As I reflect on my first semester successfully completed at The Ohio State University, I have more insight and knowledge about where I want to be in the future and the steps I need to take to get there.
I will discuss the different aspects of my life at OSU:
Academic
I plan to major in Public Health and specialize in Sociology. I have not taken a public health class yet but in spring 2017, I will be taking U.S. & International Health Care, Medical Sociology, Social Stratification: Race, Class, and Gender, as well as Sociology of Death & Dying. I’m considering doing a 3+2 Combined BSPH + MPH, and I’ve began talking to the public health advisors about this. (I actually work in the College of Public Health student office 6 hours a week, so I personally know the advisors!)
What helped confirm my major was talking to at least 7-8 public health students, both in person and via email. People suggested classes to take in the spring and what to expect in general for these classes. I conducted an informational interview with a Public Health senior who is also a Health Sciences Scholar! Additionally, I interviewed an MPH – Epidemiology student to learn more about what graduate school in public health entails and to determine what specialization in public health I would pursue if/when I pursue an MPH.
This image represents what public health is about and the different roles/responsibilities a professional in this field has to do. It is something I am passionate about! There are many things I encounter: different cultures of people, different diseases, and more. Everyday brings about new challenges that I am eager to face in the future!
My classes are manageable; the most challenging is my Chinese 1101 class. Class meets daily, 8 am to 8:55 am, Monday-Friday. It is very intensive/intense. There are five instructors who rotate, so each day of the week I see a different face. In this class alone, I spend about 10 hours a week studying or preparing for class. I plan to take 1102 and 1103 to complete my foreign language requirement for my major. However, despite how hard the class is and how much work it requires, I may choose to minor in Chinese! It will be very useful in the workplace and when I travel abroad.
Social/Personal Development
I have joined three student organizations: Buckeyes 4 Public Health, Global Health Initiative, and MUNDO (Multicultural Understanding through Nontraditional Discovery Opportunities). Two of them are very closely related to public health, and the latter club is focused more on diversity, learning, and service.
In these clubs, I have learned new skills or became immersed in new experiences!
11/6/2016 – Derriere Dash at Upper Arlington High School, Columbus, OH – This race/walk event was held in honor of Connor Taylor, BSPH ’15, who passed away from colorectal cancer. Members of Buckeyes 4 Public Health pose in front of an inflatable colon tunnel. Inside are polyps and other things to show what having colon cancer/colon-related problems actually looks like.
In B4PH, I learn more about the different careers possible for me. We do trivia nights about public health. I also had the opportunity to volunteer with fellow club members at a 5k race! We passed out water to runners and walkers for four hours. We will be volunteering at other locations like food banks as well.
In GHI, I attended my first Research Mix & Mingle event, which is basically a networking social with faculty around OSU who are involved in research. Also, GHI has fun, informative meetings about topics such as HIV/AIDS, the Ohio opioid epidemic, and Peace Corps. I also recently attended their Hands-Only CPR training session and this will be a valuable asset to me. Everyone should learn how to do CPR. Additionally, GHI has subcommittees: Event Planning, Local Volunteering, International Volunteering/Trips, and High School Teaching Committee. I am interested in getting on the high school committee so I can go to high schools in the Columbus area and teach youth about health topics! Education and health are my two biggest passions.
In MUNDO, I learn about different cultures. The club offers trips to Amish country, to Broadway musicals, to German festival, to New York/Toronto, to Detroit, and to Los Angeles, to name a few places. During winter break, I will be flying for the first time on a plane, to L.A. to see how multiethnic it is, to tour the Fashion district and related museums, tour Warner Bros. Studios, eat authentic foods, and meet a DreamWorks animator and OSU alumna! It will be an exciting experience that I have been waiting for since I was young.
Professional/Career
This is an area that I need to improve in. As I become more involved in my extracurricular activities, I hope to gain leadership skills. By the end of sophomore year, I will be consistently volunteering with one or two organizations/nonprofits and have had a job or internship that will further me on the path to being a public health professional.
In September, I had the honor to meet President Michael V. Drake in person. I watched the football game OSU v. Tulsa with him just two feet away from me! He spoke with me for a few minutes.
9/10/2016 – Ohio Stadium – University Lounge – President Drake was happy to take a selfie with me!
I am naturally an introverted person, so by taking the time to talk to important people, I will be better at networking.
During winter break, I plan to apply to internships and jobs for the summer.
Conclusion
Completing the various assignments in my Health Sciences Scholars seminar class such as Career Exploration and Majors Exploration helped me see that I have a strong affinity for health and that it is indeed something I need to pursue. I took assessments about my personality and that showed that I am caring and helping. Looking inwards and evaluating my interests, I realize that whatever career in public health I end up having, it needs to fulfill my desire to travel the world. Global health is what sticks out to me because I can help immigrants and refugees and other underserved, at-risk populations with their access to health.
I have a clear understanding of my intended major; my secondary path of study would be Social Work, because it also involves addressing and ameliorating problems of populations. I know how to utilize campus resources like Younkin Success Center to determine my career options. They have career counselors who go over my resume with me. Additionally, I use the Internet almost 24/7 to research how to prepare for interviews; Ohio State has an OnPace module dedicated solely to Resumes and Interviewing! I’ve utilized that to my advantage. Also, I am staying fairly healthy by going to the Jesse Owens South rec center a minute’s walk from my dorm. I’ve only gone twice, but when I make a commitment with a friend to work out and I actually write it into my planner, it helps me stay motivated to stick to my plan. I will continue using the wisdom of faculty members, upperclassmen, and university staff members in my college journey by not being afraid to approach them. I come prepared with questions to every meeting/appointment I have with someone.
To sum up my semester, I have become more independent and learned so much inside as well as outside of the classroom. OSU truly is the perfect place for me to be because there’s opportunities literally everywhere (sometimes overwhelmingly). I want to get more involved in clubs, travel to more places, and know more people. These goals are all achievable because I have a strong support system here and I’m naturally a determined, hardworking person.
