For my final reflection this semester, I chose to write about the seminar that occurred on Go Buckeye Day at Smith Steeb. Alongside several other members of IA, I spoke with prospective Ohio State students, answering questions and describing the daily life that potentially awaits them this upcoming autumn. This event was considered an academic event.
Speaking with the high school students allowed me to realize how much I have changed since high school. As a senior, I never could have imagined the responsibility and authority that my college experience would develop in me. I’ve learned that sometimes, you must attend events by yourself, no matter how scary that might seem. I’ve also learned that it doesn’t matter what you think that other people think – most times, you’re assuming the completely wrong thing. College taught me that it’s okay to eat alone. It’s okay to study alone. It’s okay to walk alone. My brief time at Ohio State has taught me about the agency in aloneness – the beauty of it, the power in it. But my time at OSU has also taught me the value of friendships. There is vulnerability in being alone, but there is also vulnerability is opening up to people. In high school, I had best friends. But college gave me the kind of friend who would run down two flights of stairs at three in the morning to kill the bug on my wall for me.
On the topic of advancing from high school, here is a small list of things I learned in college. You shouldn’t save that paper for tomorrow. (No, you really shouldn’t save that paper for tomorrow.) The reading room is the best room in Thompson for studying. The COTA runs all night and no, the bus driver will not judge you. (At least, not to your face.) The Oval is beautiful in the morning – wake up five minutes early and give yourself time to enjoy the walk. KComm really is underrated. Be extra nice to your RAs, they’re trying their best for both themselves and you. Ask questions. Send emails. Read the syllabus. Smile at people. Get lunch with your professors and your TA’s and your friends. Check your mailbox often. Listen to what people say in recitation. And, above all, don’t be scared to try new things or ask for something. The worst thing someone can do is say no.
In the future, as I transition towards the summer and next year, I plan on working on myself. I want to take some time this summer and do things for the sake of doing them. I plan on working a few jobs and saving for future opportunities, but this summer I want to cultivate relationships and experiences. Next fall, I plan on fully immersing myself in the culture of Ohio State – working as OA, taking a full course load, serving as social chair for Ohio State’s Film and Video Society. I’m ready to make next year one of the best years yet, but I plan on sitting on the beach for a while this summer first.