Year in Review

My first year attending The Ohio State University was one of the best years of my life. I learned so much more about myself and the world around me. The academic aspect of college is hard, very hard, but I was pleased to have found a way to balance everything I wanted to do here this year. This year, I have found some friends that I’m sure will be in my life for many years to come. I’ve created bonds like I never have before.

The things that I’ve learned in a class that have had the most impact on me are almost all from my RA class. This class addresses challenging topics that will be present as an RA, but also in regular everyday life. I have become so much more knowledgeable about identities and how to support people in my life. I feel more comfortable interacting with people with varying identities and understanding how those identities impact their personalities. I also learned how much impact my voice can have in stopping continued oppression of certain groups of people. I’m super excited to implement everything I’ve learned in this class on campus again in the fall.

Outside of the classroom I have learned a lot about other people’s political views. Specifically in my friend group, we have many respectful political conversations that help me see politics from other people’s point of view. I appreciate the opportunity to have these conversations and expand my knowledge with people I feel comfortable around.

A big thing that I’ve learned about myself is that I need to help people in my life in order to feel like I’ve accomplished something. I find great joy in supporting people and realized that I’m on the right path for a career in healthcare. This was very reassuring to realize about myself and makes me excited for my future here at OSU. I’ve also learned how important it is to have a consistent schedule at school in order to keep my life in check. In high school I worked out very frequently and when I found myself feeling sad, tired, or drained at school, I realized that I need to continue my workout regimen at school in order to stay happy.

My favorite memories from this past year are all times with my friends. The friends I’ve made through ENR are some of the best people I’ve ever met. One of my fondest memories with these people is the Hocking Hills camping trip. My favorite times on campus with them include our weekly lunch dates at Bibibop, Chipotle, or Qdoba. I also loved the weekends we spent together exploring Columbus and watching movies late into the night. I’m most looking forward to seeing all of these amazing people again next year.

I have big plans for my next year at OSU. I am excited to get more involved in clubs on campus, explore research opportunities, and learn how to be a great RA. I’m excited to meet new people, make more friends, and find more places that I feel like I belong on campus.

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, I’m Lauren Jennett! My preferred pronouns are she/her/hers. I’m currently a first-year student at The Ohio State University, but I grew up in Miamisburg, Ohio. Academically, I’ve always been a very driven learner. I strive for perfection but accept that it’s not always realistic, so I accept anything very close to it. I am dedicated and give my all to anything I commit to in my life, including jobs, classes, activities/clubs, and relationships.

At The Ohio State University, I am studying biology on a pre-dentistry track. Becoming an orthodontist is my ultimate career goal, although I’d be thrilled to end up doing anything in the dental field. I was inspired to pursue a career in this field by my family. My dad’s side of the family is under a long-lasting curse of poor dental health. Since his family of eight grew up in poverty and lacked basic education on dental health and access to dental care, I’ve grown up watching their real teeth being extracted and replaced with a fresh set of pearly whites. This, of course, has always been a last resort to fixing their teeth, but ultimately, always necessary. I’ve seen the change in their confidence and self-perception. Since witnessing this, I knew I wanted to be the person that makes someone confident in their smile, the most powerful expression of all.

Aside from my academic goals, I have goals to build connections and gain experience in the real world. I’d love any opportunity to perform research in my field, shadow dentists, and volunteer/work in dental clinics.

I am passionate about music, the environment, volleyball, equity, and traveling. I have a strong appreciation for alternative/indie/rock music and all things in nature. I particularly love spending time in the water; kayaking, swimming, boating, and cliff-jumping are a few of my favorite activities. I realize that our world is in a crisis as a result of too few people being cautious of their environmental impact and I want to contribute to the effort to reverse these almost irreversible effects caused by human actions.