This semester, I was more than excited to venture out and explore the great city of Columbus with my two mentees Kylie and Molly. Speaking from experience, as a freshman it can be hard to know where to go or what to do when coming to college in a new city. It was rewarding to show my mentees new, fun places around Ohio State that they could continue to go to and enjoy in their future years here at Ohio State. While planning my Explore Columbus trips, I knew that I wanted to take each of my mentees to a destination they were excited about and do so at different times so I could truly get to know them better one-on-one. I found it very beneficial to take them out separately because they both have very different personalities which had truly shown through once I spoke with them.                                           

After suggesting to Kylie that we could go eat at Condado’s, she was extremely excited to go to “that place with the amazing cheese dip”. She had heard of the restaurant and its great Mexican cuisine (especially the queso)and had always wanted to go. I remember being a freshman last year with the same exact prenotions and curiosities regarding the restaurant and was thankful I could be the first one to take her there. After solidifying when we would go out to dinner, Kylie and I arranged to meet up and take the Cota bus together down to the Short North. On the way there, I showed Kylie how to use the bus system so she could do so on her own for her future endeavours. When we arrived at Condado’s, we promptly ordered queso and I showed her how she could create her own tacos, which she enjoyed doing. While enjoying our time and our food, I learned a lot about Kylie’s background, hopes for her future, and her family. She turned out to be the biggest Disney World fan I had ever met.  After we paid for our meal and began heading back to our respective residence halls, I was glad to have shared great food and great conversation with Kylie.

For my other Explore Columbus, I went with Molly and fellow ACES scholar Emma and her mentee to North Market down in the Short North. Last year my mentee took me here for my first time and I loved it, so I decided to continue the tradition and take my mentee there as well. We all met up and hopped on the Cota to venture down together. On the way there I sat with Molly and we caught up about our semesters then continued to state our excitement for North Market and all the food we would be eating. Molly had heard of the restaurant there that sells delicious chicken and could not wait for that to be her lunch. While wandering around at North Market, I was able to learn about Molly’s likes and dislikes, her academic and musical interests, and her thoughts on her first semester at OSU. I was excited to hear that she really loves her new life here, and came to realize that we shared a lot in common. Molly, Emma, her mentee and I all had a great time walking around to the different vendors, chatting, and eating great food that did not come from a dining hall. Overall, the trip made for a great afternoon. Upon leaving, we all agreed that we’d go back to North Market as soon as we could.

All in all, it was was a great experience to be able to hang out with my mentees in unique settings. I feel as though the new environments allowed my mentees to relax and hold conversations that we had never had prior to Explore Columbus. It was interesting to be the one who is introducing new things to younger students as I feel like it was just yesterday when I was in their shoes new to Ohio State and new to Columbus.I believe it can truly be beneficial to take time out of students’ day to explore the world that surrounds them outside of the classroom. Often times, people may be so focused on school and the workload that comes with it that they may be blinded to the adventures and places that are out there for them. Going forward, I am excited to keep in touch with my mentees and help them with anything they might need or any questions they might have.