The highlight of my ENR Scholars experience was being a mentor. I enjoyed creating that bond with my saplings and being able to help them transition into college. From ENR, I learned that everybody has their own passions and there is nothing better than hearing somebody talk about the things they care about. I have met so many incredible people through ENR and I cannot wait to see what they accomplish in the future.

I have always tried to be environmentally friendly. However, I have started to use reusable grocery bags since I have been in college. My parents did most of the grocery shopping before, so this is something I became more aware of in college. Not only are reusable bags better for the environment, but they also do not rip as easily as plastic and paper bags. I have also started to refuse straws at restaurants. I plan to continue this and I am looking into whether or not I want to purchase a reusable straw or just not use straws. I also have tried to stop using and eating products containing Palm Oil, since that is what I did my project on. I plan to continue to recycle and try to cut down the amount of waste I produce when I live off campus next year.

The advice I would give incoming ENR scholars is to embrace their love for the environment and be open to the ideas and opinions of others when it comes to the environment. There are many things you can do to be environmentally friendly and each comes with their own pros and cons. I know it can be overwhelming at first to join a group of people where others may have more knowledge on the environment, but that simply means there is a lot to learn from them.