My first artifact is a macaron. These French pastries are one of my favorite treats. But they always remind me of my junior year in high school. During the spring, when ACT testing was in full swing and finals were just around the corner, my older sister was getting married. As her bridesmaid, I promised to do anything to keep the stresses of the wedding arrangements at bay. This included the desert options. Macarons seemed the perfect desert option for her spring, vintage-eclectic wedding. Now for anyone who has never attempted to bake the classic French macaron, these pastries are so adored largely due to their precise and delicate formation. Twenty-four hours before the wedding, after spending the morning taking an ACT test, I attempted the macaron making. Five hours of meranging the multitude of eggs and sugar, piping the shells, creating the “pied” just right, and sandwiching the shells together, I finally got three dozen pink and mint-blue Nutella macarons set and ready for the next day. I remember the tremendous stress I felt during the whole ordeal– partly due to the actual macarons but also because of the worry of how I had done on my ACTs. But the next morning, after seeing my sister so elated at the deserts, all my stress melted away. I could not feel anything besides pride in all the work I had put into making my sister’s day just a dash sweeter. Now every time I encounter a delicate macaron, I remember how all things precious require hard work.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1B9eTvTWsH97k_Z39AGMzkwrKI-heeLIuNBXtn5uKs60/edit#slide=id.p

My second artifact is the ACES pillar movie project on “Sounding the Alarm: Battling the Autism Epidemic.” This project focused on the aspects of service, community, advocacy, and positive social change within the Autism community. Though the film itself was somewhat controversial, I look back on the project and remember how in order to have a little positive effect on my community, I need to keep in mind the importance of serving others, and how working towards that change must not demean the subjects.

My third artifact is my interview with my mentee.

As the first signs of autumn show and midterm exams are tackled, Hannah Borow and I discussed her transition into college life. Hannah is currently a Psychology major following a Pre-Med track. When asked about her general acclimation to campus life, she smiled, and nodded, “It’s good.  It’s definitely interesting.”

To delve in, we talked academics: “What has been your most challenging class so far and why?” She answered, almost without missing a beat, with chemistry. She went on to say how though she had previously taken an AP chemistry class in high school, the overarching material and the variation in approaches by instructors (high school versus collegiate) are what she finds challenging. The demand for study technique, especially, is what she sites as a noticeable difference. When asked, “How do you like to study,” she laughed and said, “I’ve realized I don’t really know.” She explained how when studying for any subject in high school, she went with the flash card approach, hoped for the best, and would pass. But after her chemistry midterm, though it went well, made her realize her past standard approach may not be applicable to every subject.

Hannah also discussed how, though not solely due to her chemistry experience so far, she may no longer be on the Pre-Med track– “I’m just not sure my heart is in it like I thought before.” This also applied to her Psychology major. Currently enrolled in an abnormal psych course, she has noticed psychology may not be exactly what she wants to end up doing. Of course, the study still interests her, but she has began to look into her options deeper in the major. Hannah has created academic plans for the case in which she drops her Pre-Med status and for the case she keeps with it. So for now, Hannah’s career path has an asterisk to be revisited as time goes on.

We carried on our conversation to ACES. “What do you think will be some challenging aspects of the ACES program?” As a common concern within the ACES community, Hannah revealed the volunteering aspect is proving to be more intensive than previously anticipated. She is very interested in a program for mentoring local refugees, working with aid-dog training, and tutoring at a local school. However, response rates are slow and conflicts in schedules have delayed her from making a dent in the required hours.

But besides volunteer-based involvement on campus, Hannah has found local religious groups extremely helpful in her transition. As a practicing Jew, she described how the move to campus has been difficult not only because of the family aspect, but also because she had gone to a private Jewish school for all her previous schooling. Especially being in the midst of High Holidays, the traditions and practices her family and home community had participated in make her homesick. The services provided on campus have helped in her observations for the holidays and in her discovering a local community. Hannah adds that she will be rushing for a Jewish fraternity come spring to further make campus homey.

What has surprised Hannah about Ohio State since arriving on campus is how different living in a dorm with a roommate has proven to be. Though she has three younger siblings at home, she notes that, “it’s weird not living with family… not that it is bad, just that it’s different somehow. I didn’t expect it to be so different.” She describes how even though the living dynamics are different, she still “absolutely loves everything about the campus” itself.

Community is central to feeling at home I gathered in interviewing Hannah. Bearing that in mind, I intend to make sure Hannah knows she can find support in me for any matter. I have already planned on giving her resources (resources I remember being helpful in my first year’s studying) for chemistry and for finding out how I best study. And since I have gone through the same chemistry course, I have offered help studying should she need further explanation for concepts. Additionally, I will check in to ensure she does not feel overwhelmed with the ACES volunteer requirement and suggest any possible volunteer opportunities I see pop up that she may have an interest in. We also discussed (excitedly) our upcoming Explore Columbus Assignment events, which I believe will help Hannah have an escape from some of the more serious and stressful aspects of campus life.

My fourth artifact is my first Explore Columbus adventure with my mentee, Hannah Borow. The adventure to The Olde Towne Tavern in Olde Towne East was quite the experience, though the quaint restaurant is a mere two point nine miles from the Ohio State campus. Since the tavern is just in the boundaries of Olde Towne East and just outside German Village, the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) bus system does not exactly have a direct route to the tavern. As such, there were multiple bus route options that involved walking some amount of a distance– three stops this way then walk a mile this way, twenty stops this way and half a mile that way, et cetera. Hannah and I decided to go the “easy” route, the number two. This meant riding roughly forty minutes then walking about another nine minutes. Considering our adventure took place around four in the afternoon in late November, the commute was mostly in the dark, therefore making certain we were headed the right direction seemed a bit more important. On the bright side, because of the proximity to winter holidays and the festiveness of some Columbus residents, the streets were lit with Yuletide cheer. This was especially enjoyable to observe as we walked in Olde Towne East amongst the town houses. We did consider venturing to the Brexley area nearby to gaze at more lights, but ultimately decided we should save that for spring when there is more light for such a long expedition.

Upon arriving to our destination, the literal and atmospheric warmth of The Olde Towne Tavern was most welcomed. Though the tavern is in fact a tavern with its bar as a focal point, there is plenty of cozy seating crammed into the small space. There is also a back patio, but again, that was not ideal for autumnal weather. The dim light, international soccer telecast, classic rock mixed with modern bluesy alternative background music, and plush yet rustic booths created a warm aesthetic, but the real warmth was manifested the scrumptious food. Hannah and I are both vegetarian, which usually means salads are the only option in a bar food setting. The Olde Towne Tavern flips that expectation on its head– plenty of the appetizers, pizzas, and sandwich specials were accommodating without sacrificing taste. Firstly, it must be noted that the delicious bakery right next door, The Angry Baker, supplies The Olde Towne Tavern with fresh bread since the two eateries are connected through the kitchens. This means that all the bread is basically any carb lover’s dream come true. Additionally, the tavern has a special offer of one dollar pretzel bread dippers on the weekdays for their afternoon happy hour. Needless to say the combination of all this greatness was a highlight for our trip. We both got jalapeño popper grilled cheeses (I added the optional beats), which, while fantastically delicious, were underestimatedly spicy. While we snacked and gobbled up the main meal, our conversation mingled with the relaxed chatter throughout the tavern, adding to the comfortable atmosphere. Simply put, our visit was the classic depiction of a bustling city sanctuary.

The Olde Towne Tavern was such a delightful escape from campus. Maybe it was the chaos of the month prior to our trip or just the usual college stress, but the restaurant provided some much needed rejuvenation for both Hannah and I. Even for off campus living or for the breaks between semesters, this place would be great for relaxing (celibate or with friends). I definitely know I will make the trip when I eventually move off campus and if I’m visiting Columbus after graduation. I especially love the feel of the tavern having been used to eating out in the Northside of Chicago. It acts as a home away from home. However, if you have access to transportation that is not the Central Ohio Transit Authority, try taking that. Some routes are finicky in that they do not run at certain times or some stops might be skipped. Unless COTA adds a route that runs directly to and/or through the Olde Towne East area, the trip is guaranteed to be at least a forty minute expedition. We looked into Uber rides that promised trips between fifteen and twenty minutes but just did not want to spend the money as broke college kids. And speaking of being college kids on a tight budget, I cannot express how great The Olde Towne Tavern’s deals are for certain days and times. The food is superb at regular price, so getting some of them at a sixty percent discounts adds a little umph to that in some way (if only psychologically). Again, did I mention the one dollar freshly made-to-order pretzel dippers?? The place is a must go.

My fifth artifact is my second interview with my mentee.

Winter break had passed, and the strangely warm February weather suggests all of winter has transitioned into an Ohio spring. On a particularly warm day, I met with Hannah Borow at Berry Cafe within Thompson Library to discuss how she has been feeling with new semester in full swing.

Upon meeting, I inquired how the change in classes were treating her. As we had chosen to meet in the library’s cafe because she was in the midst of studying for her psych-chemistry class, she smiled and replied that “it’s definitely some work.” She went on to describe how the class, though very interesting, covers the gritty details of how neurochemicals function within the body. I then asked if this was her only chemistry related class of the semester, to which she grinned broadly, letting out a light chuckle. “I got out of all my chemistries since I finally dropped my Pre-Med status.” The Pre-Med track, as we had discussed in previous conversations, was a weight on Hannah’s mind throughout the autumn semester. Hannah, still obviously content, went through how she had finalized the decision over the winter break with her advisor. She also included how though the decision itself was a relief, rescheduling almost all her classes in the few weeks prior to resuming school was not so relaxing. Then I asked the question to which had an physically obvious answer: “Do you still feel content with your choice now that classes have started?”  All she had to respond with was a wide smile and sure nod of the head. When asked if she had a favorite class thus far, she promptly responded with her public health ethics course. As Hannah has shown a strong interest in social justice issues, the course sounded right up her alley– she had just finished a midterm project that discussed the ethics behind available contraception and feminine care products. Her visceral excitement in the courses she is currently enrolled in speaks volumes.

As we had hit the topic of social justice involvement, we discussed her university organization involvement. She mentioned how later that night she was participating in a political debate. When asked what the debate was on, she described how there was a petition being brought to the university’s undergraduate student organization on the topic of providing defunding aid to Israel. It was reassuring to see how easily Hannah had become involved in the community after knowing how overwhelmed she had been at the start of the academic year. I then asked if she ended up rushing for the Jewish sorority on campus the past few weeks we had came back. Not only did she rush, but she was due to find out who her “big” would be in the coming days. Hannah also seemed gleeful at the fact she’d finally have a sense of community similar to that of home, especially since she was certain she’d live in the sorority house next year.

Outside of social involvement, I inquired how she was feeling in ACES now that the first semester was over. Hannah admitted that service hours were a bit of a struggle to come by– partly due to how her autumn class schedule was not very accommodating, but also because she is heavily involved in non-service related organizations. To this I checked to see if there were any new leeways with the new course schedule, especially in regards to regularly scheduled volunteering. Again, the newness of her schedule and the overwhelming amount of possibilities makes navigating this area of ACES involvement difficult. Luckily, she mentioned there were a few volunteer opportunities she had lined up that would help cover her volunteer quota.
Overall, Hannah seems to be settling into life at OSU and in the ACES program well. I have promised to help her hunt for volunteer opportunities as well as offer any support in her academic demands she may need. Her involvement socially appears to have really helped her transition into college life, to which I think provides that stability Hannah had been so concerned about. We are continuing to plan our next Explore Columbus, which we both hope adds to the bright outlook she has on Columbus.

My sixth artifact is the second (and final) Explore Columbus I did with my mentee.

The hustle and bustle of another semester coming to a close whirled around the Ohio State University campus. As my mentee,  Hannah Borow, and I had thought about our last Explore Columbus trip, we quickly realized the whirlwind of our academic responsibilities did not offer much leeway. So, we agreed to do a brunch-caffeinated-study session at Mission Coffee Co. LLC in the Short North.

Not only was there a buzzing on campus, but the city of Columbus was getting down to business. Almost all of High Street from 11th Avenue to 1st Avenue was under construction. Considering neither of us had convenient access to a car, we relied on the Central Ohio Transit Authority bus system. However, as Hannah and I started out from our residence hall, the COTA bus was no longer a viable option due to construction and the heaviest traffic I think I have ever seen at nine o’clock on a Sunday. The Short North district of Columbus is only about a half hour walk from south campus. Since the weather felt almost summery, we decided a light morning exercise before a sedentary study session would do us some good.

As we weaved around the rezoned sidewalks dictated by the construction, Hannah and I chatted about how she was managing the upcoming final exams and group projects. She, lighthearted and easy going, mentioned her greatest concern was finding the time, motivation, and patience to work on a public health related group project. Most of her group mates were under their own time restraints, which made collaborative efforts sparse. I nodded, offering she could combine eating time with work time (similar to how we were that day). She laughed, then quickly messaged her group to join her after our meet for a late lunch work hour. She then continued that her finals white whale was her neuro-psych course final exam, largely due to the extensive amount of material that would inevitably be tested on. I smiled and asked is she wanted me to quiz her a bit when we got the our destination. Hannah shook her head, saying before she could even study, she had to do an essay paper for the very same class. I laughed, joking that at least in a week she would get to enjoy her summer. That led her into an enthusiastic conversation of travelling cross-country: once via bus for a hometown summer camp she works as a counselor, and then again to drive with her friend to get his car from California to campus for next year. As I commended her for willing to be on the road for so long, we arrived at Mission Coffee Co. LLC.

Mission Coffee Co. LLC is a small cafe located on the corner of Price Avenue and High Street, not totally noticeable by pedestrians unless they have their garage style awning open for warmer weather (which since we had come by on one of the first nice days in April, was not open). We went back and forth, pacing the lines dictated by Google Maps for the walking directions until Hannah finally caught a glance of the small Mission Coffee sign decal on the main building’s side window. There is an industrial, rustic, cozy design theme in the main area. Though there was no real display case for the pastries, every other patron had a delectable looking pastry on a simple white plate. As both Hannah and I are not coffee connoisseurs, we decided on iced chai tea lattes. The cafe, making an effort to be efficient and environmentally friendly, served all in-house orders in simple glassware and emailed receipts in lieu of printing. I do not know if it was the summery heat or just a very well developed recipe, but Mission Coffee Co. LLC has one of the most satisfying iced chai teas I have ever had the pleasure to enjoy. I also chose to grab a scallion, rosemary, thyme, and cheddar scone for light sustenance (a recipe I would gladly copy for home baked goods). Since we were in the full swing of finals week, the cafe was packed wall to wall with those studying independently or collaborating with a group. Luckily as we began looking for a seat, a man was packing his things, and kindly offered us the spot. Sipping our iced teas, and casually talking about our respective materials, Hannah and I sat in that spot for almost four hours. The time flew by with the comfortable atmosphere, everyone softly babbling to themselves. Hannah, as aforementioned, had to go to a group project meeting just down the street for an afternoon lunch. So we split ways the homely cafe, sending well wishes for the coming summer adventures.