This was one of the first classes I took in college, and it definitely left a lasting impact on my college career. We learned about many different aspects of the brain as it relates to behavior, but my favorite unit was when we learned about neurodegenerative disorders. I enjoyed it because we approached it both from the big picture symptoms and phenotype, then we looked at it as it occurs in neurons in the brain. This helped me realize that I want to pursue research in neurodegenerative disorders as my life’s work. Moving forward, it has made me want to take Clinical Foundations of Neurological Diseases in the fall of 2021, as well as continue on in my ALS research lab.
Second Year Reflection
This year was an extremely formative year for me. Although it was one of the most mentally difficult years yet, I am proud of the fact that I persevered. In the fall, I pursued a COVID-19 testing job so that I could continue to develop my career readiness in a time where research and other opportunities were otherwise unavailable. Likewise, I spent the majority of my winter break writing applications for summer research internships. While these were few and far between, the experience of writing my personal statement, as well as gathering my letters of rec was great practice for grad school applications. Spring semester was spent back in the research lab beginning my own project and putting plans in place to publish and present my data. This summer, I’ll continue to do research and finalize the data required to move forward with presenting posters in the fall and spring. With the lack of breaks, civil unrest, and the pandemic, this semester put me to the test. However, I’m extremely proud of myself for pulling through and making it to the end of the semester!
Statement of Action
With the remainder of my time at Ohio State, I have many plans on the horizon. After having gotten into the BuckeyeThon General Body, my hope is to become the Vice President of Advancement for my senior year of college. I would also like to pursue possibly becoming president of my sorority, Gamma Phi Beta. My biggest course of action is to employ my leadership skills in causes that I am most passionate about after having been an officer for the bulk of my time at Ohio State. Nextly, after having done research for the entirety of the summer of 2021, my dream is to be a co-author on papers leaving the lab with my data. Likewise, I hope to begin writing a literature review on which I can be the primary, first author. I will be spending the remainder of my time at OSU leaving my mark in as many ways as I can!
Vision Statement
For the remainder of my time at OSU, I plan to focus on the nitty-gritty of applying to grad school. For example, I plan to pursue a GRE study plan through Kaplan and take the exam in the Spring of 2022. My goal is to score 152-158 on the verbal, 153-158 on the quantitative, and a 4.0 on the writing component. Likewise, I plan on writing my personal statement, as well as begin the process of pursuing my letters of recommendation over while I conduct research abroad in Copenhagen during the summer of 2022. I have begun to formulate a list of schools that I plan on pursuing my doctorate from. I also look forward to graduation day where I can enjoy the fruits of my labor and begin the next stage of my life!
Vaccination!
In the late spring, I was given the opportunity to become vaccinated against COVID-19. After months of doors being closed and opportunities as a student being taken away as a result of the pandemic, the moment I was vaccinated was a special one. I decided to lead by example amongst my peers by becoming vaccinated as soon as possible while encouraging others to get vaccinated as soon as they were given the opportunity to. One step closer to life getting back to normal!
Volunteerism in Costa Rica
Over spring break, I traveled with OSU on a sustainable service-learning trip to Costa Rica. The environment has always been a deep passion of mine, as well as global citizenship, so this study abroad was perfect for me! While there, we traveled to many different farms and the agricultural university on the eastern side of the country. In terms of the service-learning component, we helped build a tank that would take animal feces and turn the run off-gas into usable methane gas for the farm. It was amazing to see actual stoves being powered by the gases from this machine. Moreover, it was really meaningful to get to meet the family that we were helping and put a face to the cause. Many times when I’m volunteering, I’m helping people, but I don’t get to see the people in person. This time, I was able to talk and get to know the people that would benefit from my hard work. It was, without a doubt, a neat experience. Although the trip came to an unexpected end due to the COVID-19 virus, my trip to Costa Rica reaffirmed the values of global citizenship and volunteerism in me. I hope to study abroad and make a difference again after the pandemic passes.
University Ambassadors!
In the Spring of 2020, I was chosen to represent the university to potential high school students! I was overjoyed to take this position because it had been a long time dream of mine. While the training has been postponed many different times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I have never been more ready to step into this role and live my dream. I will show potential high school students around campus on 3-hour tours which will occur 3 times per week. I will likely update this post once I have been officially trained, but this will just function as a bookmark for my future job experience!
Freshman Year in Review
Freshman year was an adventure, to say the least. I experienced incredible highs and insurmountable lows. By the end of my freshman year, I gained acceptance to the Neuroscience major, achieved my dream of becoming a University Ambassador, and I’m well on my way to graduating with Research Distinction. I could have never predicted a global pandemic being part of my freshman year. I was blessed enough to study abroad in Costa Rica over spring break, but little did I know the utter pandemonium that was about to break loose when I stepped on that plane in March. There were moments towards the end of the trip that I had no idea if I was going to be able to get back into the US. My parents were terrified and I was simply speechless.
However, out of all this, I have become more thankful. I will never take football games, or social gatherings, or even hugs for granted ever again. Each day, I wake up grateful to be alive and surrounded by loved ones. This year has thought me so many things, including the power of my dreams. After all the obstacles thrown at me this year, I still came out on the other side. I believe in myself and what I’m capable of, and I have freshman year to thank for that. No matter how far I’ve gone, Ohio State has my heart. I simply cannot wait to see what sophomore year brings.
First Semester of Freshman Year in Review
I came into my freshman year thinking that I knew exactly where I wanted to go to grad school and everything was going to go perfectly. My parents always had this saying, “Make plans and God laughs.” Little did I know just how true that saying would be.
I came out of this semester a little wiser, very independent, and on track to graduate in three years. Never in my wildest dreams would I even consider getting done in three years, yet here I am with a three year plan! This semester was extremely difficult for me academically, and I was pushed harder than I could have ever imagined. As a result, I am now able to think more on my feet and problem solve at a much higher ability. I am also a lot more knowledgeable about the City of Columbus, and that is mostly due to my experiences with the Bio Sci Scholars. Through events with the Scholars, I was given numerous opportunities to explore Columbus, and it really reminded me of why I chose to go to school in a big city. Lastly, I became a lot more mature because I am now more in control of my life than I have ever been. I get to choose my path in terms of classes, extracurriculars, and research. It’s really exciting! While this semester was really difficult, it was such a growing experience, and I cannot wait to see what next semester has in store!
Scholars Event: The Wilds
While I attend many Scholars events throughout the semester, the Wilds was by far one of my favorite events. On this trip, the Biological Sciences Scholars and other Scholars groups toured the research sanctuary which housed endangered species. We saw many exotic animals, including giraffes, cheetahs, and huge rhinos! This photo was taken outside of the building which houses the birds just on the edge of the lake. This trip meant a lot to me for various reasons. It touched my heart to see animals that are in danger of extinction due to deforestation and poaching roaming free and relaxing in safe tranquility. Nature and protecting the Earth are passions that I hold near and dear to my heart, so seeing these animals live happily in peace truly meant a lot to me. It was also really fun to learn about the various animals and their personalities. I think sometimes we forget that these massive animals are sentient beings and can feel the same pain and loss as we do. This trip really brought me more in touch with nature and reminded me of the love I have for the Midwest.
