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Mentor/Mentee First-Semester Interview

Mentee: Will Backlin; Major: Statistics

During our Exploring Columbus experience, Jack and I had the opportunity to interview Will to get to know a little more about him. We also made sure to share some of our experiences, and how they could help Will along his journey as a member of ACES and as an Ohio State Buckeye. The following is a list of questions we addressed during the interview, as well as how Will answered and the input Jack and I gave.

 

Question 1: What has been your most challenging class so far and why?

Will explained that his computer science class has been the hardest. CSE 1223 addresses coding concepts such as Java, and that they can be very hard to understand.

Jack and I made sure to reassure Will that what he is going through is nothing out of the ordinary. The transition to college can be one of the hardest parts of our young adult lives. We emphasized to Will that he should make sure to utilize the resources that OSU has available for him, such as office hours, tutor rooms, and other student support. We made sure to acknowledge that participating in these things from a virtual sense is not quite the same, but anything can help.

 

Question 2: What are you most looking forward to in ACES?

Will told us that that he is most excited to get to know the people on his floor. Given the virtual setting of our current world, the opportunity for in-person interaction sounded like a great time to him. He also pointed out that ACES should have a jackbox.tv game.

Jack and I were in complete agreement with the jackbox.tv. As someone who has played before, it is a great opportunity to have fun with your friends, and can be conducted in a virtual setting. Additionally, we made sure to reiterate to Will the fact that although things may be a bit different this year, the opportunity to get to know the people on your floor is a great way to meet new friends.

 

Question 3: Why did you choose ACES?

Will pointed out to us that he is happy, so far, with his decision to join ACES. He thought that it would be a good way to get involved on campus, while also meeting people that are centered around a program. He said that ACES has felt like a community to him, and that running into people in the hallways late at night has been fun.

Jack and I both reassured to Will that the community aspect is one of the best parts of ACES. Additionally, we told Will that ACES is a great launching pad for establishing your social and academic structure for the remainder of college.

 

Question 4: What do you plan to do with your major after graduation? Graduate or Professional School? Enter the workforce?

Will explained to us that he thinks it is too early to know what he want to do. Considering that he is enrolled in mainly general education courses, he thinks that he will have a better understanding of what he wants to do once he gets a bit older.

Jack and I completely agreed with Will. Jack and I faced a simlar struggle as freshman. It is really hard to tell, even if you have a plan, how your four years will go. There could be a class down the line that changes the way you look at life and academics, and may end up changing your outlook on your career.

 

Question 5: What has surprised you about Ohio State since arriving on campus?

Will said he was impressed with how well orchestrated and logistically sound that OSU has been. Given the challenges of our current world, he was surprised at how well OSU has handled the scenario.

Jack and I agreed with him, and noted that we both felt more reassured in terms of being healthy as a result of the weekly testing program.

Exploring Columbus Fall 2020

On October 27th, Will, Jack and I decided to take a trip to Condados Tacos on High Street for lunch. We figured it was the perfect opportunity to catch up on how the semester was going so far, while also getting some good tacos for lunch. When we were texting before hand, we were not sure of the best spot to go, but once we decided on Condados, I was looking forward to meeting up with Will and Jack, as well as the good food. Living on campus, trips to Curl Market and Scott get old after a while, regardless of how good Scott food can be. Additionally, Jack and I thought it was critical to get a chance to talk with Will given the virtual world we are living in. Will expressed a similar sentiment, explaining how he was adjusting to virtual life, but that it was not exactly how he imagined the beginning of his college experience going.

In order to get form campus to Condados, we decided to walk. Both Jack and Will live in Smith-Steeb, so I made the trip from Raney House down to South Campus. Once we met up, it was a short 15 minute walk to Condados. It was a good chance to catch up and see a but of off campus while we walked. If I were to do our Exploring Columbus event again, I think it would be most sufficient to walk.

Once we got to Condados, it was a great experience. I was impressed by their Covid-19 protocols, which included paper menus, plexiglass dividers, and paper cups. Additionally, we were able to talk about everything from food and movies to sports and life. We debated the best kinds fo tacos, as well as whether or not the Mandalorian is a good show. At the time, Ohio State football had just won their first game. We talked about how Will was able to experience his first game day, and get a sense of what things would have been like in a normal year. The debate between whether Trevor Lawrence or Justin Fields should win the Heisman Trophy was fierce, but we made sure to keep things civil. Another fun part of out experience at Condados was that we got to learn more about the history of Condados. The chain started in 2014 right here in Columbus, Ohio! Our waiter explained to us that they now have a number of locations open in Columbus. We visited the location on the Short North. A few of their other locations include Downtown Columbus and Easton. They also have Columbus locations in Clintonville, Polaris, and Dublin. As a business major, the massive expansion of Condados was intriguing to see, and exciting to understand that a business started inn Columbus can grow so fast. They have since expanded to other parts of the Midwest, including Indianapolis and Pittsburg. Needless to say, their roots will always be in Columbus, Ohio. There is also a Condados back home near me in Cleveland, which attests to how Condados has expanded quite a bit in Ohio. Having the opportunity to not only have lunch at Condados, but also learn more about their organization as a whole opened my eyes to how much growth is going on in Columbus. From new shops opening, to large Fortune 500 companies making their way to Columbus, it is safe to say that many companies and organizations have identified Columbus as a great place to be.

Following my Exploring Columbus experiences, I think there are a few key elements that I would recommend to anyone who completes this trip in the future. First of all, go somewhere that you will be comfortable. Jack, Will and I all agreed on Condados not only because we like tacos, but because it was a casual environment that stimulates conversation without the pressures of being in some sort of formal occasion. Additionally, we made sure to take in proximity. As I mentioned, it was a 15 minute walk from South Campus to Condados. If I am being honest, it felt more like five minutes. The opportunity to have walk and talk is a great way to establish casual conversation and get to know more about you mentor and mentee. Finally, make sure that you leave enough time in your day. The three of us made sure to pick a day that we all had out afternoons free. We wanted to make sure no one was being rushed, and that we could enjoy ourselves without the pressure of knowing that one of us needs to get back to class. In conclusion, I think that Exploring Columbus is a great activity for mentors and mentees to get to know more about one another. If I could suggest anything to future ACES Mentors and Mentees, make sure you go somewhere that you will be comfortable, a place that is walkable (short bus ride or Uber is fine too!) from campus, and a time that works for everyone.