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Year in Review

Throughout this past academic year, I have learned a lot about the world around me, as well as about myself as a person. I think that this year has been very instrumental in my development as a person, and in my transition into the adult world. My time as an Environment and Natural Resource Scholar has contributed greatly to my first-year experience, and overall growth as a student.

One thing that I learned through being a part of ENR is about different issues about the environment, and the impact of humans on our ecosystems. In class we watched a really great documentary called “Chasing Coral” which follows some scientists trying to capture the bleaching of coral on camera. I was deeply moved by this video, as I had never really known that much about coral bleaching, nor the effects that it has on the environment around it. With this knowledge alone, I already feel more motivated to make personal life changes, as well as continue to advocate for bigger federal changes on environmental action. This example is just one of many ways that ENR has reminded me of the importance of conservation.

Outside of the classroom, I have been reminded of the importance of limiting disposable consumption and litter. Through a river clean-up trip, and an outing to help clean up litter at the Scioto Audubon, I was able to encounter the waste buildup that is evident all over the city, first-hand. It is truly surprising how much trash and waste ends up in wildlife, and I found these experiences incredibly valuable in learning the true impact of everyday actions such as choosing to use items that come in disposable plastic packaging.

Something that I learned about myself this year has been that I need to cut myself more slack and take more time to spend with friends, doing activities that are not school related. I think that I typically get into an academic mindset where I can’t relax until I have all of the things on my to-do list finished. This can get to be unmanageable because, as I’ve learned in college, sometimes the to-do list never “ends”. After coming to terms with this fact, I have grown to be easier on myself, allowing for more study breaks, and opportunities to hang out with my roommates and friends, just spending time together, or doing something for the community through ENR.

My favorite memory from this past year is probably the camping trip that ENR went on in the fall. Through the trip I got to know more people in ENR a lot better, as well as get to have a whole weekend just enjoying the outdoors instead of worrying about schoolwork. Additionally, I had never been camping before the trip, so it was really exciting for me.

Next year, I am looking forward to having the knowledge and experience from this first year of college. I hope that I will take what I’ve learned and be better at giving myself breaks from academics, and at managing stress. Also, I am excited to not be so nervous about “the unknown” of college, as I already have one year under my belt.

Spring Break Review

For my spring break I spent time volunteering in my mother’s kindergarten classroom. My mom teaches kindergarten at a local elementary school in the town I grew up in, and throughout middle school and high school, helping in and out of her classroom had always been something I enjoyed doing. This past week I spent three, of the five, week days in her classroom, helping the kids with their various learning activities. The time consisted of helping the kids with reading, writing, and math, as well as completing different tasks around the classroom such as organizing books or putting up artwork on the walls. Overall, I had a really great time, and the experience helped make my spring break enjoyable and relaxing.

What I learned while I was volunteering was that it is incredibly important to take time and do something that is purposeful, but at the same time enjoyable. Throughout the school year, it is easy to get bogged down in the motion of things, having work to get done, and goals to achieve. While there is nothing wrong with being busy and preoccupied with school or work, it is very valuable to take time to do something that has more meaning, that influences other people besides yourself. For me, volunteering at my mom’s school accomplishes this. Additionally, I learned that there is a lot of value in taking time to do things that are relaxing and enjoyable. If we only spend our time doing work and never taking time for ourselves, we will become worn-down and ultimately unhappy. Spending time to help kids in a classroom not only made me feel as though I was doing something that benefitted others, but it was also a fun experience, and gave me some important time to not worry so much about academics.

Columbus To-Do List Pt. 2

For the second part of my Columbus To-Do List, I went to the Broadway production of Aladdin at the Ohio Theatre with one of my roommates, Dani. I thought that the show was fantastic! The special effects were amazing, and the music was really beautiful. I also enjoyed the theatre itself, the ceiling has really amazing details carved and painted onto it. Overall, it was a really great experience, and I would definitely recommend seeing Aladdin or any show at the Ohio Theatre in the future. Another activity that I did was go to the Gallery Hop in the Short North. The Gallery Hop happens every month on the first Saturday of the month, and is when local shops and art galleries keep their doors open later than normal, and the public is free to shop and look at art displays. It was a lot of fun to discover cool new shops in the Short North like a fair trade store called “Global Gifts”. I went with two of my roommates, and while the weather wasn’t ideal, all of us enjoyed the experience and would recommend attending some time.

My favorite experience from this semester would probably by the Gallery Hop because I met so many kind people just walking around Columbus. There were people offering to take our pictures for us, and people just being kind in general. It was also my favorite experience because I learned the most about Columbus during this outing. For starters I learned that Columbus has a lot of really cool artists and opportunities to view artwork. Also, I learned that there are really cool shops in the Short North that have ethical ways of buying and selling products. In addition to “Global Gifts”, there is a shop called “Big fun”, which sells old toys and comic books, a lot of which are second hand. I think stores like these are really important for the state of our environment.

In the future I would like to explore more places around Columbus and look for even more stores that are considerate of their impact on the environment. If I or someone I know plans on going out into the city to discover new places or experiences, I definitely recommend traveling with a buddy, this can make the experience safer, and less stressful, especially in terms of navigating the COTA bus system. Overall, getting to learn more about the city this semester has been a really wonderful experience.

Career Exploration

My current career path is to be a Software Engineer, also known as a Computer Scientist. I have chosen this path because I have always had a passion for languages as well as for problem solving, and I feel that coding is the perfect combination of these things. When searching for jobs for Software Engineers, the qualifications are a degree in Computer Science, a knowledge of coding languages such as Java, Python, Ruby, and C++, and  some sort of experience with Software Development. Ohio State can help me meet these requirements in a variety of ways.

First off, I am already working towards a degree in Computer and Information Sciences, which is the primary thing needed to get a job in Software Engineering. As far as gaining a knowledge of programming languages, I feel that in addition to the coursework I complete while attending the university, I can also achieve this qualification by getting involved in coding groups on campus such as Code4Community and the ACMW(Association of Computing Machinery Women’s Chapter). Lastly, in order to gain experience in Software Development I hope to get internships at small and large tech companies during the summers in between school semesters. I have already applied to a Google internship, and I plan on applying to a Government internship as well as an internship for a local company called the OCLC in Dublin, OH. Participating in campus events like Hackathon in the future will also help me to gain skills in Software Development.

After looking at the requirements for jobs in the field of work that I am pursuing, I still feel compelled to continue towards my degree in Computer Science. I feel that the desired attributes for jobs in Software Engineering are realistic for me to work towards, as well as compelling to me as a student. If I feel the need to switch career paths in the future, I think that I would focus on one of my other passions: English or Spanish. Ohio State makes the possibility of switching majors less daunting, as I am already able to have a double minor in these topics because of the fact that I am getting my degree through the college of Arts and Sciences. Accordingly, if I want to make Spanish or English my major, I am already taking classes in those fields for my minors, so the transition wouldn’t be as difficult.

Looking forward, I plan on trying to line up an internship for this coming summer break, so that I can start to build my resume a little more. I also plan to continue attending meetings of the ACMW, and in the future partake in Hackathon and projects with Code4Community. I believe that if I work hard and get involved, I will be able to make myself a competitive candidate for Software Engineering jobs in the future.

Columbus To-Do List Pt. 1

For my to-do list this semester I chose to explore restaurants around Columbus. I’m excited for this list because I love to find new places to eat in the area, and it’s especially exciting when I find a place that uses locally grown food. I hope to discover new places to eat this semester, as well as try new dishes to eat. So far, I’ve been to a restaurant called “Jack and Benny’s” which serves primarily breakfast foods, and is located on High St, just north of campus.

My roommates and I took the bus to get there, and the ride was only about five minutes. Once there, I ordered a sausage breakfast burrito. The serving was huge, and the food was really delicious and flavorful. The waitress that served us was really kind, and the food was prepared pretty quickly. Covering all of the walls in the restaurant were pictures of people who’d visited, or just different pieces of art. I thought that the interior was pretty cool because it seemed like a building that had been around for a long time. While eating our meals, my roommates and I noticed that there was a photo of Urban Meyer eating at “Jack and Benny’s”, which I thought was cool. The place definitely felt like an ode to Columbus, there was a display case filled with OSU football player bobble heads.

I’ve never been a huge breakfast person, so I don’t think that I’ll make “Jack and Benny’s” a regular place to visit for myself, but I would definitely recommend it to a friend because the food was really great, and the atmosphere was cool and unique.

ENR Mentor Meeting

My name is Coco Knostman, I am a first year Computer and Information Science major, and my mentor’s name is Kayla Flick, who is a second year Chemical Engineering major. The first question that I asked Kayla was, “what has been your most challenging major class? And what advice do you have to get through it successfully?”. She told me that her most challenging major class so far has been Chem 1251 because of the quick pace and heavy workload. Her advice on how to make it through challenging classes successfully was to work as productively as possible whenever I have the chance. To do this she suggested blocking my time into chunks, and remembering to take breaks every hour or so. In the future I plan to follow her recommendation by dedicating chunks of time during the day to getting work done, and by planning time to go for a walk or step away from my work as a break.

The next question that I asked Kayla was, “what benefits have you received from getting involved outside the classroom?”. As a member of Engineers Without Borders and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Kayla said that it’s nice to join clubs so that you can make friends outside of your roommates, learn about different people’s perspectives, and meet other people in your major. This semester I have already started getting more involved in things outside of the classroom like Defend our Future, Amnesty International, Ukulele Club, and the Association of Computing Machinery Women’s chapter. In the future, I want to follow Kayla’s advice by continuing to join new organizations and make connections with new people.

Continuing to the topic of ENR Scholars, I asked Kayla about, “how she has grown because of her participation in ENR Scholars”. In general, she said that she has become more aware of her impact on others, as well as the environment as a whole. So far as an ENR Scholar I feel that I have also learned a lot about how to be more environmentally conscious in day to day activities, and I hope to continue to learn more as the year goes on.

Next, I asked her, “what is your dream job and why?”. She responded that anything that involves going to strange new places around the world, building new things, and working on different projects would be her ideal job because she wants to be able to travel and to work on different things. I think that finding a job where you can work on a lot of different things is a great goal because that will keep the work interesting and engaging.

Finally, I asked her, “how do you balance academics and involvement? And do you have any tips?” Above all, she said that when you sit down to work on things, really focus and try to be as productive as possible, it may be better to be really productive for 30 minutes than to spend 2 hours just kind of doing work. I find this advice really helpful because I often find myself saying things like, “you have plenty of time to get this done later, so don’t worry about doing it now”. I’m going to follow Kayla’s advice and try to get everything I have to do done as soon as I have the chance, instead of dragging things out and wasting time that could be spent getting involved, or working on other projects.

Overall, I found that the conversation with Kayla was really helpful and assuring because she is someone who has been in my shoes in terms of adjusting to college life. She is someone who I can relate to, and feel like I can go to if I need any more help.  

About Me

Hello! My name is Colleen Knostman(although most people call me Coco) I am from Dublin, Ohio, and I am in the Environment and Natural Resources(ENR) Scholars program at Ohio State Univeristy. My intended major is a Bachelor of Arts in Computer and Information Sciences, with an intended minor in either Spanish or English. In high school, I was involved in the marching band where I learned a lot about how to be an effective and kind leader, as well as a team member. I was also involved in drama club, spanish club, service work through my church’s youth group, and National Honor Society(NHS). I have always had an eclectic mix of interests, whether that be a dedication to environmental awareness, curiosity with software engineering, passion for foreign language, or a fascination for creative writing.

Since I was young, I’ve felt a deep sense of responsibility to the environment, founding a “conservation club” at the age of 7. At the time, my conservation efforts consisted of holding lemonade stands in order to raise money for endangered species, but over the years I’ve discovered more ways to be enviromentally conscious. This past year, I’ve invested in stainless steel straws to avoid the disposable alternative, changed my shampoo to one which comes in a bar form instead of a disposable bottle, and switched to reusable makeup remover wipes. No matter if it’s hiking, kayaking, or just sitting on a screened-in porch during a rain storm, I love the outdoors, and am very excited to educate myself on more ways to care for the planet through the ENR Scholars group.

Technology is a rapidly expanding force in our modern society, from smartphones and autonomous vehicles, to low cost and durable laptops for children in developing countries. Having taken programming courses in high school, as well as job shadowing software engineers, I discovered a knack for coding. I aim to find a job in the Computer Science field that allows me to creatively solve problems with code, and help people all over the world through technological innovations. Languages fascinate me, and mastering programming languages such as Java , Python, or C++, is not so different from studying english or spanish.

By taking five years of spanish classes in high school, I’ve developed an affection for the language and culture of different spanish speaking countries. A goal of mine in college would be to study abroad, at least once, in Spain, Argentina, Mexico, or any other spanish speaking country. Becoming completely fluent in Spanish is also something I hope to achieve.

I’ve always loved to read and write, english being one of my favorite subjects in school. To me, english is an extremely important skill in all fields of study. I also have a passion for creative writing specifically, with the hope of one day becoming a published author. While I may not be able to minor in english, I still want to explore the courses and clubs involving english at OSU.

I am so excited to see where the next four years will take me in academics and life experience. I hope to take advantage of as many opportunities, that the univertity offers, as possible. With determination and dedication, I believe that I will graduate OSU as a more well-rounded and knowledgeable individual.

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 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.]

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.]