Artifact

For my artifact in this reflection, instead of uploading a picture like I have done in the past, today I am using a word: passion.

Since starting college, and especially over the past few weeks, this word has become hugely important to me. I have found myself asking “what am I passionate about?” countless times. In pre-med, it’s very easy to get dragged down by this checklist of things you need to do in college: get the grades, participate in x amount of extracurriculars, do y amount of volunteering… While these checklists are important and something I need to consider for my future, it has also been very important for me to figure out how I can do things I truly care about while completing requirements.

I am so happy with this past semester because I have discovered so much about my passions. Through year of service and other volunteering experiences, I am exploring my passion of working with people. In my classes, I am further discovering my passion for science. By choosing activities that I truly care about, this semester I have felt engaged and challenged every day.

While academics, volunteering and work have been very fulfilling, I also have to remind myself that at the top of the list of thing I care about are my relationships. Spending time with friends and family is important for my happiness and health, and it’s not something I should constantly sacrifice to pursue other goals.

Overall, this semester I feel like I have gotten so much closer to finding my place and discovering who I want to be. I want to be a good friend, a good citizen, a good worker, student, scientist… I am definitely finding my passions. The next challenge will be learning to balance my many passions.

Year In Review

I can’t believe my first year is almost over! Just yesterday, I scheduled my classes for next semester, and today I had my last meeting of the year with my advisor, so it’s all finally starting to seem real.

I have definitely had a very full and exciting year. I have learned a lot between August and now, from how to use Tapingo to the muscles in the leg, and with this learning I’ve also grown a lot. During this year, I have met a lot of fascinating people, gotten to experience some amazing things, experienced community service in new ways… I’ve had tons of fun! It feels like so much has happened just this year that it is difficult to summarize in a few sentences. I’ve explored my academic interests and am much closer to finding the right major for me, I’ve learned how to be a better leader and I’ve become involved in this community, and I’ve found friends that bring me joy and support. A lot of little things all add up to making this campus feel like home.

I’m very happy with what I’ve accomplished this semester, and I know I’m going to miss Ohio State a lot over the summer. At the same time, I’m excited to head home soon and get started on my plans for the summer, so I can come back with lots of energy and make my second year even better than the first!

Artifact 3

Spring break just ended, which means that the school year is almost over! As short as it feels, I have still managed to do a lot during the semester. In terms of academics, I am in a very varied group of classes that I am always excited to attend. In my extracurriculars, I am discovering my real passions. Socially, I am strengthening my friendships with the amazing people that surround me. Even though I have a lot to do, I feel very happy with my semester.

This picture encapsulates all of these things. I saw it when visiting Cincinnati over Spring Break. There, I got to spend time with friends and also discover a new part of Ohio! This picture also relates to a lot of what I have been doing this semester. It shows the artist dancing in a very old and large home in the South. The artist aimed to show how, by dancing in what was a slave-owner’s house, she is creating new beauty of something destructive and finding freedom. This picture meant a lot to me because, when I first saw it, I only noticed that there was a woman dancing in a beautiful place. This semester, I have been taking ballet classes off-campus, and I think this picture represents the freedom in dancing very well. The deeper significance of this picture was also very important to me because this year, and specifically in the Sociology class I am currently taking, I am learning a lot about American issues, a lot of which have to do with race. This topic is so important and this picture highlights some of what we, as Americans, must learn from.

Artifact 2

November has started, and it is a big change! As I got more used to the routine and workload of college, a new change came into my life: the weather. It seems like from one day to another, the blue skies and warm breeze disappeared, and were replaced by biting cold and grey clouds. For me, this picture is a good representation of the midpoint in the semester, when things are becoming more settled. I finally know how to get to my classes and have found some great study spots, I’m happy with the great friends I have made, I’m becoming more active in my clubs… With everything that was new and exciting now coming together, I have also been able to keep my priorities in mind. I still make a point to look around me and appreciate what I have, and even stop to take a picture like this one; I have been keeping in touch with my family and friends, who I sent this picture to when complaining about the cold; and I’ve been making plans for next semester while enjoying this one.

Overall, college has taken some getting used to. There are still so many thing I am not at all used to, like the cold. But I am learning to embrace changes and see how they help me grow. Example: I can’t wait for the snow!

Semester in Review

My first semester went by so fast that I still can’t quite believe it’s over. Coming to college was definitely a big change as compared to high school, and overall I think I adjusted very well! In terms of academics, while my first semester classes were very difficult, I was successful thanks to a lot of hard work and studying with my friends! Whenever I felt discouraged by a particularly hard Chemistry or Calculus assignment, I reminded myself of my future goals and of how lucky I am to be in such a great college, and I was able to work through it.

Another very important part of my first semester was getting to meet a ton of new people and find some of my closest friends! In my time here, and especially thanks to Mount, I have met some amazingly kind and smart people that help me grow every day, and I am so grateful for all of my time with them.

Finally, during this first semester I have grown a lot. Through my classes as well as through service projects and time spent with new people, I have learned a lot about myself and my goals for the future. I am to try even more new things during this second semester.

G.O.A.L.S.

Now that I am in my second year at OSU, I am working on getting a clear idea of my priorities during my time here. I strive to be in organizations and spend my time on things that I am truly passionate about, so that my experience here can be as fulfilling as possible. A lot of my current commitments as well as ideas for the future fit in with the Honors and Scholars GOALS.

In terms of Global Awareness, right now for me that actually means learning more about diversity within the US. Since I lived abroad before coming to OSU, my time here is my chance to explore what being American means to me and what this country is really like, as I become immersed in a country that I had somewhat lost touch with. At the same time, by being away from Spain, where I grew up, I am also learning about it by thinking about the differences with the US. At the same time, I am taking advantage of GE classes to learn about countries that I am less familiar with. For example, in the Russian Literature class I am currently taking, I am learning a lot about Russian history and culture, which is making me appreciate how each country’s specific history and experience changes its people’s perspective.

Original Inquiry is a part of GOALS that I have not really paid attention to so far, mostly because research is very intimidating to me. However, I have been thinking about how I need to overcome this fear, and I am now looking into research opportunities that I can get involved with.

Part of why I have not spent a lot of time on research is because I am very focused on my academics. Working hard and learning as much as I can is one of my biggest priorities during my time here. While I have been doing well in that sense, this year I am in harder classes and I hope to maintain the standard I had last year. At the same time, I want to balance my academics with my other interests and possibly combine them through things like research.

My experiences with leadership and service during my time at OSU have mostly been related to my scholars group, Mount Leadership Society, which focuses on leadership and service. Last year I learned about my leadership style through Mount activities, and this year I am working on how to incorporate what I learned in my experiences. I often struggle with leadership because I can be introverted and indecisive, so my leadership style is mostly about keeping harmony in a team and making sure everyone is heard and appreciated. I am slowly embracing the importance of this role and becoming more comfortable with the skills necessary for it. Finally, service is a big part of sophomore year in Mount. For Year of Service, I am working with two very different organizations (Wexner Medical Center and Clintonville-Beechwold Community Resource Center) and I am already learning so much about the importance of service in the community. I’m very excited to continue my work with these groups.

Career

I recently started working in a research lab at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. This is an incredible opportunity for me because I have wanted to get involved in research for a long time. At the lab, I have already learned a lot, and I know that I am only just getting started. From laboratory techniques like staining or cutting slices to concepts in gene therapy and neuromuscular disease, my time in the lab is allowing me to learn as I do, making my experience so much more meaningful. I am very privileged to have coworkers and supervisors that are happy to spend their time answering my questions and further helping my growth. Overall, this experience is enhancing my knowledge about science and therefore making me more informed and more passionate about what I am simultaneously studying.

This knowledge in it of itself will be very useful in the medical career that I am pursuing. As I spend more time at the lab, I will gain skills in reading and writing research papers, understanding the research process as a whole, and working with others in a scientific field. All of these things will be useful if I enter the medical field. Additionally, working at Nationwide Children’s specifically gives me insight into how a hospital works and allows me to be a part of the hospital environment even if I am not working in patient care. From my very first orientation, I have been very pleasantly surprised by the work environment of Nationwide Children’s, and I feel very lucky to be a part of this great organization.

Artifacts


I chose this image as my first artifact because it very much represents my first month at OSU. When this photo was taken, I was with my roommate painting pots at the on-campus farmer’s market. Therefore, this picture makes me reflect on my relationship with my roommate Jazmyn, and how close we have gotten. My relationship with Jazmyn is one I really value, and I love being reminded of this afternoon spent together. Additionally, a big part of my college experience so far has been determined by the campus: I love walking to classes and spending time studying or simply sitting outside – we have such a beautiful, lively campus and stopping to appreciate it makes my days a little brighter. Finally, this picture reminds me of one of my biggest goals during my time here: gaining the ability to be alone and comfortable with myself. In my time here, instead of making me feel lonely, the additional alone time I have had has pushed me to become more independent and self-reflective, which I am very proud of and excited about.

Overall, the beginning of my university experience is very well represented by smiles and sunshine.

About Me

I am Sonia Hamilton a freshman at The Ohio State University. Even though my major is undecided, I aspire to eventually become a doctor, due to my love of life sciences and my desire to help and interact with people. Outside of medicine, I am interested in many academic areas such as art, literature and history. In regards to extracurriculars, I am passionate about community service and social justice, and love to rock climb and read in my free time.