Moonlight Float

During my first semester of college, I got to canoe down the Olentangy River with some of my friends from the Biological Sciences Scholars program and from the Outdoor Adventure Center — a place that has become a second home to me at Ohio State. However, this trip was very different from rock climbing and hiking that I usually associate with the Outdoor Adventure Center. This was actually my first time seeing downtown Columbus and it was an extremely unique way to see it. Coming from New York City, I felt at home seeing the urban landscape. It was a familiar, yet foreign experience (mainly because I have never canoed down the Hudson River). I am excited to continue to explore this new city for the next three-and-a-half years.

 

Ice Cream in the Short North

Over the weekend, Biological Science Scholars took many of us into the Short North to get rolled ice cream. We took the COTA to the Short North and walked over to the ice cream parlor. This was my first time exploring the Short North, and I found myself comparing it to SOHO. It nice to see, so cultures colliding in the area. It was unlike anything that I had seen in Columbus, yet. I took note of the different places that I wanted to visit later on in the semester and later returned with a few friends to explore some more. When my friends and I went back to the area, we found a few extraordinary places including an old-fashioned candy shop and a tea shop. I cannot wait to continue to explore the city of Columbus during my college career.

Scholar’s Study Session

One of the scholar’s events I have attended since starting my freshman year at Ohio State was the Biological Science Scholars Study Session in Barrett House’s Lobby. At the event, other scholars and I studied for midterms together, and I got to talk to, as well as ask questions to, upperclassmen. It was a nice change of scenery from my small dorm room. And I got to spend time with my friends and meet new people. It was also nice to see how upperclassman still came to small events like this one to continue being a part of the Biological Science Scholars community.

Caving in Virginia

After my Hocking Hills trip, I made sure to stay updated on the trips that the Outdoor Adventure Center was planning. I knew that I wanted to go on another trip during my first semester in college. I remembered that my trip leader from the Wilderness Welcome trip was supposed to lead a caving trip in October. I had been eyeing the trip for a few weeks when my friend signed up for it and inspired me to sign up. I had wanted to properly go caving since I was about 12 when my bunk in camp went on a trip to a small cave with one room and one squeeze. So I signed up for the weekend trip. We left Friday night for Virginia, set up camp at midnight, and got up bright and early for our first day in the cave. We ended up spending close to eight hours in the cave. We got to explore multiple rooms (including a room resembling the surface of the moon that was aptly named the moon room). We also went through a squeeze to get to a room that was almost entirely made of moldable clay. It was an incredible sight to see. During the second day, we went into another — much dryer cave. This time, my headlamp malfunctioned, and I had to explore the cave in darkness. My friends helped out during the more dangerous stretches, but I explored almost the entire cave with nothing but the light of a glow stick. I was challenged to rely on my other senses and became much more confident in myself over the four or five hours spent in this cave. This trip taught me to trust myself and to analyze every situation to best get to my end goal. I truly enjoyed myself and am looking forward to the next time I get to go caving.