“Year in Review.”
Is it even possible to…review this year? I suppose it is, but of course, it’s worth noting the sheer amount of challenges that students all across America and all across the world faced this year. I’m writing this as a look back at my 2020, which began on the high of traveling to California to coordinate logistics for a game at one of the largest events in my community – a concept which now feels as foreign as the concept did last year at this time, now for entirely different reasons. Here is how I have further enriched myself through experiences during my time at The Ohio State University, and how I plan to finish the time I have left here.
As I hopefully plan to pursue the Esports industry, my work in the competitive Splatoon community online has given me a fantastic base to build up my knowledge in the field, and my work with the Buckeye Gaming Collective here on campus has helped me expand my horizons into trying things I’m not as comfortable doing or don’t have as much experience in, especially in the way of team management.
Global Awareness
As an online tournament organizer for a relatively small competitive gaming community, nearly every event you hold is an international event. I’ve attempted to welcome this global audience with open arms as best I can, trying to make the best decisions possible to allow for players all across the globe to sign on and compete during large international competitions such as InkStorm. In getting to know some players, you also learn much more about their daily lives, and you come to realize the similar struggles we all face. In scheduling playoffs for an invitational league that I am helping to coordinate, players have expressed concerns regarding playing when they don’t have exams that they are stressed over. One player in Germany is even moving homes during the transition into the New Year. These are all challenges and stressors that all of us can relate to no matter our country of residence. And, obviously, there remains the common stressor of COVID-19, where everyone, no matter their country of origin, country of residence, socioeconomic status, race, color, ethnicity, gender, or any other description. Everyone is in this together.
However, in reflecting on this further, I feel as though I could try better to reach out and really engage with my global friends. There are still so many cultures and ways of life that I know very little about, and I hope that I continue researching & engaging with international cultures & ideas.
Original Inquiry
At The Ohio State University, my coursework is leading me to analyze the world in ways I never would have thought of otherwise. I’ve completed a much of the coursework for my desired majors, and each have helped me begin along this path of questioning the world around me. The Astronomy & Astrophysics minor has encouraged me to continue looking up and exploring the unknown, and the Statistics minor has given me a better lense to analyze the world in. Even as we speak, I’m thinking through ways to easily communicate and visualize statistics for some of my other projects in ways that help others see my perspectives clearly.
I also believe that there is never a stop to learning. While perhaps cliché, I will never act like I know it all. There will always be a new experience to try, a new method to consider, and a new challenge to take on. To me, that is a part of the Original Inquiry process: one should not be comfortable sticking with what is “status quo” or comfortable. Instead, one should always be willing to push the envelope and challenge those around them to question everything.
Now, as I transition into a major in the School of Communciation, I hope to explore and reconsider how I articulate ideas to a broader audience, in addition to keeping up with those previous fields I’ve mentioned. There will always be something new for me to learn, and I believe being a more effective communicator is the right next step for me.
Academic Enrichment
Right now in my academic career, I have felt as though I have covered a multitude of classes from a range of different frields. Most notably, of course, those in the math and physical sciences, but through the Liberal Arts education here at The Ohio State University I have felt as though I have been able to explore other areas in great depth as well. I absolutely loved learning about the foundartions of Greek Mythology last spring, and am currently looking forward to a class next fall in the Evolution of Early American Politics. Of course, these courses help me approach issues from a more well-rounded approach, and allow me to engage in thoughtful conversations on current events given historical and artistic basis, both in politics and in human nature. I always felt as though I have been able to be very empathetic for people in situations even despite not having a complete background, but these courses can only help.
I look forward to taking a deep dive into the world of Communication now, where I once again hope to re-examine how I….well, communicate with others. Especially given my current career path in Esports, much of our communication is done in an online world where you don’t always get to work face-to-face, or even verbally, with your peers. This lack of verbal (or in the case of text, tonal) communication really can prohibit quality work from getting done on an internal level, and can cause breakdowns and public mistrust externally. I hope to get a better understanding of how I can better myself and my skills in these ways.
Leaderhsip Development
As I eluded to at the top of this page, I was elected President of the Buckeye Gaming Collective in April of this past year. While I obviously have been a leader in other organizations and events that I have worked with, this the first leadership position that I’ve really felt like I was the guiding hand that was pushing things along from start to finish. I’ve tried to lead by example as best I can, encouraging the Directors on my Executive Board to manage thier respective Minor Board members similar to how I engage in conversations with those Directors, and have done everything I can to provide the resources and vision necessary for BGC to do well even given the unique circumstances at the end of the semester. I’ve grown a lot in recognizing how much interpersonal relationships matter among teammates, and I hope I can continue growing, especially in a world where I can start talking to some of those teammates face-to-face again.
Service Engagement
I consider myself a donator of my time more than anything else. Over my life as an organizer, I’ve volunteered countless hours into building a community of people with a similar interest through a varaitey of different events in competitive Splatoon. And, when the opprotunity presents itself, I contribue to using that force for charity events that get run. For example, in May, I helped run Splat for a Cause, a tournament that raised over $5,000 for Direct Relief. And during Breast Cancer Awareness month in October, I gladly accepted an offer to be a part of Ink for Pink, which raised over $6,000 for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
More direct with my activities here on campus, Buckeye Gaming Collective teamed up with the BuckeyeThon team to host a Virtual Day of Play via the Extra Life platform, raising over $1,000 for Nationwide Childrens Hospital. Every one of these events, I take pride in knowing the role that I played spread the messages of these fantastic organizations and encouraged people to donate some of their own money and/or time to these causes. I look forward to future events where I can continue spreading the messages of those who are in need, and encourage those around me to give to causes that speak to them.
Overall, I believe I am working with some fantastic momentum in my life, and I am very thankful for that fact alone. I look forward to what the next year, and my remaining time, has here at The Ohio State University.