Wow. Words can’t begin to describe how fast my first year at Ohio State has gone. Nevertheless, a lot has happened these past couple months. Whether it was navigating campus for the first time, meeting so many new people who I now call my friends, or living life on my own, these experiences have definitely made an impact on me, both inside and out. I know this is only one year of college, so I know that this is only the beginning.

After graduating from high school, I couldn’t stop thinking about how much my life was about to change once August came around. On the day I left my hometown before coming to Columbus, it was most definitely a bittersweet moment for me. I knew that home was always going to be home, no matter what, but it was difficult to leave the place where I grew up ever since I could remember. After shedding a few tears, I put this thought behind me and told myself that there are so many exciting things to look forward to. The car was packed, and we were on our way.

The next day, my journey at OSU finally started. Eventually, the time came when I had to say goodbye to my parents. While this may seem like a sad time, not a single tear was shed from my eyes. I knew there was no reason to cry because it was my goal to come here. I honestly couldn’t have chosen a better university to attend, and the opportunities that Ohio State has to offer are endless. My first week was filled with so many events that the thought of being sad never crossed my mind, and I’m really glad that it didn’t.

Fast-forward eight months later, and here I am making this post. Like I mentioned beforehand, this year has gone by extremely fast. Now that I’m at this point on my journey, I can look back and see how much I’ve changed over these past months. What I’ve learned is that coming to college can really change you as a person. Before I came here, I didn’t have to worry about things such as doing laundry or getting something for dinner because my parents took care of that. Now, I have to take things into my own hands and do it all myself. In addition, I learned that college is so much different than high school. Whether it be scheduling for classes, taking exams, or making sure that I was awake for the 8 AM class I took in the fall, college has affected me in multiple ways. It took some time to get used to these changes, but I soon realized that I could do it as long as I put forth the effort and do what I was supposed to do.

As these last two weeks of classes are about to begin with exams afterwards, I take everything I’ve learned up to this point and continue to improve not only my character but also the way I live life in general. Coming to Ohio State has truly been a blessing for me, and I’m always thankful for the never-ending love and support from my parents and family. Like I said previously, my journey is only beginning, and I’m always looking forward to what lies ahead of me.

On the day before I moved into my dorm at OSU, my mind was all over the place. I was filled with all sorts of emotions and sensations that a typical first-year student would experience such as nervousness, excitement, and anxiousness. As my parents and I were driving to campus the following morning, I could not stop thinking about how much my life was going to change. It was my goal to come here to Ohio State, and I wanted to continue building off of this goal to accomplish even more goals later on. After much anticipation over the summer, it was finally time to get things started.

After signing in at the front desk in Bowen House, I went with my mother to locate my room. Once we got in, we didn’t hesitate to begin making it my very own. As the hours passed, I started to feel more at ease with what was going on around me. Everything seemed to be going very well, and I was ready to start a new chapter of my life that I always looked forward to. Eventually, the time had come to say goodbye to my parents. It was difficult seeing them leave, but I didn’t let this bother me since I had many different things to get ready for.

This all happened back in the middle of August, and here I am typing this post in late January. Without a doubt, I can say that these past few months have gone by extremely fast. As I look back, the experiences I’ve had up to this point have really made an impact on me. Meeting so many different people, exploring a brand new place, and living on my own are only a few examples of things that have changed me as a person. However, I understand that this is only the beginning of a whole series of experiences that I will have throughout my time here in Columbus.

Being a member of the Mount Leadership Society Scholars Program, I was taught about all the various things that “Mounties” do during their time with the program. One of these things was participating in an event called Mount Legacy Week, and I believe that my experience with this event will encourage me to become a further-developed leader and a better person overall. By giving back to the community, I know this will enhance my leadership abilities and inspire me to continue making a difference in any community in the future. In addition to Mount Legacy Week, other events such as helping with Buck-I-Frenzy and going on our retreat to Camp Akita have opened my eyes to how special this program really is. It has been said that college is your home away from home, but I feel that Mount is more than just a home. It is a family.

As my second semester begins, I hope to continue becoming the best person I can be. Each day is an opportunity for me to grow as an individual and change the world around me. In my eyes, the journey through life can be seen as a roller coaster. We all have our ups and downs, but we must remember to enjoy the ride. It is true that I have had my ups and downs during my time at OSU so far, but there is no doubt that this is a ride I will always enjoy since I get to experience it with many other individuals who want to leave an impact on our world just like I do.