growth and stay connected to my faith I plan to be involved with both Hillel on campus as well as OSU Chabad.

All of the panel members spoke to the importance of exploring our surroundings. Although they spoke specifically about discovering all that Columbus has to offer both on and off campus, I believe that this lesson can be applied to a larger context. I have endless resources at arm’s reach. I am surrounded by dynamic and diverse people and a city that has so much to offer. As much as I am committed to academics, I must also remember that I am a part of something larger. I hope not to lose sight of this.

Year in Review

[ “Year in Review”  is where you should reflect on the past year and show how you have evolved as a person and as a student.  You may want to focus on your growth in a particular area (as a leader, scholar, researcher, etc.) or you may want to talk about your overall experience over the past year.  For more guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

G.O.A.L.S.

[ “G.O.A.L.S.” is a place where students write about how their planned, current, and future activities may fit into the Honors & Scholars G.O.A.L.S.: Global Awareness, Original Inquiry, Academic Enrichment, Leadership Development, and Service Engagement. For more guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. Delete these instructions and add your own post.

  • Global Awareness: Students cultivate and develop their appreciation for diversity and each individual’s unique differences. For example, consider course work, study abroad, involvement in cultural organizations or activities, etc.
  • Original Inquiry: Honors & Scholars students understand the research process by engaging in experiences ranging from in-class scholarly endeavors to creative inquiry projects to independent experiences with top researchers across campus and in the global community. For example, consider research, creative productions or performances, advanced course work, etc.
  • Academic Enrichment: Honors & Scholars students pursue academic excellence through rigorous curricular experiences beyond the university norm both in and out of the classroom.
  • Leadership Development: Honors & Scholars students develop leadership skills that can be demonstrated in the classroom, in the community, in their co-curricular activities, and in their future roles in society.
  • Service Engagement: Honors & Scholars students commit to service to the community.]

Career

[“Career” is where you can collect information about your experiences and skills that will apply to your future career.  Like your resume, this is information that will evolve over time and should be continually updated.  For more guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

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 includes both a description of the artifact and a reflection on why it is important to you, what you learned, and what it means for your next steps.  For more guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

About Me

[Your “About Me” is a brief biographical statement that might include your intended major, your academic interests, your goals, as well as the things that make you unique.  Definitely include a picture! Also, remember that you can always update this post at any point. For more guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]