Before I entered the STEM Scholars program, I was very blind as to what is required to be a successful college student. I thought that I was adequately prepared and equipped to study and pass my classes, but I was incredibly wrong. I had taken classes at a college back home, and got fantastic grades in all of those. I soon learned, however, that actual college is much more intensive and difficult than taking one class at a community college. However, I had the STEM Scholars program to keep me accountable and teach me how to deal with all the new stresses and challenges that come with entering college. I learned how to distribute my time and break up assignments into smaller, more manageable tasks. I learned better studying techniques and how to be an all around better student.
More importantly, however, is how I’ve developed as a person and the relationships I’ve made through the STEM Scholars program. I regard my decision to join this specific scholars program as one of my best decisions in college. The people I’ve met through STEM, specifically on this floor, will be some of my best friends throughout the rest of college, possibly for life. When I came into college, I considered myself very open-minded and accepting, but it wasn’t until I was exposed to so many different lifestyles and cultures that I realized how much I had to learn. I’m still far from having it all figured out, but I definitely have a much more diverse social circle which I feel like has helped me grow and mature overall as a person. Not only that, but I am much more mature when it comes to schoolwork. I know longer freak out and loose composure over bad grades. Instead, I understand how to move forward and learn from my mistakes and study not only harder, but better, so I can improve and do better next time.
Around halfway through last semester, I decided that I wanted to deviate from the traditional STEM path and pursue other career options. That has led to a lot of exploration and introspection, trying to figure out what I really want out of a career. I am now in the process of taking random classes in any subject that catches my interest, such as architecture or hospitality management. I am so glad that I chose this scholars program though. Even if I do not end up in a STEM field, I have learned so many valuable skills that will apply wherever I end up and give me an advantage in whatever field I settle on. Being part of the STEM Scholars program gave me the incredible freshman year of college at Ohio State that I will remember for the rest of my life (this has nothing to do with STEM, but I even met my girlfriend through the scholars program, if that shows how influential it has been in my life). Overall, I am almost unrecognizable from the person that entered at the start of freshman year, but I believe almost all of my changes have been for the positive.