Abby, Danielle and I decided to keep with the theme of dining at Mexican restaurants this semester. In the fall, we stopped at Condado’s Tacos to enjoy an appetizer of chips with queso and try out our sodas from Rocket Fizz. This semester, we decided to have dinner at Mad Mex, a self-proclaimed “Funky Fresh Cal-Mex” eatery. There is a breakdown of the meaning of this slogan, located on the front page of their menu.

Abby and I agreed to meet in the lobby of Smith-Steeb so that we would arrive at the same time. Mad Mex was only a five-minute walk from there which was nice considering the temperature was only about forty degrees even though it was the second week of April. However, Danielle had a class on North campus so she chose to ride the COTA bus to our destination. We coordinated departure times so that neither of us would have to wait outside or sit at a table alone for long. Danielle’s bus dropped her off at the entrance of the Gateway Film Center Plaza, only a few moments before we arrived on foot. We then decided to take a few pictures, like the image above, before we went inside.

After a long time of studying the menu, we finally had to make a decision on which items we wanted to eat. I ordered carnitas tacos which came plated with rice and guacamole. Abby ordered an enchilada which was served with rice, beans, salsa and guacamole. Danielle ordered a portobello mushroom & corm quesadilla served with a side of salsa and sour cream to dip it in. Overall, we were satisfied with our meals but we each said that we would choose a different item on the menu the next time we decide to dine there.

After we finished our meals, the waitress offered us a desert menu. Unfortunately, Danielle had to leave because she had a meeting, for one of the organizations that she’s involved in, that was about to begin. However, Abby and I could not resist so we decided to choose between their Mexican chocolate brownie, chocolate hazelnut churros, or an ice cream burrito. After much deliberation, we agreed upon splitting the chocolate hazelnut churros. We were very happy with this choice, the dessert was so rich because the cinnamon sugar churros were filled with warm hazelnut spread and topped with copious amounts of whipped topping. Finally, we asked for our checks and then made our way back to Smith-Steeb for the evening.

I think we all agree in saying we would love to go back again and we would definitely recommend it to our friends. However, it is slightly on the more  expensive side of Mexican-style restaurants so I recommend that you save going there for a special occasion. Before this experience, Abby and I had each been there only one time in the past and Danielle had never been there before. That being said, we tried different types of food from our previous trips there so we were all still enjoying something new.

I believe we chose the perfect time to go to because we beat the dinner rush. I know how busy Mad Mex can get later on in the evening. Since we were on such a tight time schedule, I knew that wouldn’t work for us. It’s amazing how many unique restaurants are so close to campus but at the same time it is slightly overwhelming. Keeping this in mind, I think it is important to ask around for recommendations, that way you don’t waste your time and money going somewhere that isn’t worth it. At places that serve bigger portions, a smart idea is to share dishes with your friends so that you fill your appetite and stay within your budget. For example, I was very glad that Abby and I shared the desert because it would have been too much for me to finish on my own and the deserts were kind of pricey.

As anyone continues to explore Columbus, myself included, I encourage them to step out of their comfort zone. Doing so will allow you grow as a person and potentially find a place that you fall in love with, that you wouldn’t have otherwise knew existed. When planning a trip out into the city, it is important to lay the basic ground work like time, date and transportation. Other than that, I feel that you should allow for some spontaneity in your day. Once you start to  further explore, you will be amazed at what this city has to offer.

I had the pleasure of conducting an interview with both of my mentees again this semester. First I met with Abby Huffman. Both of us had a very busy semester from the start so we decided to just meet up in my room since we live down the hall from each other in Smith-Steeb. Abby is still happily a prospective English Education major in the College of Education and Human Ecology. She is required to take six literature classes before applying and being accepted into the major but she loves taking many of those types of classes. I asked her if her specific study habits are working for her, she replied that she enjoys studying in Thompson library and she puts reminders in her calendar for upcoming due dates. She has found it beneficial to start studying for exams about two weeks in advance. Abby has became tremendously involved on campus throughout the past semester. She is part of a Pen Pal program where she writes to the same elementary student every other week and gets the opportunity to show that student around campus at the end of the year. In addition, she’s involved with Buckeye Campaign Against Suicide (BCAS), Block-O, and Cru. Next year she may not be able to attend BCAS meetings due to scheduling conflicts but she plans to find a similar organization to join. Overall, she feels that she has a good level of involvement on campus. She has enjoyed being a part of the living-learning community in Smith-Steeb because it has allowed her to become closer with many of the members. Furthermore, she is extremely close with her roommate whom she found via the ACES dorm placement. Since her first semester, her career plans have remained the same. She still enjoys her classes, finds them interesting and would love to teach a reading class in the future. This semester, she has the chance to explore her desired career through the First Educational Experience Program, more commonly referred to as FEEP. As a result of this, she will gain real-world experience by working for a local school district and more in-depth knowledge from seminars. She also job-shadowed at her high school over winter break for additional insight. Some of her favorite memories from last semester come from attending Buckeye football games with her roommate. She concluded that the match against Penn State was exceptionally fun due to the intensity of the game. In terms of goals for this semester, she wants to better plan ahead for her schoolwork, find a better balance between school, friends and volunteering, and receive an A in all of her classes. I an confident that she will be able to achieve all of that and more!

My second mentee is Danielle Chan. She is a commuter student so we decided to conduct the interview in the Younkin Success Center directly following the Spring Mentorship Retreat. Last semester, Danielle was working towards the Athletic Training program, however, she decided to switch to the Health Promotion, Nutrition and Exercise Science major. She likes her new major much more. She is currently in a nutrition class and she likes the aspect of public health. She finds learning about both topics interesting and this major provides her with a broader area for helping others. The class on her current schedule that she thinks will be the most challenging is Biology 1113. She doesn’t have a very strong background in biology. She said she has to go back to the basics that she learned in high school. Unfortunately, she isn’t doing well with managing time between her involvement and her academics. She has had to limit her involvement to two clubs because she also has a part time job. I have found that it is tough to balance so many things but I suggested that she focuses on what she feels is most important to her right now. Her first semester in ACES was fun and she was able to make some friends. One thing that surprised her about the program was the amount of involvement she found she needed to have. She also discovered there is a lot of advocating done for various groups. As I mentioned before, her career plans have changed from first semester. Last semester, she had plans of attending graduate school for Physical Therapy. Now she is leaning towards working in a hospital setting, potentially as a nurse. Since switching majors, she has not yet had the chance to explore her desired career but she’s actively looking for opportunities. She would be interested in working for the Wellness Center or applying to be an instructor for fitness classes on campus. Her favorite memory from last semester was going to explore and volunteer at many different places around the city. Danielle has a long list of goals set for herself this semester but I strongly believe she can achieve all of them. She plans to study harder, she strives to put her education first and she wants to raise her GPA this semester. As far as non-academic goals, she would like to get more involved in a social aspect, meet more people, she is going to try to not give up opportunities just to stay at home, and she wants to find a community where she feels she belongs. I think many of these things will come naturally to her as she goes along. Overall, I think both of these ladies had an excellent first semester and I can’t wait to see how they continue to grow as a result of their experiences.

My mentees, Danielle and Abby, and I decided to complete our Autumn Explore Columbus assignment on what seemed to be the last warm day of 2017. We started planning our trip about a week ahead of time and it was a struggle to find a time that worked with all three of our schedules. However, we found one Friday evening that happened to work for all of us. Our next step was then deciding where we wanted to go. This was slightly more difficult for us because Danielle is from Columbus so we wanted to make sure we went somewhere that she had never been before. After exchanging many ideas, we decided to head to the Short North where Rocket Fizz, a new soda and candy shop, was located. None of us had been there before and we each agreed that we would try a new, wacky flavor of soda while we were there.

I had Danielle and Abby meet me at my room in Smith-Steeb so that they could lock their backpacks inside and so that we could head down to the Short North together. From my dorm, we walked to the nearest COTA bus stop. We ran into a small problem here when Danielle realized she forgot to bring her BuckID with her, but the bus driver let ride anyway. Upon arrival at Rocket Fizz, all of our inner childhood excitement came rushing back to us. The shop was filled with sugar of various colors, sizes and forms. We took our time looking around the store, taking pictures, and sharing stories about our favorite candies. Once we finally decided to checkout, I ended up purchasing one soda and a handful of my favorite candy, Danielle purchased one soda, and Abby bought a six pack of soda that she hand-picked flavors for as part of a mix-and-match deal for her and her friends to try. Satisfied with our purchases, we started walking north on High Street to do some window shopping before reaching our next destination of Condado’s Tacos.

This wasn’t our first time eating there but we wanted to go to a place where could taste-test our oddly flavored sodas and share some chips with queso. Our waitress even provided us with a bottle opener because we were so eager to try them. First, I tried my Horchata flavored soda. I concluded that the taste of cinnamon was far to overbearing and that Horchata is not something that should be added to a carbonized substance. Next, Danielle tasted her Peanut-butter and Jelly flavored drink but she felt that is was overwhelmingly sweet. Finally, Abby decided to try the Blue Raspberry Lemonade soda out of the six total that she bought. She felt that it was quite delicious and a good combination of flavors. After we payed our bills at Condado’s, we rode another COTA bus the rest of the way back to campus. However, this time, Danielle had to pay the fee of $2 to ride back. Unfortunately, this short ride took much longer than expected, probably longer than it would have taken us to walk back, due to the loading and unloading of a handicapped rider. Once the girls collected their belongings from my room, we stopped by Abby’s room where her roommate agreed to try one of the other flavors that was purchased- Ranch. We discovered that it had a terrible smell and an aftertaste of rotten vegetables but it was humorous to watch her sample the soda.

I would definitely recommend checking out Rocket Fizz at some point. It felt like they had almost every type of candy created, not only from America but other countries, like Japan, too! However, when it comes to selecting a bottled soda, I suggest sticking to the more classic flavors, like orange or grape. Also, if you need to utilize the city bus system to get where you want to go, you should make sure you have everything you need to ride, allot enough time for delays, and make sure you know which bus to get on and which stop to get off at. Often times the scariest and most difficult part about exploring Columbus is having to use the bus system. As long as you do your research ahead of time or go with an experienced rider, it’s not a big deal at all! The awesome thing about Columbus is there’s always something new to do and it’s all within a short distance away. My love for this city continues to grow and I can’t wait to see where my mentees and I decide to go next semester!

My first mentee’s name is Abby Huffman. She is an English Education major and, oddly enough, we are from the same hometown of Cambridge, Ohio. I first asked Abby why she chose the major that she did. She explained that she had an inspiring English teacher is high school that really pushed her students to dive into the subject because it’s a good way for students to find out who they are. In addition, Abby has also always felt most comfortable when she’s in an English class. I think that she has great motivation for choosing that major and I will encourage her to not lose sight of that, even if classes get tough. Next, I asked her how she plans on getting involved on campus this semester and in the years to come. She stated that she has already joined Buckeyes Campaign Against Suicides, where they hold events to help raise awareness and end stigma surrounding the matter. In addition, she wants to begin volunteering but she hasn’t found an organization that fits her interests yet. In the past, she has volunteered for Red Cross, served food at her local bingo hall, and helped run high school track meets. Pertaining to ACES, she is most excited about getting to meet new people within the group and the community since she is new to Columbus. I told her that was something I was also excited about when I got accepted into this scholars program and it definitely provided me with the opportunity to meet a countless number of new people each semester. When I asked her what her dream job would be, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that she is indeed on the path towards achieving that goal. She ideally wants to teach upper level high school English classes. Abby has a love for reading and poetry that she wants to instill in her future students. She said that she would give them more difficult readings to put them ahead of other students their age and prepare them for things like the ACT and college assignments. Next, I asked her how she plans on finding a balance between academics and involvement. She replied that grades come first, and she sacrifice extracurricular events in order to get the grades that she wants in her classes. But at the same time, she doesn’t want to spend her life in a book, meaning she knows there is much more to the college experience than just studying hard. Finally, I asked my mentee what has surprised her most about Ohio State since she arrived on campus. She feels that even though it’s a large campus, there are many ways to make it feel small. I personally noticed that early on too and I believe it was due to my involvement in ACES. I told her that having a cohort that you meet with on a regular basis makes everything seem smaller and more familiar. I’m glad that I get the chance to mentor Abby during her freshman year, within the ACES program and also across all aspects of her life.

My second mentee’s name is Danielle Chan. She is a local commuter student with an Athletic Training major. The first question I asked her during our interview was how did she choose her major. Danielle played sports in high school, like volleyball, and she often got injured and had to go to physical therapy sessions. This sparked an interest in her, so she decided she wanted to work with athletes and help them with their injuries. She wants to get into a physical therapy program after she completes her undergraduate schooling. I told her that it’s good that she already has a plan in a ind so that she can get a head start on meeting all the requirements for being accepted into that type of a graduate program. Second, I asked her what her most challenging class has been so far and, as I expected, she stated that Chemistry 1210 has been the most challenging thus far. It’s a class that almost everyone struggles in because it’s used to weed people out of related majors. I encouraged her to persevere, form study groups, and not be afraid to ask the professor questions. I also asked her how she plans on getting involved on campus this semester. She has already joined H2O, a Christian organization that meets weekly near campus. She would also like to build a stronger connection with the Asian community by joining one of the many collaborative organizations that are offered here. Next, I was interested to find out what she was most looking forward to in the ACES program. She stated that she’s very excited to get to know the other scholars and form new relationships with them. She also enjoys the community service aspect of the program. She plans to get involved with Hay-U, Healthy Asian Youth, as a driver to transport the other volunteers to its’ after school program. I decided to question her about her back-up plan if she doesn’t get into a physical therapy program because I know it is fairly competitive. She said that she would possibly pursue nursing or just find a job somewhere. She shared with me that she lacks motivation for studying and it’s hard to find any because you have so much more independence in college, there is no one reminding you to stay on top of your work. I advised her to keep her options open and not give up o anything that she truly wants. Finally, I asked her what surprised her most about Ohio State since she arrived on campus. She gave the common answer of it being a big campus, however it can be made small. She feels that once you get to know people and see them all the time, you create a community for yourself. I told that I completely agreed with that and I learned that early on in my first semester as well. I’m very excited to have the opportunity to mentor Danielle this year and make it as easy of a transition for her as possible.

The Spanish department implemented the use of Talkabroad, an online service that allows students to connect with Spanish-speaking professionals around the world via video chat, this year. I was in a second level Spanish course this semester so I was required to complete two, thirty minute conversations for the class. The people pictured above were my conversation partners this semester: Alejandra from Colombia and Rubén from Peru. At first, I was nervous to attempt to have a conversation with a stranger that doesn’t have the same native language as I do but it ended up being a great learning experience. Not only did I uncover tips for getting your point across in a different language, I also got to learn little bits of cultural information from my partners.

I completed my first conversation during week 5 of the semester and then my second one during week 10. It was great to see how much I improved from my first trial to my second one. First of all, I was much more relaxed and prepared the second time around. I found ways to make my sentences flow by using things like transitions and connecter words. My vocabulary had also expanded by week 10 and I had more meaningful questions to ask. I believe that practice makes perfect and that is why Talkabroad has been and will continue to be a crucial part of my Spanish education.

The ACES Pillars Film Project was a group assignment that I completed for my Scholars seminar this semester. I was in a group with three other students and we unanimously decided to watch the documentary, Chicago Girl. After watching this documentary about a girl who helped orchestrate the Syrian revolution via social media, we worked together to create a slideshow presentation. We decided to split up the slides and work on them individually that way we were each responsible for the same amount of work. We then presented it to the class, each reading our own slides, as well as, adding any additional thoughts where we felt it was necessary. The slideshow included a slide about each of the four ACES pillars: positive social change, advocacy, community, and service. We found examples of each pillar within the documentary which is what the entire seminar encompassed. We used Chicago Girl and our presentation to bring awareness to our class about an important issue in the world. We also wanted to show them that there are always ways for us to bring about change if we’re are willing to work for it. I will now hold this presentation as a standard for any other group projects that I’m assigned in the future.