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.