I sat down with Marissa Veccia and asked her the questions listed below. During this time we discussed other topics, including our hobbies, personal lives, and expanding the boundaries of our relationship. Having quality time focused on getting to know more about Marissa and who she was outside of ACES was an incredible idea and ultimately helped build a foundation for our relationship.
How did you decide on the major you have chosen?
Marissa explained to me that she is currently in the undecided program offered at OSU. This means that she is completing a majority of her General Education requirements, allowing her an open mind when deciding on a future career. She discussed an original lack of interest in pursuing a college education, and instead wanted to join the police force as her father did. Inevitably she ended up enrolling at The Ohio State University, she still has not decided what to do with this opportunity. She is looking into criminal justice, psychology, anthropology, and other majors. She told me that she has too many interests, it is difficult to decide what career she wants to pursue full time.
How will you balance academics and involvement?
I asked Marissa this question, in hopes that she might know something that I don’t, about finding a quality balance between participation and time devoted to her education. She explained that she is just as lost as I am. She informed me that she completes most of her academics in her room, feeling that the comfortable environment would allow for a more focused mental state. She did tell me that oftentimes she might choose her friends over academics, whether or not she should. This is the major problem she has stated, in the transition to Ohio State. Having her friends constantly around her has made it difficult to create a boundary between homework time and social time. The hope is that Marissa will be able to set boundaries with those around her for the upcoming semester.
What type of volunteering and involvement were you involved with in high school?
This question sparked a fire in Marissa. She explained that throughout high school, she volunteered with disabled youth at a local horse camp. Here she worked with the horses and helped the kids build confidence in their abilities. She continued stating that this was what she missed most since leaving home, remarking that the time she spent with horses was some of the best times she’d had. Marissa’s joy could always be traced back to an experience she had at the horse camp the good she saw sprout from it.
Why did you choose ACES?
This question was a bit difficult to answer, especially with Marissa’s previously mentioned disinterest in pursuing higher education. She explained that once it had been decided that she would continue studying at Ohio State, she was interested in living with a smaller group of people, to create a relationship with individuals more than strangers. She had looked into the other scholar’s programs and learning communities available on campus, but none of them sparked her interest as ACES did. Because Marissa had spent so much time helping others while volunteering at the horse camp, she wanted to continue this good doing in her college career.
What has surprised you about Ohio State since arriving on campus?
The biggest surprise that Marissa shared with me was the kindness she had noticed from the people around her. Oh and the massive student population on campus. She stated that within the first week she had formed a solid group of friends, thanks to ACES, that helped her to feel more at home during the transition to college. It was the few floormates of her that joined her during Taylor Swift’s Red release and helped her to plan a birthday party for a mutual friend they had. Friends were a massive concern for Marissa, so the genuine kindness shown by those around her surprised her for the better.