Straight From My Heart: A Year in Review

There’s something about completing the first full year of college. It’s a peculiar feeling — a mix of excitement, a feeling of accomplishment, and a lot of optimism for the future. After completing my first full year of college during a pandemic, however, I feel a special kind of confidence. It’s a confidence that has evolved after a year full of a lot of valleys and couple peaks. It’s a confidence that will only continue to grow throughout these next couple years as I become a seasoned college student. 

My first year as an Ohio State buckeye was a huge learning experience. The biggest lesson I took away from my first year is to simply be resilient. Life sometimes went in the way I predicted it to, but many times it did not. Because of the ever changing state of the pandemic, I had to be able to bounce back from whatever resulted. I learned to stay calm during the times when my faulty Wi-Fi kicked me out of Zoom calls, when there was chaos in my house while I was taking an exam, and when plans I had were changed or adapted because of the changing health guidelines. Managing these unprecedented occurrences only made me stronger. The second big takeaway from this semester is the realization that there are always people to talk to when I need it. I faced many emotional hurdles this semester. Knowing that my professors, friends, and advisors were always willing to talk made me feel supported and like my success was in their best interest. 

The future is exciting. I am looking forward to being back on campus next semester and continuing to grow as a person and student. My goal going into my second year is to get involved in something that is out of my comfort zone, such as a service event or research opportunity. I am excited to be united with the Ohio State community once again and am looking forward to forming new relationships. I am hoping for lots of laughter, smiles, and in-person activities going into my second year!

All About Me

Hello! I am Rachel Kitzmiller, and I am currently a freshman at The Ohio State University majoring in human nutrition. I graduated from Minster High School, located in a rural community in northwestern Ohio. While in high school, I was an avid cross country and track runner and competitive swimmer. Amidst athletics and academics, I was devoted to serving my community through Youth Leadership Association and 4-H. My experiences juggling school and extracurriculars in high school is ultimately what sparked my love for nutrition and ignited my passion to help others to achieve an overall state of wellness. 

When I think about our society today, I do not think that the general population is physically, mentally, and emotionally well. I see a nation filled with people who are so involved in the hustle and bustle of everyday life that they are forgetting to take care of themselves. I used to be one of those people, always consumed by stress, and sometimes I still am. As a student here at Ohio State, my mission is to gain the tools to change the face of wellness. I am pursuing a medical dietetics career path because I believe that the first step to overall wellness is fueling the body correctly. The way we perform and feel every day is largely based on what we eat and the activities we do. I learned this lesson after years of struggling from fatigue, and now I am determined to teach people about the power of food. Everybody desires to be well, and eating nutritiously is one of the first steps to achieving this.

My professional desire as a student at Ohio State is to become a registered dietitian nutritionist. As a dietitian, I hope to educate as many people as possible by opening my own wellness business. The point of my business would be to counsel ordinary people and athletes on living healthier lives through personalized nutrition plans. I am already gaining experience in the field as a member of the Health Sciences Scholars program and by working as a dietary aide at Otterbein Nursing Home. Both of these experiences are making me a more well-rounded student by exposing me to diverse situations and allowing me to work with people with unique needs.

Everybody deserves the resources to simply be healthy and happy. This E-portfolio is my way to document my journey to professionally achieving this goal. This tool will become a timeline of my unique experiences and progression into a versatile individual. 

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.]