My service project for the past two semesters has been volunteering at the Wexner Medical Center. During autumn semester, I worked in the mail & flower room. I really enjoyed this job because I was able to directly interact with patients. I delivered mail throughout the hospital in addition to any delivered patients could have received (flowers, packages, edible arrangements, balloons, etc.). It was amazing to see how a small delivery could make someone’s day. During spring semester, my role was Hospital Ambassador. I direct and guide patients and visitors to their desired location. This is a task that can seem very small and meaningless, but the hospital is a large and sometimes confusing space. People always thank me and tell me how easier their trip is with my guidance. Volunteering in a hospital setting with jobs that aren’t directly related to medicine helps me appreciate all aspects of the medical field. I am able to see how important patient care and interaction is, as well as family care and interaction. It’s important to be helpful, respectful, and accommodating in order to build good patient-doctor relationships. I love volunteering at the hospital, and I think this is something everyone should try if they get the opportunity.
Academic Enrichment
Informational Interview
I conducted an interview with Taylor, a first-year medical student from the University of Toledo Medical School. The interview really helped me understand that the goals I have are attainable. I have been thinking about my plans after college because I want to attend medical school but I want to attend a master’s program as well. Taylor told me that there are many people in medical school who have master’s degrees and received these degrees before coming to medical school. She also said at times she wished she would have taken a gap year so she could have time for herself, because once you start medical school you’re “locked in” to a process that lasts for years. Taylor also helped me understand that I should follow MY dreams and MY goals, no matter what everyone else is doing. She said something that really stuck with me: in the end it doesn’t matter if you’ve been a doctor for 15 years or 20 years, you’re still doctor, it’s not a race. This piece of advice was great for me because I am easily discouraged. Throughout the rest of the interview, I gained advice on preparing for medical school. This interview helped solidify my academic and career goals and encouraged me to always pursue anything I can imagine.
Reflection
Looking back I am definitely not the same person I was the summer before I started college. I think I’ve changed in many ways, some good and some bad, but all the changes are shaping me into a better person everyday and all I can do is except who I am. During the summer I would say I was still a “kid”. I was 18 then and I’m still 18 now but summer was care-free and I had no responsibilities. I looked forward to college and I didn’t know what to expect but I imagined I would have a great time. In my opinion, after being in college for two semesters, I can say college isn’t all that great. I became introduced into a whole new world, a world with responsibilities, stress, and obstacles, and “adult” world. I wanted to get involved and be well-rounded but I found myself being in my dorm a lot, studying or doing homework. HSS helped me get involved in some ways, but that’s because events are required and I wasn’t really stepping out on my own. Unfortunately, I didn’t make many friends from HSS, which was something I was excited about before coming to college. My first semester was rough, but ending the year now I have gotten way more involved on campus and I started to come out my shell. I now know what to expect for my second year and I know what I want to do. I plan to actually take advantage of HSS as I should; not only going to events to meet the requirements but going to meet people, interact, and learn new things. College doesn’t have to be hard or stressful if you don’t make it that way. I’m learning that everything takes time, you just have to be patient and accept things as they are, but eventually everything will work out just the way you want it to.
Service
Every service experience I had was a memorable experience, but a couple in particular touched me in great ways. I started the year off with Community Commitment. At first I was reluctant because this was a requirement, not something I reached out to do on my own. My group went to the Ark House, a home for adults with cognitive disabilities. This house was located on a road I would drive on probably once a week, since I’m from Columbus, but I never noticed it or heard anything about it. My service job was to help clean the home for the adults. There were only two workers at the house, and I think maybe 5-10 adults living there. While cleaning, some of the adults were actually home and interacting with us. This experienced really touched me because it was so close to home. I never knew about this place but I was actually able to make a difference to more than one person that day.
The ongoing service experience I have is being a Hospital Ambassador at the Wexner Medical Center. Once a week I volunteer for two hours and I help visitors and patients find their way around the hospital. This may sound boring, and it may not sound like service at all, but this job is very important and it makes me feel so good knowing I help out others. People come to the hospital to visit their loved ones, but it’s stressful not knowing where to go to get to them. People I help always tell me how thankful they are, and that without me they would have never made it to their destination. To the world I am just one person, but to one person, I may be the world, and this is very true in my position as ambassador. I want to be a doctor one day, but I have a genuine desire to help all people. Caring for a patient starts here, with something as simple as helping their family and friends find their hospital room.
Through all my service experiences I learned that making a difference is great. The littlest acts can seem so huge to the person you’re helping. I also learned that the more you give, the more you have. By giving back to the community and serving others I’ve gained so much for myself. I really love service acts and I love helping those who need it.
Go.
My whole time being in college I never went to the Rpac, or even JOS which is across the street from my dorm. In high school I played three sports, and they made up a big part of my life, but coming to college I decided I wanted to focus on academics and be strictly school work. I told myself I might do club or intramural, but I never followed through even though I would have liked to. I don’t really know how to work out by myself, because I was always used to a coach or trainer telling me what to do. So, to go somewhere I’ve never been, I went to JSO Recreation Center with a friend and just worked out for a couple hours. It was a good experience and I realized how much I miss playing sports. It had such a good time i forgot to take pictures actually working out! Now that I took advantage of the rec centers on campus I plan to go more regularly during my sophomore year.
Do.
Throughout my life, I’ve always had people doing things to help and benefit myself. My mom helped me throughout my whole college process; making sure my applications were complete, making sure I made deadlines, and making sure fees were covered. When I finally arrived at college, it was my time to be independent and do for myself, and even do for others. I’ve had people tell me they look up to me as a role model, but I have never been an official mentor for anybody. This year I decided to get involved in the Mentor-a-Buckeye program, where I will be the mentor for a high school freshman until we both graduate in 2019. This is an experience I was nervous to take, but now I see how much of an impact I can have. This is something I’ve never done before, and something I’m doing to help and benefit someone else. This is also just the beginning of a long journey I can’t wait to have.
Eat.
I’ve always liked Mexican food but I am a very picky eater, so usually I would eat homemade tacos that my Mom cooked or eat out at a nice Mexican restaurant like Abuelo’s. I used to eat Chipotle but it made me sick one time and I never ate it again. Coming to campus introduced me to an array of food places to choose from. I am from Columbus, but I never knew High Street had so many options. I had never heard of Qdoba but after visiting I figured it was like Chipotle and I wouldn’t like it. Despite of that, I decided to try it one day, and I actually loved it. Qdoba is now one of my favorite places to eat on campus. I was surprised I liked the food so much, and so was my mom when I told her about my experience, especially since I hate Chipotle. It’s not always bad to try new things, you never know when you’ll try something you love!
Resume
Welcome to my Honors & Scholars e-Portfolio
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Year in Review
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