Year in Review

I occasionally find it hard to remember who I was before I started my life at Ohio State. It seems like it was so far away and I feel like I haven’t changed at all while still being a completely different person. As a high-strung high schooler, I was nervous about my transition to the adult world that is college. When I entered the STEM EE Scholars Program, I was trying to impress everyone around me and act like I was a pro at college. I had strong beliefs and I was not planning on trying new things or leaving my comfort zone. I was a very independent person and I strongly believed that I should be able to do everything by myself. Not far into my first year, I realized that I had a lot to learn and I would need to rely on the people around me more than I anticipated. I was fortunate enough to be placed on a floor with other STEM EE Scholars in my dorm, these people quickly became some of my closest friends. Within my first week of college, I was introduced to some of my roommate’s friends from high school and they are now two of my closest friends at Ohio State. Through all of the lab reports, football games, hall sports, and singing in the study room, I became a more dependent person.

As a young college student, I was very mature and I showed that in taking responsibility for my actions, making difficult decisions that would affect my future, and overcoming adversity in my life. There are a few major events that took place in my first year of college that affected me greatly and I saw myself change in a matter of weeks from these incidents; however, I think the more relevant change is the one that occurred gradually over two semesters. I cannot attribute who I am today to just my parents, friends, professors, or employers. They have all made me who I am today, which sounds slightly cliché, but I genuinely believe this. I have matured in a way that allows me to appreciate the diversity on campus and off campus. I have the STEM EE Scholars program to thank for this. With each event I attended, I was exposed to new people, new places, new fields of study, and new opportunities. I am more willing to accept the ideas and thoughts of my peers, and I am more eager to try new things.

Throughout my first year at Ohio State, I have done many things I never thought of doing and I am proud of myself for trying new things, such as: running a 5K, applying to study abroad, learning how to ice skate, trying to horseback ride, going snow skiing with friends, eating sushi, going caving and camping, going hiking, and attempting to rock wall climb. Going into almost all of these experiences, I was horrified. There were times where I wanted to sit on the sidelines and watch but I made myself try new things and I have not had a single regret. If there is one thing I have learned from my first year at Ohio State, it is this: the best way to learn is by doing. Specifically, gain experience by trying new things.

My growth as a person and a student are similar in many ways. They both revolve around my willingness to try new things and appreciate the diversity that I am surrounded by. I have learned to ask for help from my peers and professors, and I have recognized that I am not going to make it through college alone. I am very pleased with who I am at this point in my life and I am excited for the next year of college so I can see how I grow from here. Ohio State offers so much for all types of students and people, from organizations/clubs to events and activities. There are opportunities everywhere and the scholars program, as well as the university, does a great job of advertising them, making it easy to get involved. Joining the STEM EE Scholars Program at The Ohio State University has allowed me to get involved and expose myself to the diversity that runs through every part of the school. In my next year at school, I plan to focus more on getting involved in activities that will benefit me in my future career.

G.O.A.L.S.

 

The G.O.A.L.S. of the Honors and Scholars programs represent the five qualities that an honors or scholars student should strive to possess. They are all very different from each other, but together, they embody all areas of a strong student appropriately. It is imperative as an honors or scholars student that we consider all of the aspects of G.O.A.L.S. and try to include all of them in our academic and extra-curricular lives. I have found that global awareness and service engagement are most applicable to me, especially with my possible future career choices.

Global Awareness is described as developing an appreciation for diversity and the unique differences in others and there are many ways to include this in our lives as students. Some examples include taking a cultural course or language course, studying abroad, and getting involved in a cultural activity or club. I have found that it is extremely easy at Ohio State to fulfill this global awareness void as a student. There are so many opportunities to get involved on this campus and so many different courses offered over a wide range of languages and cultures. I began taking a language here at Ohio State my first semester as a first year. I enjoyed the class greatly and my professor encouraged me to study abroad since I have such a passion for cultural diversity and linguistics. I decided to apply for a May session study abroad in Mexico and I was accepted into the program. I am very excited to go abroad and experience the cultural differences and societal standards first-hand. I decided to attend Ohio State because of the large amount of diversity that exists on and off campus and I have not been disappointed. This school is so diverse in every way possible and the city of Columbus also consistently offers new experiences. I plan on doing everything I can to experience as much diversity as possible throughout my four years here.

Service Engagement is also important to me as a student and member of this community. I recognize the need for community service and I fully support doing everything in our power to make a difference in the lives of others. I believe service engagement is a two way road, it positively affects the volunteer and the beneficiary. I have been involved in service organizations for many years and I enjoy every minute of it. It is an amazing feeling to know you successfully left an impact on someone’s life. I have been fortunate enough to have those experiences when volunteering. Whether at the hospital or a local school, people notice when you try to leave a positive effect on a community. Through my scholars program, I am able to volunteer at a local grade school and work with the children in math and science. This is a great service opportunity because it allows the students to consistently work with me and become comfortable with me. I notice them starting to open up and talk to me as a mentor which is a great thing to experience.

Both global awareness and service engagement are going to be incorporated heavily in my future career. I ultimately wish to get my medical degree and travel abroad with Doctors Without Borders. This career path involves global awareness in the sense that I will be traveling across the world, experiencing different cultures, appreciating all of the diversity across the world. I will also be involved in service organizations and providing medical care to people who cannot afford it. This ties in nicely with Doctors without Borders because their goal is to service areas of the world that do not have access to healthcare.

My First Artifact

 

2016-03-27 12.25.08

I have selected a picture from my post-caving experience in Newport, VA from March 2016 as my first artifact. This picture represents many things in my life and it also reflects on the experiences I had that weekend. I have never been a huge fan of nature, partially because I have so many environmental allergies. However, when I received an email from an RA in Taylor Tower about registering to go caving and hiking for a weekend in Virginia, I oddly jumped at the opportunity. I was mentally prepared for the upcoming weekend until the trip leaders mentioned camping and spiders. For some reason, I mistakenly assumed we would be staying in a hotel and that there would not be a high concentration of spiders throughout the journey. Once I found out the details of the trip, I was tempted to back out and stay home instead but I ignored those temptations and packed my bag for the unforgettable weekend I was about to have. I survived the trip and I learned so much from the people I was surrounded by. This adventure represented personal triumphs in my life and letting myself be vulnerable. My strength, emotionally and physically, was tested from the slippery heights of a pitch black cave to the rushing waterfall at the end of the hike.

My personal goal from the trip was to step out of my comfort zone and try new things, and I would say with confidence that I reached this goal. My boundaries were pushed and many fears were overcome. I was also fortunate enough to meet some amazing people that I have continued to talk to after the trip. The group leaders were amazing and gave me moments of peace in the middle of nowhere, they allowed me to appreciate every piece of nature in the world. There were so many moments when I was able to see my peers work together to reach a common goal, or help each other in a moment of need. Everyone on the trip was at least a little scared but we all helped each other through the struggles we faced. I felt a great sense of camaraderie from the moment we left Taylor Tower to when we arrived back at the OAC. It was a truly amazing experience that changed my perspective and attitude greatly. This trip helped me grow tremendously and gave me the confidence to face any other fears I have in the future.