Columbus To-Do List Part 2

For my second experience on the Columbus To-Do list, I chose to walk the Olentangy trail with one of my friends. It seemed like a dumb choice to walk around outside at first, because it was a very frigid and somewhat gloomy day, but it turned out to be one of the more rewarding and fun experiences that I have had since being on campus. It was enjoyable to walk around outside and get a break from studying for finals. Getting some exercise and breathing in the fresh air really helped me relax and “sharpen the saw” so I could get back to studying feeling recharged and ready for more. It was also very enjoyable to talk to my friend while walking along the riverside. Because it was around the time where all students are studying for finals, everyone is stressed and most people do not have a release or outlet to utilize in order to get rid of built up emotions. Walking along the trail with my friend allowed us to talk about our built up emotions and I am certain that this made both of us feel better and more optimistic about the approaching finals week. I am definitely planning to walk along the trail again in the future to relieve my stress whenever my daily obligations become too much for me to handle. I learned that taking some time to focus on your own feelings can make you feel so much more optimistic about the future, and make you more willing to do extra work.

My favorite experience from the Columbus To-Do List project was going to Jeni’s Ice Cream and getting a tasty ice cream cone! It was fun to walk around Columbus and to get a glimpse of the breadth of opportunities  waiting to be taken advantage of and experiences waiting to be made in the city. I learned that there is a lot more to the city than first meets the eye. For my next experience in Columbus, I would like to try going to a unique restaurant or cafe so I can try some of the more special food that the city has to offer. I am also considering exploring some of Columbus’s art exhibits and museums so I can have an experience that is unlike anything I have done before. I have never been to an art museum or similar establishment that houses several pieces of artwork, so I am excited to go to one and see what it is like. I would recommend to other people that are trying to have similar experiences in Columbus to plan ahead. It is important to have a plan as to where you are going and how you will get there. It is also important to have flexibility when you go to a specific event so you can take extra time to do something spontaneous if you want to. A good experience should be one where you are careful in your planning beforehand so that you can have fun in the moment.

Career Exploration

As of right now, I would like to start a career in conservation or ecological research. I am very passionate about the environment and I believe that it would be very fulfilling to work to protect and improve the condition of our planet. Typical ecological research positions require a PhD in ecology or some other relevant field, as well as strong data handling, coding, and statisical skills. Employers in this field are also typically looking for applicants that can publish papers in peer reviewed journals, and that are able to work well independently and as part of a team.

Based on this information, I plan to use my time at Ohio State to earn an undergraduate degree in ecology, as well as to apply to graduate school so I can eventually earn a PhD. I will also need to build up my data and statistical analysis skills so during my undergraduate career I will need to take a few statistics classes and perhaps a coding class as well. I also plan to pursue an undergraduate research opportunity of some kind to give me more experience working in research-oriented positions. Getting involved with student organizations like the Evolution and Ecology club or the Scientific Thinkers club will give me new opportunities to meet new people and employers working in fields that I could be interested in. The more science and environment focused experiences that I amass, the more competitive my application will be. A large amount of experiences in the scientific community will help me to build up my resume so I can be more marketable to employers.

After researching some different positions in my field of interest, I found that needing coding experience affects my want to apply to certain positions. I am not as interested in working extensively with computers day by day in my future careers. However, I have become more interested in pursuing careers that require higher education levels. I do not mind going to school for a longer period of time especially because I love to learn and I have made it a life goal of mine to earn a PhD anyways. I would enjoy working at a job where I have to think about new ways to solve problems everyday and make use of the knowledge that I have attained through my education.

Some alternate career paths that I could pursue are working for the EPA or working at national parks focusing on conserving the natural habitat. Ohio State could help me prepare for some of these alternate career paths by putting me in touch with representatives of some of these organizations. Ohio State hosts a number of fairs where representatives of these organizations come and talk to students.

As for right now, I am planning on focusing on building up experiences that will help me to get into graduate school and that will allow me to accumulate more experiences in the sciences and in research.

Columbus To-Do List Part 1

This semester, I have chosen the “Ice Cream and Desserts” list. I am most looking forward to getting to try new and different desserts from around Columbus and I am also looking forward to getting to go to many places in Columbus that I have not been to before. I have always liked experiencing new places so going to visit new dessert locations around Columbus sounds like an extremely enjoyable experience for me. I hope to use this assignment as motivation for me to go out and do many different things so I can better feel for Columbus and so I can more enjoy my time attending school at Ohio State.

My first experience on this list was going to Jeni’s ice cream. I went there via COTA bus with a couple of friends that I have met since being on campus. When we arrived at Jeni’s we were greeted by some very friendly staff members that were more that happy to let us try some samples so we could place our orders. I sampled a few flavors, the salty caramel, the salted peanut butter with chocolate flecks, and the seasonal white chocolate peppermint. I liked all three of the flavors that I tried so it was hard to make a rescission but I eventually decided on a double scoop, one with the salty caramel and the other with the salted peanut butter with chocolate flecks. I found the flavor combination to be amazing. I was sad that I didn’t get a scoop of the white chocolate peppermint as well but it probably would not have meshed well with the other flavors. If I were to back, I would definitely make sure to get a scoop of the white chocolate peppermint. Overall, I would definitely recommend Jeni’s Ice Cream to a friend because it was awesome and tasted great.

Sapling Mentor Meeting Reflection

In my Sapling mentor meeting, we talked about topics like academics, involvement, the ENR scholars program, careers, and planning for the future.

Regarding academics, I learned that you should never be afraid to explore subject areas that you at first do not think that you will enjoy. Exploring different subjects by taking new classes could be a great learning and growing experience. We also talked about  the differences in academic rigor between high school and college. In college the academic standards are much higher than in high school. This helped to reemphasize the importance of good grades in college and how they mean much more than grades in high school because they more directly influence your future plans.

When we talked about involvement, I learned that it is important to spread your interests out and to think about joining clubs that you think could be fun even if they do not relate to your major at all. It can be refreshing to broaden your horizons and explore other areas that are of interest to you from time to time.

When we discussed the ENR scholars program, I developed a greater sense of awareness and appreciation for all of the group activites that the scholars group does together. I also developed a greater sense of appreciation for the community and strong web of support that I have made by meeting new friends at all of the different group activities that I have attended.

Our discussion of careers and career choices is what I found to be the most interesting by far. I learned that there is always at least some degree of uncertainty when it comes to planning for the future so that even if you think you have a good idea of what kind of job you want to have, you will not know exactly what you will end up doing. It is best to plan for the worst case scenario just in case you do not land your dream job right away, and it is okay if you do not reach your goal at first. The best thing you can do is consistently make steps toward your end goal, but also to work on appreciating what is happening around you each and every day. The future is never certain, and so it is hard to count on future events to happen exactly as you want them to. However, paying attention to what is happening in present time can help you to work towards and eventually reach your goal.

Year in Review

[ “Year in Review”  is where you should reflect on the past year and show how you have evolved as a person and as a student.  You may want to focus on your growth in a particular area (as a leader, scholar, researcher, etc.) or you may want to talk about your overall experience over the past year.  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.]

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

[Your “About Me” is a brief biographical statement that might include your intended major, your academic interests, your goals, as well as the things that make you unique.  Definitely include a picture! Also, remember that you can always update this post at any point. 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.]