Looking back, it is amazing to me how much I have changed and grown after just my first year of college. Reflecting to the girl I was a year ago, I see someone who was extremely eager, but also timid, quiet, and though she would never admit it, very scared. Now as I see who I am today, I can observe subtle differences in myself that mark the qualities of a more mature woman. After only I year, I can see clearly how my organizational skills, my time management skills, and my confidence in who I am and what I want to do have greatly increased, thanks to not only my involvement in STEM EE Scholars, but also through the other co-curricular activities I decided to join.
If this first year in college has taught me anything, it’s that organization matters. When I was in high school I was never very organized with my workspace, my assignments, or my schedule, because it didn’t really matter. Back then, I could turn is my assignments late, or my parents would help me keep track of everything I had to do, but the whole time I was conscious of the fact that I wouldn’t have this luxury when I came to college. As I began my first semester of college, I made it a goal of mine to keep an organized planner, so that I never missed an event or assignment. Looking back from the end of my first year of college, I couldn’t be more grateful for how keeping a planner helped me to stay on top of all my assignments, and its fulfilling to know how far I have come from an organizational standpoint after just one year.
Another skill I am grateful to have developed is time management. When looking at all of the things there are to do in college like classes, homework, social and academic organizations, going to the gym, and still managing to make time for fun, eating and sleeping, it’s hard to believe it’s possible to balance all of those things and still keep your grades up. Though it took some time for adjustment, by my second semester, I had found a way to balance all of these things. I am extremely proud that I have found a way to be a member of the STEM Scholars, Women in Math and Science, the social sorority Delta Delta Delta, all while managing to make time for fun, and sleep, and manage to keep all of my grades up. I found over time that the most effective strategy for time management is prioritizing and keeping my planner up to date. I realized that if I did my homework right after classes as I ate lunch rather than take a break and relax, I would have more time in the evening for any other events that I wanted to do, and I wouldn’t have to worry about getting all of my work done while I tried to enjoy any extracurricular activities. Thanks to my involvement in the STEM EE Scholars and other activities, I have learned how to make the best use of my time, and I hope to carry this skill throughout the rest of my working career and life.
Finally, I believe that the greatest thing my first year and the STEM EE program has brought to me is a stronger confidence in myself and what I want to do. Through not only STEM, but also Women in Math and Science, I have been challenged to come up with my own unique ideas and stand in defense of them. This has assured me of what I want to do as a Data Analyst, as well helped me to become more confident when defending my ideas and opinions. Additionally, being involved in a variety of different activities throughout my first year has made me more confident as who I am as an individual. Being in college has helped me to become more comfortable standing up for my opinions and beliefs, and I know that this will be in important quality to have as I make my way into the working world in just three short years. I couldn’t be more grateful for what this year has given to me, and I look forward to seeing how much I will grow in the years to come through my involvement at Ohio State.