5 weeks left of freshman year! I honestly cannot believe it! It has been amazing. I have had so much fun and I’ve met so many amazing people. I found a group of friends that have made OSU the best college in the world. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today. It sounds cliche, but they have helped me grow as a person. They encouraged me to be a better student and always try my hardest. I am so thankful that I have met them because they have made me so happy. They are my home away from home. It’s nice to spend time with them because we all feel the same way about class. Just having conversations where we can relate on little things is so meaningful. Class wise, school has been much harder this semester. I am taking chemistry and it is a lot of work. I am trying my hardest and hopefully it is good enough! I am so so thankful to be able to go to such an amazing school where there are so many opportunities to get involved and succeed.
Career
I have always understood that college is to prepare you for the rest of your life. My plan as of now is to get a B.S. in psychology and then go to medical school to become a doctor. I am also considering changing my major to pharmaceutical sciences and go to pharmacy school. I know that I would enjoy a career in the medical field, I am just unsure of what specific job I would enjoy. As I approach next year, though, I need to come to a decision because it is important to know my plan in life. All I hope is that I will enjoy my career, whatever it may be.
G.O.A.L.S.
This year at OSU, I have become familiar with the G.O.A.L.S. of the Honors and Scholars Program. My awareness for the different cultures of the world have greatly increased. I have a newfound respect for everyone that practices different traditions than me. I have also been able to explore what kind of person I am. I have learned that when necessary, I am able to schedule my daily tasks perfectly while still finding time to learn about new information. Going to different programs in Baker and other dorms have introduced me to many different ideas I have never thought of. For example, I went to a program about sexual abuse in the Army. This really opened my eyes to a new world that I have never been exposed to. This goes hand-in-hand with academic enrichment. I can say that I feel more informed about global issues, and academics in general, since I’ve come to Ohio State. I feel like I’m a more educated student since I’ve been in college. I’ve been exposed to different subjects I’ve never talked about in Catholic school. It’s really eye-opening to hear opinions I’ve never heard before. As I have been learning, I have been exposed to various occasions where leadership is needed. Whether it be a group project or homework, learning how to be a person people can look up to is very important as a student and in life in general. Another important quality to have as a person is that of service. I have recently joined a sorority and I have been made acquainted with different ways to make service fun. When I get together with a group for a the purpose of helping other people, it is extremely gratifying. Overall, I am glad I paid attention to the purpose of being a Scholar at The Ohio State University.
My First Semester at OSU
Overall, my first semester at OSU was a success. I honestly wouldn’t change anything. I have learned so much and have had so much fun meeting new people and making new friends. I am very happy with the classes I chose. At the beginning of the semester, I was nervous about finals and keeping high grades in classes, and I think I hyped it way too much. Classes are hard but manageable with good time management skills and determination. I am still nervous about finals though, because I mean…they are finals. But with the right people in your life, studying is much easier and bearable. I am so lucky to have been paired with such an awesome roommate who encourages me to keep working hard. Even though we both joke that we are dropping out because we get too stressed, I know that in reality we both want to be really successful, which is important because when you are surrounded by people who want you to succeed, you realize what the stakes are and that it is actually possible to be your best. My favorite thing about my first semester was definitely the football games. Gathering in ‘The Shoe’ with 110,000 other people to cheer the Buckeyes to victory was such an amazing experience. It made be feel like I belong here, which is good since I am an hour and a half away from my mom. I have a new found respect for seeing my family and now I cherish the time I spend with them more. Coming home for Thanksgiving and seeing everyone I haven’t seen in months was so cool because it made me appreciate them more than ever. I do think, though, that going away has made me more independent. As much as I complain about doing laundry or going grocery shopping, I am glad I have to do it because it makes me feel responsible, and I really like that. So I can successfully check first semester off my list because I have found my new home and I cannot wait for the rest of the time I have left at The Ohio State University. (P.S. Now I feel like I can officially say ‘The’.) (P.S.S. Go Bucks!)
My Top 5 Strengths
My top 5 strengths are consistency, positivity, achiever, responsibility and harmony. Being consistent means that I respect everyone’s differences and wish the best for everyone. I get upset when I see people being treated unfairly or given advantages that others are not given. I also try to spread positivity whenever it is possible. I like making people feel good about themselves and I hope that everyone is living the best life they possibly can. The achiever in me drives me to do more. I always give 100% effort in everything I do and try to accomplish at least one thing per day. This also forces me to take responsibility for anything I commit myself to. I pay attention to every detail and do everything with precision. Through harmony, I find the balance and common ground in situations, especially in disagreements. I am able to show these qualities in my academics and social life. In academics, I always take responsibility for my work. Because of this, if I sense mediocrity in my work and I think I can do better, I will always change it to make sure it is the best that I can do, which is also part of the achiever in me. In my social life, I am always positive and welcoming to people I have never been around. I think feeling welcome is one of the most important feelings and I try to make people experience it whenever I see them. I get uncomfortable when people are in arguments, so I try to find the harmony in their views. In my future, I can continue to work hard and make people feel good about themselves. Whatever career I end up choosing, I can make sure that it allows me to use all of the strengths I have. My strengths are interconnected and work together. Consistency, positivity, and harmony work together to ensure my life is balanced and functioning at it’s best. When things are unbalanced or I’m in a fight, I always make it my top priority to fix it with the different qualities of my strengths. My achiever and responsibility qualities require that I never slack in my work and try my hardest. All together, my qualities allow me to be my strongest functioning self.
Humans of OSU
“My name is Claire and I am a freshman at OSU. My biggest goal in life is to be happy. To me, being happy would mean that I’ve settled down and started my own family, as well as have a job that I love. The career I wish to pursue is nursing in hopes that one day I can help others while also providing for my family.”
-Claire Sillies; First Year; Pre-Nursing; Cincinnati, Ohio
Welcome to my Honors & Scholars e-Portfolio
[The Home Page will show a running blog of your recent posts, which are categorized and show on that category’s page. Please delete this post or edit with your own information.]
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 information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. 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 information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. 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 information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]