This past summer, I was definitely a different person than who I am now. Truthfully, over the summer, I dreaded coming to Ohio State. This was not my first choice school and I did not want to be a part of such a big university. Then move-in day came before I knew it and now I am writing this reflection with my first year of college pretty much over. The time has flown by! Coming into college I was a scared and timid freshman who presumed that I wouldn’t make any friends and I would just sit in my room all day. Now, I have met so many people whom I can call some of my best friends, I am on the leadership council for Health Sciences Scholars, and I was accepted to be an RA for the upcoming school year. I was very involved in my high school, so I kind of expected that I would seek involvement in a variety of activities, but at the beginning of the year I was simply overwhelmed with all OSU has to offer. There are so many clubs and organizations that I found very interesting and for a while I struggled to pick what I wanted to involve myself the most in. To be honest, I am still not 100% sure what I want to fully commit myself too over the next several years here, but this year has helped me explore many different options. Also, as I mentioned earlier, I never wanted to be a Buckeye, but now, looking back on the year and where I see myself in the future at this university, I can truly say that I feel like I belong here at OSU and nothing makes me more proud to wear the infamous scarlet and gray. As I look forward to my second year in HSS, I cannot wait to see what the program will have in store. I am excited to continue my position on the Service Committee and I cannot wait to meet the new program coordinator. Now that I have a better grasp of the whole college atmosphere, I really want to dedicate myself to HSS and take advantage of all of the opportunities that the program offers. I know the experiences that I will receive in HSS next year and the years after that will help me grow in more ways than I could have ever imagined.

This year, one of the most memorable service experiences I have had is volunteering at the Wexner Medical Center as part of the Catholic Communion Ministry. Almost every Sunday, I volunteer for a few hours and administer the Eucharist to patients who are too ill to make it to church or Mass. Throughout the duration of my service, I have met so many wonderful people who I have had the honor with talking to; this experience has been so memorable because I am so inspired by the people I meet who will never give up on life and their faith despite the illnesses they face. To bring smiles to people’s faces by just saying a quick prayer or staying for a few minutes just to visit, truly made a difference in the patients’ stays at the hospital. From this experience, I gained so much that has helped me grow as a better person as I try to live my life in service to others. I have learned that even the smallest acts of kindness whether that be a hug or just holding someone’s hand can make a difference for someone, especially if they are in the hospital. I also gained from this experience humility and gratitude. I have learned to be humble in everything I do and be grateful for everything I have because it is truly a blessing to live the life that I have. So many other people out there have it far worse than anyone could ever imagine and through this experience I have truly learned what it means to embody selfless service.