I have taken many rigorous courses over the past two years. One class that has really impacted me over the years has been Biology 1114. In high school, I loved chemistry and math but hated biology and physics. When I took Biology 1113, which is about cell structure and genetics, my freshman year, it just reminded me of high school and I was not interested in it at all. But when I got to Biology 1114 which is about evolution, behavior, and diversity in structure and function, it changed my outlook about the course. It was so interesting and I enjoyed the material. Going into the class my outlook was negative and I thought to myself why did I have to take another biology course. But after I finished the class, I realized I was just focused on one side of biology and I like the macro level. Learning about ecology and selection was intriguing. I have finished my biology requirements but if any class similar to this will help me fulfill my general elective requirement, I will happily take it.

Sophomore year had a lot of ups and downs but they taught me valuable lessons. My classes only got harder and work increased. I joined a new organization and took on new leadership roles. Managing school, work, and clubs was very hard but I did it by organizing my time well and having great people help me along the way. I was artistic director of an organization my friends and I helped launch called Buckeyes First. It is a great resource for first generation college students. I was elected as vice president of philanthropy for Alpha Gamma Delta in November. I joined club rugby in September because I wanted to try something out of my comfort zone. I ended up loving it and plan on continuing to play. I volunteered at CarePoint East as an ambassador and at Nationwide Childrens in the sibling clubhouse where I play with the siblings of patients in order to distract them. Being more involved and creating many cherished friendships has made me more excited for my third year in college. I know my classes will be challenging but I am prepared to take my junior year head on.

College was different from what I was expecting. I was very stressed and did not know what to expect from my midterms at first but after the first month, it slowly got easier. On my next midterms, I improved by a lot and I learned how to cope with my stress and manage my time better. I even joined pre-med club and was chosen to be on the service committee for it. I occasionally volunteer for Red Cross and local 5K’s. Overall my college experience has been positive and I look forward to my second semester.