“G.O.A.L.S.” is a time to reflect on my college experience, and to gather insight of what I have done, and where I’m headed in my life. Below is my reflection on my time at Ohio State, and a look into the goals I have for myself as I progress through my college career!

• Global Awareness: Being able to understand the crazy and complex world we live in is something I find incredibly important for my long term success. Not only does this mean understanding the ideals of American culture, but also cultures around the world. The STEM field is one that pushes boundaries and looks past ethnic barriers in the interest of science, so it is important for those of us moving into this field to see that other cultures must be respected and understood. In my time at OSU, I have taken three courses of Russian and am continuing my studies of Russian language and culture with a literature class and involvement in the Slavic programs, Kapustnik and the Russian table program. In the future, I hope to be able to work in other countries and with people of other nationalities to further improve my global awareness.

• Original Inquiry: Being creative can often be the make or break trait when trying to get a job offer or admission into a graduate program. Through the high level of course work in the physics and astronomy departments, I am developing critical thinking skills that allow me to think outside of the box and apply my knowledge somewhere that it may not have been originally intended for. As I move throughout my college career, I am actively pursuing research opportunities on and off campus in order to hone my skills and reach my goal of being accepted into a graduate program.

• Academic Enrichment: It is often said that knowledge is power, and it’s what you do with that power that defines who you are. I have been building knowledge for years in school and I intend to use it for great things. I chose to major in astronomy and physics because I want to be an astronaut some day. Being an astronaut isn’t as simple as being smart and able to handle extreme physical circumstances, you also have to be charismatic, empathetic, and have a true curiosity to explore the unknown. I believe my studies reflect that by not always trying to take the easiest classes, challenging myself to try new things like learning another language or delving into a subject that I’m not particularly fond of (history). I am dedicated to making sure my years at Ohio State are productive in learning as much in the classroom as I am out of it.

• Leadership Development: Leadership is a major component of my life, it’s something I strive to improve upon every single day. The most important part of developing good leadership skills is having the ability to step back and ask and answer to yourself why you are doing something. For example, I am the team captain for my fraternity Buckeyethon team because I believe that it every kid deserves to be a Buckeye, and if I can reflect that thinking, then others will join in too. This summer I’m going on the High Sierras Leadership Expedition, a 28-day voyage on the John Muir trail in California, not because I necessarily love hiking, but I love to challenge myself and gain new experiences and insights that further allow me to become a strong leader. Being able to be a leader among leaders will  strongly benefit me when I go for my final goal of being an astronaut, because someone who can not only lead but respect others ability to do the same thing is an invaluable resource to any group trying to complete a task.

• Service Engagement: Service and philanthropy are two pillars of my life that I believe have formed me into the person I am today. One of the primary reasons I joined the social fraternity I did is because of their strong dedication to service. We dedicate time every week to help out Columbus StarHouse, a youth drop in center that provides meals, clothing, and support services to homeless children. We also host a yearly concert that generates upwards of $15,000 that we donate to Columbus StarHouse. I also have participated in Buckeyethon for the last two years, and it is easily the most fun I’ve ever had helping others. This year I was fortunate enough to have support from many family members and friends and was able to raise $1,057 for my team and reach the status of Miracle Maker. My entire philosophy in life is to be a servant to society. Whether it’s as simple as being there for a friend, or raising money for those who need it, or being a pioneer of human expansion into the solar system, as long as I am serving others, then I’m living a life worth living.