Sophomore Year in Review

Global Awareness:

As an international student, my cultural background is different from that of the American students. Last semester I was lucky enough to be paired up with an alumna mentor through Buckeye Pen Pals, whom I have been exchanging culture-related experiences with and asking questions about American culture. I also went to one of the football home games and gained first-hand experience of American football culture. Apart from understanding more about American culture, I also served as a link between current Chinese students at Ohio State and those incoming students who haven’t set foot on the American land yet. I volunteered at two China Pre-Departure Orientations in Shanghai last summer and answered questions about academic and campus life from both incoming students and their parents.

 

I do not intend to constrain my development in Global Awareness only to personal life; rather, I plan to know other areas and regions of the world through academic work. I am taking a history class on Islam in early Spain and North Africa. I got the idea of taking this course through another history course which I took in Spring 2018 Semester. The history of Islam and its cultural glory and prosperity discussed in this medieval history course intrigued and inspired me to learn it in a more in-depth way.

 

I wanted to participate in an architecture program hosted by the Knowlton School this summer in Rome, but sadly I have to take summer courses and could only forgo the opportunity. I may not have the time to participate in a similar program next summer or the summer after, but if I ever come across a book, an online video lecture or a podcast discussing Roman architecture, or if I will ever go to Rome again, my interest will definitely be aroused and I will learn fervently as I should if I ever attend the program.

 

Original Inquiry:

I encountered an opportunity for research when taking PSYCH 1100H in Autumn 2018 Semester. We were required to conduct a research of our own, and we should hold a scientific mindset and employ scientific methods in the design and implementation of our project. Before the start of the project, we were introduced the right attitude one should have when designing and conducting research as well as methods for scientific research. We also had the opportunity to do literature search before the project. We chose to inquire into the influence different types of keyboards have on people’s typing speed. We asked a total of 30 people to type a passage pre-selected by us and counted the time they took when typing. We then gathered and analyzed data, drew conclusions based on our question and assumption, and made a poster which presented our research results. The overall project provided valuable experience and knowledge regarding research.

 

Academic Enrichment:

Through past two years, I have determined my commitment to the study of literature and languages, in particular English and German literature and languages. I have been reading a lot since a very young age, and as I grow up, I discover my interest in analyzing texts as well. I enjoy knowing historical and cultural backgrounds of the authors and see how they influence their production of literary texts. I also love writing and learning foreign languages. Therefore, I started self-learning German in high school and continued to learn at Ohio State. I eventually added a minor in German to concentrate more on the study.

 

Beside literature I’m also devoted to singing. I have taken two voice lessons (including this semester) and will continue to take more in the future. I have also been taking horseback riding lessons for a long time. In the future I might consider joining the equestrian club and participate in competitions.

 

Leadership Development:

Right now I am a High School Junior Mentor in Buckeyes Inspire. The program provides mentorship to underprivileged students at one of the Whitehall City Schools through monthly visits. During these visits we do activities that help the students understand and prepare for college application and college life. I mentor one of the students on a one-to-one basis. I answer her questions on aspects of college application and college life through reflecting on my personal experience. Throughout our conversations I also learned to pay attention to potential things she might not know or understand, and to the fulfillment of our goal in the program I tried to point them out and clarify them for her. That has been proved to be very helpful.

 

I also volunteer for After School All Stars through Semester of Service. I am paired up with a third-grader at one of the Columbus City Schools and our major job is to promote literacy and improve their math skills. We do that through helping them with their homework, reading picture books with them and asking them comprehension questions. While the pupil is reading out passages in her reading homework or completing problems for her math homework, I pay attention to the types of mistakes she makes so that I can think about ways to her improve her way of learning. Through participating in these two programs I proactively take responsibility of the development of another individual, which I regard as an example of leadership.

 

Service Engagement:

The two examples I wrote above under Leadership Development are examples of Service Engagement. I am engaged mostly in education-related programs because I want to help individuals that are constrained by their circumstances to achieve a higher level in life. I will continue to involve in both of the programs as both of them are long-term. I am also looking forward to seeing changes in them after a long period of time.

G.O.A.L.S.

[ “G.O.A.L.S.” is a place where students write about how their planned, current, and future activities may fit into the Honors & Scholars G.O.A.L.S.: Global Awareness, Original Inquiry, Academic Enrichment, Leadership Development, and Service Engagement. For more guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. Delete these instructions and add your own post.

  • Global Awareness: Students cultivate and develop their appreciation for diversity and each individual’s unique differences. For example, consider course work, study abroad, involvement in cultural organizations or activities, etc.
  • Original Inquiry: Honors & Scholars students understand the research process by engaging in experiences ranging from in-class scholarly endeavors to creative inquiry projects to independent experiences with top researchers across campus and in the global community. For example, consider research, creative productions or performances, advanced course work, etc.
  • Academic Enrichment: Honors & Scholars students pursue academic excellence through rigorous curricular experiences beyond the university norm both in and out of the classroom.
  • Leadership Development: Honors & Scholars students develop leadership skills that can be demonstrated in the classroom, in the community, in their co-curricular activities, and in their future roles in society.
  • Service Engagement: Honors & Scholars students commit to service to the community.]

Career

[“Career” is where you can collect information about your experiences and skills that will apply to your future career.  Like your resume, this is information that will evolve over time and should be continually updated.  For more guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

Artifacts

[Artifacts are the items you consider to be representative of your academic interests and achievements. For each entry, include both an artifact and a detailed annotation.  An annotation includes both a description of the artifact and a reflection on why it is important to you, what you learned, and what it means for your next steps.  For more guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

About Me

Hi! My name is Yixi Guo, and I am a current sophomore student studying Comparative Literature and Finance. I am considering switching my major to English and to upgrade my German minor to a major, just to focus more on literature. My current area of interest is Trümmerliteratur and early 20th century British literature. In the future I might pursue advanced degrees in Comparative Literature or simply English or German literature. I also take voice lessons and I am planning to take a Music minor. I’m quite interested in musicals and operas. I very much enjoy Les Misérables and Elisabeth, and my favorite opera composers for now are Giacomo Puccini and Richard Wagner. Outside of classroom I like to go to concerts, musicals and operas, enjoy the nature, go horseback riding, or travel.