2016-2017 Scholastic Year in Review

My first year has been full of twists and turns. I think that this whole experience has been super ironic: I was both prepared and unprepared for college. Maybe this is a typical collegiate experience; nonetheless, I am still shocked about everything that has occurred to me over the last nine months. Overall, I think that this experience has let me develop my aspirations, improve my time management and study skills, and maintain my mental health. With these lessons across these areas, I think I am prepared to do great things for the next three years at The Ohio State University.

I came into college thinking I knew everything about my life trajectory. Originally, I was a double major in economics and mathematics (both with the Honors distinction). My first semester served as a poor indicator in discerning if this indeed was the correct path for me. I was advised not to take an economics course because of my AP credit, and the Math Department recommended that I retake Honors Calculus I (as opposed to the proof-based Honors Analysis I). I have to concede that these course options made the transition to college easier; however, these classes did not let me ascertain whether I wanted to continue with my majors. My second semester affirmed that I wanted to study economics with the Honors program, but I did not want to be on the Honors track for mathematics. Given that the Honors track was purely theoretical, I came to the realization that I did not want to do that during my undergraduate years. Currently, I am transitioning to a dual degree with the Honors degree in economics and a non-Honors degree in mathematics on the financial track. I am happier with this course path, and I will be able to take classes that will actually teach me practical skills (for example, I have to take introductory programming courses). By being open to change, I have been able to find a better suited undergraduate route for me.

I learned two valuable skills after my second semester of my first year: time management and study skills. Once again, my easy first semester did not challenge me enough to the point that I had to adjust my whole learning style. My second semester was a huge shock. In addition to taking more difficult classes relative to the previous semester, I decided to join the fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta (nicknamed FIJI). My experience with FIJI has been excellent (especially because I believe I have found another group of people who will push me to be my best); however, the time-consuming nature of Greek life forced me to evaluate how I spend my time. Balancing FIJI and schoolwork, I noticed I started setting aside time to spend in the library and used my weekends to get ahead on schoolwork in order to make the week less stressful. My better time management lead to better study skills. Originally, I was the type of person who would cram study material the day before the test, but this method was ineffective with the harder course load. During second semester, I started studying for midterms at least four days before the exam. Additionally, although practice problems are never required, I began to complete the practice problems because they helped me truly understand the concepts (especially in math). These two new habits helped me maintain high academic standards despite the harder classes. In combination, my improved time management and study skills lead to success throughout my second semester and prime me for success in my subsequent years at OSU.

Finally, I dedicated my second semester to maintaining my mental health. During my first semester, my best friend and roommate struggled with mental health issues, which spurred me not only to ensure that my best friend stayed healthy but also to evaluate my own mental health. After taking a look at my life during winter break, I decided to do something that I have never done before to keep on to top of my mental health: make a New Year’s Resolution. Normally, I hate these resolutions because they are so cliché and meaningless, but I swallowed my pride and decided to make one. Since January 1, I have been writing down all the great experiences I have during the week. This ever-growing Word document has showed me that even during my toughest weeks, I have so much to be happy about. I have really enjoyed putting the list together each week, and I cannot wait to see how long the list gets by the end of the year. I feel healthy mentally, and I think this list will help maintain those high levels and propel me to greater success in the other aspects of my life.

Overall, I am amazed at how I have developed as a person in just a short amount of time. I feel comfortable with the paths that I have put myself on throughout my first year of college. I think I have stronger chance to have options when it comes to future summer plans. I already cannot wait to return to Columbus to start the next semester. Now that I know what is expected of me in order to succeed in college, I look forward to all the experiences that will come my way as a sophomore at The Ohio State University.