When I saw the name “Dunn Sport & Wellness,” I knew that this was a Scholar’s Group I had to be a part of. Still, when I got to school in August, I underestimated the impact that my involvement in the group would have on me. I was so excited coming to college because I didn’t know anyone at Ohio State prior to my arrival at campus, but I quickly realized how fortunate I was to be a part of a group larger than myself. The friendship and comradery that scholars has offered me has gotten me through many disappointing, stressful weeks, and I know that the support system that I have is a valuable one. Being a part of DSWS has taught me hot to be an integral part of other people’s support as well. Everyone processes stress and failure differently, and interacting with fellow scholars on a daily basis has taught me to first consider the situation and then consider how to help them. Before I would too often rush to help people before I understood how best to help them.
Aside from the advantages that DSWS has offered my personally, it has also helped develop a sense of myself professionally. Coming to college is a huge adjustment, and there are a lot of unknowns. If high school was a time of discovering who you were as a person, then college is the time of discovering who you are as a professional. Aside from developing my character and learning marketable skills, I aspired to be a stellar academic in my field as well. I wasn’t sure if I would experience the same academic success in college that I did in high school, and that was a source of anxiety for me. After my year with scholar’s, however, I have realized that connecting with people first and worrying about your accolades later often leads to better success. The most marketable skills, ironically, are not those learned in the classroom but instead through life – through success and failure. This was a theme that was drilled into our heads every Tuesday night by our special speakers, and it is one that I have to continually remind myself of. And while I may not know exactly where I am headed in my professional career, I know that I’m on my way. Ready or not.