Initially when deciding what we wanted to do for our second Explore Columbus opportunity, Alex and I struggled a bit while texting each other. The one thing that was clear was that we each felt more comfortable meeting in-person to complete this opportunity, even though we met virtually last semester. Alex and I decided we wanted to eat lunch together as we had previously discussed our favorite restaurants in the area since we are both from Central Ohio. Although we agreed that we wanted to sit down and eat a restaurant, we struggled to pick just one possible place to go. Instead, we agreed on a time and place to meet first.

Alex had her car on campus during the spring semester because she had to drive to her First Education Experience Program (FEEP). So, on February 27, Alex picked me up from my dorm on campus at 11:45 am, and we then worked on where we wanted to go. We both talked about how we really liked the food served at Northstar, because it tastes very fresh (a vast difference from campus dining), and decided to drive to the Northstar Short North location. It was a short, four minute drive down High Street from my dorm location on 10th Ave. (south campus). I thought High Street was fairly quiet for a Saturday morning, but it was nice to not have much traffic on our way. The construction down the street did make for skinny lanes however.

It was a bit of an overcast day, as it had rained the night before. This made for humid temperatures, and a fairly warm day for February in Ohio. I was a bit worried about parking in the Short North, as I remembered NorthStar having one small parking lot to the side of the building with the rest being street parking. Although we were not able to park in the direct NorthStar parking lot, we did find street parking very close by. After we had parked, we walked the short distance down the sidewalk until we were inside the restaurant. While waiting in line, we both discussed possible meal options, but we didn’t have a lot of time as the line was fairly short. In the end, Alex ordered a breakfast sandwich while I ordered a chopped salad. We each filled up our water cups and sat down at a table to wait for our food.

While seated at the table, I decided to begin asking Alex the five mentee interview questions for the second semester interview. We decided to combine the two ACES mentorship program second semester tasks, as we both had incredibly busy schedules during the spring semester. It was nice to have these questions as talking points so we could continue to get to know each other, but it did seem as though the conversation flowed naturally.

After a few minutes, a waiter brought out our food while we continued to discuss our time at Ohio State and in ACES. I learned so many things about Alex while we were enjoying our meals. As most college students do, we mainly discussed our majors, classes, and campus experience. I learned about her experience with FEEP in a second grade classroom at a local elementary school and it seemed as though Alex was thoroughly enjoying her Elementary Education major. I also learned more about the sorority rushing process as Alex rushed the Tri-Delta sorority at Ohio State since many of her friends also joined sororities. One of my roommates is in the same sorority, so it was interesting to compare their experience’s. Another thing that was discussed is Alex’s experience in ACES. She described that while she has not met as many people as she expected to, everyone she has  met has been incredibly friendly. I discussed my role on the ACES Leadership Council as the Service Co-Chair, and how valuable the experience has been. I encouraged Alex to apply for a position on the council (Alex is now the next Service Co-Chair of ACES).

When we had both finished our meals, we stayed at the table and talked for our few more minutes before we finally decided to walk back towards Alex’s car to drive back towards campus. Alex then dropped me back off at my dorm. Overall, I had an amazing time a Northstar with Alex. The food was enjoyable, fresh, and fast and the atmosphere of the restaurant was very clean and calming. I am grateful Alex and I were able to have this experience together during this COVID-19 pandemic and an overall hectic year.

My mentee, Alex Criss, and I decided to pair this second semester interview along with our spring semester Explore Columbus event. So, while sitting in the Northstar Restaurant Short North location, Alex and I discussed how our semesters had been going. I asked Alex five questions so I could better understand her experience at Ohio State and as an Advocates for Communities and Education Scholar. The questions, as well as her answers, are discussed below…

• Are you enjoying your major? Why or why not?
  • I asked Alex this question again because when we first met she discussed possibly switching her major to Social Work, so I wanted to see how she was liking her Elementary Education major. She responded saying she thoroughly enjoys this major this semester due to her experience in the First Education Experience Program (FEEP) during the spring semester. In this program, Alex has been placed in a second grade classroom at Carson Elementary School to gain experience applicable to her future in education. She goes to the school three days a week in the morning to help with classroom activities. Alex described how FEEP has made her confident she chose the right major, and she may even minor in American Sign Language (ASL) to promote inclusivity in her future classroom. 
• Have your career plans changed since your first semester? Why or why not?
  • To follow up from the previous question, Alex described that while her career plans have not changed exponentially she does now want to teach older elementary-aged children. Originally, Alex wanted to teach Kindergarten, but after her experience in FEEP, she thinks she would be a better teacher among an older age-group.
• Do you think you will keep your same involvement next year? Why or why not?
  • I wanted to hear any updates on Alex’s involvement in campus organizations since first semester, as I know she had plans to join a few. In the spring, Alex rushed the Tri-Delta Sorority because all her friends also went through the rushing process. I then asked her a bit about the rushing process to which she explained how it was all online, and a stressful few days, but everyone she encountered was incredibly nice. Alex will be continuing involvement in the sorority next year because she is living in the sorority house on 15th. Otherwise, Alex has not gotten involved in any other organizations, but does want to join the Rotaract Service Club in the fall if events are once again held in-person.
• How was your first semester in ACES?  What has surprised you about the program?
  • Overall, Alex had positive things to say about her time in ACES. However, she described how she hasn’t met nearly as many people as she expected coming into the program at Ohio State. But, Alex said everyone she did meet was always inclusive and friendly, something she very much appreciated. Her favorite events included the Inclusivity in the Classroom academic speaker event and the Bob Ross Painting Nights. Alex said she has made a solid group of friends in ACES and she expects that friendship to persist throughout college.
• What has surprised you about Ohio State since arriving on campus?
  • Alex detailed that she was surprised by how small Ohio State can feel describing that she has found many ways to handle the campus’s exponential size. One of these ways is through the organizations she is in such as ACES and Tri-Delta, and another is through creating relationships with others within her major courses.

Overall, I feel as though I learned so much about Alex during this interview, and am excited to see what she does not only in the ACES program next year, but also in her education major.

Again, due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Franklin County and on campus, as well as the proximity of us both returning home for break, Alex and I both decided it would be best to meet over Zoom on Monday November 16th to finish the Virtual Explore Columbus Event. During our Zoom meeting, we discussed a location we would’ve like to visit and possibly will visit in the future, the challenges Alex has faced familiarizing herself with campus and Columbus due to COVID, and how we feel about being able to only meet virtually.If we could have this semester, Alex and I both decided we would’ve wanted to go walk around North Market. When deciding where we wanted to go, we had a but of trouble finding a place both of us had not already been to. This is because Alex is from Upper Arlington, OH and I am from Powell, OH. Both of these locations are not very far from campus or Columbus, meaning we have both grown up near the city. We both love coffee, and trying new restaurants and foods, so we were certain we  wanted to try a new coffee shop or restaurant of some sort. This is when Alex mentioned the North Market, located on 59 Spruce St. The North Market in Columbus is a public market made up of a bunch of independent, Ohio-based merchants. So, ultimately we decided on North Market because although both of us had gone here before, we agreed there are so many food options in the market we both wanted to try and explore still.

The next thing Alex and I needed to discuss was how we would arrive at North Market. Since neither of us have a care on campus, we ultimately decided that we would take the COTA bus towards downtown. After looking at the bus routes on our phones, we both determined that the best route we could take would be getting on the #8 bus at W. 11th and Neil Ave. and getting off ten stops later at Neil Ave. and Spruce St. Once we arrived at North Market, we discussed how we would both want to walk around and see if any new merchants had come to sell their items. During this walk through, we would discuss what we had already tried, and determine what we wanted to buy today. After we both got our respective food, we wanted to sit down in the upstairs seating and catch up on how our semester had been going. We both hope we will actually get to go to the market soon.Alex and I ended our Zoom meeting by discussing how difficult it has been for her to get to know campus and the Columbus community due to COVID. She described to me how lucky she felt that she had grown up in Columbus because otherwise, she described how she may not feel any connection at all, as she has not gone into Columbus much this semester. As a person who also grew up outside of Columbus, this made total sense to me. I asked Alex a couple of her favorite spots in Columbus, and she responded with COSI, the Columbus Zoo, and the Whetstone Park of Roses. Alex discussed how she has eaten off-campus a few times this semester at places near Smith-Steeb on High Street, but most of the time, here and her friends order carryout to bring back to the dorms. Alex and I did meet in-person after we first found out we were paired together in October, but since then, we have not seen each other, so we discussed how COVID has impacted our mentor-mentee relationship. Thankfully, Alex and I still believe we have a good connection even though we have not gotten to talk to each other as much as we would’ve liked to this semester as we have a lot in common. Alex and I are both interested in coffee, trying new things, and most importantly, serving the community around us. We frequently text each other with any questions or concerns. I think we have a good foundation that I am excited to build on going into next semester.I am hoping we will get more chances to talk in-person.

Due to the extenuating circumstances surrounding the rising COVID numbers in Franklin County and on campus, my mentee, Alexandra or Alex Criss, and I decided to meet virtually over Zoom on Monday November 16th. During this Zoom meeting I interviewed Alex about her first semester at Ohio State and we also completed the Virtual Explore Columbus Activity. I asked Alex five questions so I could better understand her as a person. The questions, as well as her answers, are discussed below…

• Are you enjoying your major?

 So far this semester, Alex is really enjoying her Early Childhood Education Major. Originally, before coming to Ohio State, she was between tow different majors: Early Childhood Education and Social Work. She ultimately chose education, but when I talked to Alex earlier in the semester, she was still on the fence between the two. She was thinking of switching to social work because her mom is a medical social worker, and she had always looked up to her as a role model. As a Social Work Major myself, I told her everything I loved about my major, thinking this might help her make a decision. In the end, Alex chose to stay as an Early Childhood Education Major, and after talking to her during this Zoom interview, it sounds like this was a good personal choice. Alex really enjoys her major courses, as she has taken two so far. She is also signed up to student teach in Columbus next semester, and is hoping to be placed with either third or fourth graders.

• How have you gotten involved on campus?

During our Zoom session, Alex admitted she hasn’t gotten very involved on campus in anything besides ACES as most clubs are forced to meet online due to COVID. She told me she does want to get involved in more volunteer-based organizations on campus such as a Rotaract Club because this is what she was involved in throughout high school. I also recommended she pledge to co-ed service fraternity I am in called Alpha Phi Omega.

• Have you enjoyed the ACES living-learning community in Smith-Steeb? Why or why not?

Due to COVID, Alex admitted during our interview that she has not gotten to know as many members of ACES as she would’ve liked. Occasionally, people will talk in the hallways and common rooms, but it is not the same as people are still required to wear masks and social distance in these areas. She has however met three other girls in ACES that she connects with and is planning to live with next semester. So, although the community is not as close as she would’ve expected, she has made some of her best friends through ACES.

• Have you had the chance to explore your desired career through internships, field experience, etc.?

Although Alex did get to do some shadowing days in high school in different elementary and preschool classrooms, she has not done much experience in the field since coming to OSU. This is normal as she is only in her first semester. She is getting involved in FEEP next semester though, meaning she will be placed in a classroom shadowing a teacher in Columbus. Despite COVID, Alex is really hoping she will still get the chance to teach in person next semester as she has already completed her background check and left plenty of room in her schedule.

• What has surprised you about Ohio State since arriving on campus?

Before coming to OSU, Alex was intimidated by the six of the university, but since arriving on campus, she has realized how easy it is to surround yourself with communities that make the university feel smaller. She believes that OSU provides the best of both worlds as she is able to create close friendships while also being provided with so many opportunities.

 I wore a green ribbon similar to this one on my gown during my high school graduation. Throughout my high school career, two members of my graduating class lost their lives due to suicide.

Mental illness has always had a special place in my heart as I have had my own personal struggles with depression and anxiety. Not only that, but my brother also struggles with severe anxiety. Because mental illness has touched many people around me, I most likely want to be a Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker in the future in a hospital or healthcare setting. I want to help those like my brother and I, who feel little hope, and need resources to bring themselves out of darker times.

I am a firm believer that mental illness is an issue that has been heavily stigmatized in today’s society. The media fails to discuss issues pertaining to mental illness and feeds into society’s standards with their unrepresentative models and covers. By not discussing these issues openly, people are less likely to feel the need to obtain help or further resources.

This is the puzzle piece that is used universally as a symbol for autism awareness. It is used by many small groups and organizations such as Autism Speaks to advocate for the inclusion of those on the autism spectrum into society.

This puzzle piece, and any item on which it appears, mean a lot to my family and I. In 2005, my younger brother Evan was diagnosed with autism. It is something that has completely effected our family dynamic in both positive and negative ways, but it is also something you cannot change. I wouldn’t;t change my brother, and I am proud of the person he has become. He now confidently plays a variety of instruments of stage, excels in school, and enjoys the social activities that come with being a sophomore in high school.

Because of Evan’s diagnosis, I now recognize the importance of not stigmatizing autism. Many people feel uncomfortable talking about disabilities, and this causes false assumptions to circulate. It is important to be open, and discuss issues like this, so those with autism are not isolated from our society. As a future social worker, even though I will not explicitly be working with those who have learning disabilities, it is important for every social worker to advocate for populations that are oppressed or underprivileged.