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.