Recollecting all of the memories and experiences of my time at OSU during my first year, I have realized a heightened characterization of myself that expands upon previous preconceptions I had toward my own capabilities and future prospects. First and foremost, it is important to establish the foundation of my academic journey at OSU, which was primarily focused on an arrogant headfirst dive into mathematics, a strategy, that in hindsight, cleared my vision of my true interests in biology (more specifically dentistry). However, at the time, my commitment into advancing my knowledge of different fields and aspects of mathematics compelled me to visit several Reading Classics sessions hosted by Dr. Vitaly Bergelson, which were short lessons given my students and teachers about the historical context, as well as definitions and explanations, of popular mathematics theories and conjectures. Furthermore, I attended several Radical Pi meetings, which were guest lectures sponsored by the math department that taught interesting topics not covered by most university classes. Unfortunately, my effort to delve into mathematics quickly allowed me to realize that I didn’t feel a sincere connection with the content and applicability of what I was learning, and instead became enamored with the inquiry and experimental level knowledge required for my chemistry classes.
While mathematics was usually my most highly cherished academic subject, biology and chemistry had always been a close second only due to the restrictions on high school curricula with regard to the sciences. Although I was intently focused on academics and educational extracurriculars, I made time for a club called “OSU Tough Mudder”, which was an obstacle course racing club that allowed me to accomplish one of my goals of staying fit, as well as enjoying an opportunity to run a race in North Carolina. (Picture below shows me going through one of the obstacles)
Returning to my development of interest in dentistry, it was actually a conversation I had with my parents, one of which is a dental hygienist, after completing my research project for Chemistry 1920H (please refer to the experience tab for more information) that allowed me to definitely decide upon my ideal future in dentistry. The research I began to conduct at the end of the year, which included medicine and law at the time, spurred me to pursue my addition to the Honors Collegium, a group that I believed could enhance my ability to make up for a year of purely exploratory education and begin working towards my career prospects. Learning of my acceptance over the summer, the strenuous journey of my first year came full circle, and I truly basked in the wide array of possibilities that I opened up by finally committing to a career that had been slowly gaining ground through my upbringing and experiences in volunteering. At this point, the focus now shifts to applying my newly developed drive towards dentistry in the specific course work I complete, the volunteering experiences I do, and the offices I seek to shadow and intern with during the summer and school season.