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.

Being from Indiana and the only one from my high school, I anticipated a difficult transition. The friends I have made through ENR scholars are people I will keep in touch with after college.

Becoming a buckeye has meant embracing Ohio in all of its glory. This is my first, and so far only, O-H-I-O. Not only is it significant for that purpose, but also it was taken at Hocking Hills. The first few months were difficult, since I had no existing friendships here, but the camping trip allowed me to meet other people outside of my suite. The camping trip brought me closer to ENR through the connections I made with other students but also through bonding with nature.

One of the greatest opportunities I have had since I have been at OSU is working as a Camp-in instructor for Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Although this picture was actually taken during a birthday party I helped for and not my job, it still highlights the importance of the zoo in my life. My passion for animals and conservation is undeniable and I could not imagine having to give up my involvement with zoos while I am in college. The zoo has provided me an even vaster knowledge of animals and a great network of people. My coworkers and boss have also given me the encouragement and support for my elephant internship this summer at Kansas City Zoo.

As silly as this picture is, it was the first and only time we were able to get everybody from our suite together. Living with other ENR scholars was a great way to make friends and adjust to life in college. Throughout my time with my suitemates I have gotten to know each and every one of them. This is meaningful to me because I will forever be able to look back at my first year of dorm life with happy memories.

Finding your niche in college is difficult, but luckily I found mine in Zoology club. Not only did it connect me with other people in my major but it also helped me realize that Zoology is definitely the major I want to pursue. This picture is of my friend Hanna and I at our last Zoology club meeting where we both discovered that we made it onto next year’s board. Next year I will be the fundraising chair for Zoology club and hope to fundraise enough to give back to the local nonprofit speakers that we bring into club.

As hectic and crazy as it can be living in a Morrill Quad, I am glad I did because that is where I met Syd. Rooming together this year brought us close since we both dealt with the transition issues of being out of state and not knowing anybody at OSU. Through the easy and hard times we have gotten closer and are even rooming together again. ENR brought us together and this picture is meaningful because we took it outside to mark the start of warm weather and surviving our first year at OSU together. Friends who can survive going to the school up north together can get through anything.

OSU, ENR scholars, and Columbus in general have provided me the opportunity to advance my learning and career opportunities. I look forward to being a mentor next year and I hope the incoming freshman find the same enjoyment in scholars that I have found.

[ “Year in Review”  is where you should reflect on the past year and show how you have evolved as a person and as a student.  You may want to focus on your growth in a particular area (as a leader, scholar, researcher, etc.) or you may want to talk about your overall experience over the past year.  For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]