Year in Review

This year has been really hard. I learned a lot, but I also struggled when it came to looking at myself and recognizing how much I achieved. Some of the things I learned in classes were how to better speak French, as well as expanding my knowledge of environmental issues and how best to make an impact. I also learned more about the different ways people evaluate topics in my ethics class, and how to handle it when I might disagree with someone else’s viewpoint. Something I learned outside of class was the importance of a support system. There were a lot of times that I felt alone, and sometimes I even believed that I was, but then my friends would peek around the corner and sit next to me and talk it out. They encouraged me to do the things I needed but had previously thought were selfish. I’m most thankful for the ways they helped me handle a heartbreak. My friends taught me that I was more than the things I had been through. I learned about myself and sides of my personality that even I hadn’t seen before. It was really hard to understand that I was allowed to feel angry, sad, and overwhelmed, usually all at once. They helped me dig into my problems and then lay a foundation for a healthier relationship with myself.

My favorite memory from the past year is definitely spending time with my friends. Sometimes our topics were serious, other times silly, and my favorite thing about time with my friends was when we would talk about things we were passionate about. One of the most important things in a relationship is to care about and listen to others about the things that make them happy. I’m so glad my friends have such a diverse range of passions, and that they geek out about the topics. Next year I look forward to making more great memories with my friends, as well as improving my sense of direction (on campus and in life). I’m also hoping that my classes make me feel more grounded in my major, and that I make connections with my professors! My first year may have been difficult, but it has helped me expand my horizons and really break in to who I’m becoming everyday.

Personal Leadership Style

    When I took the test, I was an 8, but I’ve also already taken the test and was a 2. I’d like to think that my score of 8 is because we’ve all been stuck in the house for a few weeks. When I looked at my characteristic for 2, it says that my Direction of Disintegration (which happens when I’m stressed) makes me into an aggressive and dominating 8, while if I were an 8 I would become a 2 with growth. This makes sense now. Some of the most distinctive features of a 2, The Helper, is that we are empathetic, sincere, and warm-hearted. We have a hard time saying no when it comes to helping others, and can sometimes undermine ourselves with good intentions. Some of the difficulties that come with being a type 2 are that we can be possessive and not recognize our own needs. We fear being unwanted, and always want to be loved. Our key motivations are to express our feelings, be needed, be loved, be appreciated, have others respond to them, and have others affirm their claims about themselves. When a type 2 goes through growth, they become more like a 4, which is the individualist, because they start becoming more emotionally aware. Examples of type 2s that I find cool are Eleanor Roosevelt, Nancy Reagan, John Denver, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Dolly Parton, and Priscilla Presley.

    I think that type 2 fits me really well. When I’m in my normal state (not in quarantine) I am usually really open about my feelings and love to help others. However, when I’m stressed, I become more like an 8 in that I focus more on getting things done and seek to control the situation I’m in. In a way I become a more aggressive but also strong version of myself. There have been times where I’ve been in a leadership position and I get stressed and finally put my foot down and don’t think of anything else but resolving the issue at hand in a logical and objective way. Usually I’m pretty calm, but in my head I’m scrambling for a way to just get the problem out of the way. This could be an negative in that it doesn’t allow me to be myself, but it could be positive because I get things done. Usually I feel guilty after acting aggressive, because I know that that isn’t what my friends or teammates are expecting, but it’s just how I have to get things done sometimes. I’ve also definitely gone into phases where I get very introspective and more like a type 4. I sometimes question what I actually want out of my life in terms of career and relationships. Sometimes I wonder if I actually do want to be doing the things I am, such as having a certain major or even what relationships I have with people I care about. I think this is also important for a leader, because usually I end up remembering or finding new reasons why I’m on the path I’m on, and that’s always a good thing to do within a team. It’s important to step back and say “What do I want out of this, and what am I putting into it? Is there a better way to do the things we strive to achieve? Is there a need we haven’t seen because we’ve been too focused on one part of a plan?”.

    A way that I can grow is by prioritizing myself a little more than some of my other responsibilities, especially to people who don’t do the same for me. I think relationships are important, but putting in a ton of work while the other person doesn’t want to contribute is just a waste of effort. It’s important for me to find these one-sided relationships where maybe I feel like I’m balancing on eggshells to get someone to like who I am, and change them. I know of a few one-sided relationships where the most likely solution is for me to stand up for myself and say, “I’m tired of wondering what you want from me, and I need you to put in effort.” and they would. But there are also relationships I have where if I told them to put in more effort they would end up discontinuing the relationship. Maybe that’s what needs to happen.

    I think a way that I can maximize my growth at Ohio State is by seeking out those relationships which have the same amount of effort being put in by each of us. I’m lucky to have found a friend group in which we all try to communicate with each other and share as many experiences as possible, while also respecting the efforts of others who aren’t available either physically to spend time together, or emotionally to really take down their walls and express themselves fully. I hope to find even more friends like this, because they’re honest with me while also being kind and helping me grow as a person. I’m hoping to engage in more clubs this next semester, and I will be in some classes toward my major, so I will probably be meeting a lot of new people and finding those that I want to forge great relationships with.

    Overall, I think being a type 2 makes me a promising leader, because I want to accommodate others, but I also want to get things done and know that we’re engaged for the right reasons. I also look forward to finding new people who can help me foster my own growth as a person throughout my time at Ohio State.

    Columbus To-Do List Part 2

     

    During my time at The Ohio State University, I’ve had the opportunity to explore Columbus with friends. I’ve been to a few places that aren’t necessarily on the list, but are definitely places that many new students should go to get a taste of what college life, and life in Columbus are like.

    One of the great places I went with friends was Buckeye Donuts. This small donut shop reminded me of Bill’s Donuts back in Centerville, Ohio, which I used to frequent in high school with my friends. They sell donuts, coffee, and sandwiches. I got a custard filled donut, which is always my favorite at Bill’s, my friend Salvia got a sandwich, and my friend Charles got a cream-filled donut, as shown in the photo above (sorry Charles). I would recommend Buckeye Donuts to a friend, because it’s a great place to get good food with great friends!

    Another place that I went was the Short North. It was beautifully lit, and my friends and I could see many people walking around and having a great time. We saw people inside of restaurants, both fancy and casual, and we also saw a few night clubs that looked and sounded busy. While there, we explored the area, and found that the Short North had lots of great opportunities to enjoy time with people. I would recommend that any new OSU student visits the Short North, if not for the great places to eat and have fun, then to marvel at the beautiful aesthetic of the area.

    Finally, I went to a great place with my youth pastor while she was doing college visits in early November. She recommended the Lavash Cafe and the Cap City Diner. I chose Cap City Diner, but decided against taking pictures while there, because it was fairly fancy, and because I was spending time with my youth pastor who I hadn’t seen since the summer. However, I found a picture online of the cake I got while there, and it was huge! We both got fish and chips, and I had plenty of leftovers that I took home to my friends in Morrill Tower. I would recommend Cap City Diner to anyone who wants to enjoy time with people, and have lots of leftovers to share at home!

    Overall, I love spending time with friends in Columbus. There are lots of amazing places and things to see while out in the world, but it’s just as important that the time spent in these places is spent with good company. Being a member of the OSU community has given me the opportunity to find great places with great friends!

    Alumni Interview

    For the ENR Scholars Alumni Interview, I chose to ask Jake Shaw for advice. Jake’s majored in Molecular Genetics, and he now works as a research associate for a biotech company focusing on protein extraction and purification. He gave me a lot of great advice on being an undergrad, participating in ENR Scholars, and becoming a professional!

    Jake said that the most important thing during my undergrad career is time management. It’s good to participate in social events and take opportunities to relax, but it’s also important to complete classwork. Only doing work is stressful, and only doing social or recreational activities won’t help in terms of learning, so it’s good to find a balance during undergrad.

    Participating in ENR events is highly recommended, because it both allows you to gain new experiences and knowledge, and it allows you to make new friendships and build relationships with people you otherwise wouldn’t have known. I agree with this a lot, because I’ve already made a lot of second-year friends through going to events like the campout and by participating in family events. Go Trailblazers!

    He also recommended signing up for the STEP program, in which I can receive funding to further myself as a student. Whether that’s going on a trip or planning out a project, I could submit a plan and a budget and potentially gain the opportunity to participate.

    In addition to activities and programs I could join, Jake especially recommended taking the MOLGEN 2220H course. This is only for Molecular Genetics majors, and focuses on introducing research opportunities at OSU to students. It can potentially lead to finding a career interest that I hadn’t even considered before, as well as getting connected to researchers.

    In terms of interviews, Jake suggests that I be as prepared as possible. This includes researching the position and understanding the topics involved. This will allow me to be able to talk about the job with the interviewer and prove that I put initiative in to getting the job.

    As stated earlier, Jake works as a research associate focusing on proteins. I thought this was really interesting, because he described being interested in a career in genetics originally, but now he works with binding proteins for glycobiology research. He said that I should keep an open mind and be willing to try new things, because I just might find what I always wanted when I try things I hadn’t originally hoped for. He also said that studying any life science opens doors to working in many fields of life science.

    Among all of this advice, I was most excited about the idea of taking MOLGEN 2220H to find research opportunities and connect with professors. I hope it will be an eye-opening experience and that I’ll expand my horizons and explore my options! I’m so thankful for Jake Shaw’s advice, and I’m glad I have the opportunity to speak with others who have participated in the ENR Scholars Program.

     

    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.]

    Columbus To-Do List Part 1

    We cleaned along the Olentangy River as part of the ENR Scholars program!

    The list I’ve  chosen for the semester is the Metro Parks, Trails, and Nature Preserves. I’m most excited to explore Frankin Park Conservatory. I love that it has an enclosure, because this semester goes in to the winter, and it may be difficult to visit many outdoor locations due to the cold weather. I hope to find places that amaze me and help me expand my horizons while completing this assignment. It’s really cool to be able to have a place that makes you happy that not everyone knows about! One experience I’ve had is on the Olentangy Trail. For the ENR Scholars program, we cleaned along the Olentangy River. To get there and back to our dorms, we walked along the Olentangy Trail, and my friends and I decided to walk a little bit more along the trail instead of cutting across. I liked that it seemed like a nice little strip of trail in the middle of the trees, and I noticed that there were a lot of bicyclists. It would be cool to ride a bike on the trail, because you’d also get farther along and possibly see some more cool things along the trail. I would definitely go back for a casual walk with friends, but it may be more difficult once winter hits. I appreciate the opportunity to learn about new places in and around Columbus that can help me become more cultured and gain more great experiences in college!

    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.]

    About Me

    My name is Valerie Kronson, and I’m a first-year student at The Ohio State University! The picture to the left is me on a hayride at my favorite place in the world, Kirkmont Center. It’s a summer camp in Zanesfield, Ohio, and I’ve been a camper there every summer for the past 10 years! I look forward to hopefully being on staff there this summer, too! My favorite hobbies include watching YouTube, specifically Jenna Marbles and Shane Dawson, listening to music, and taking naps. I also like to go outside and hammock in Buckeye Grove or just walk around with friends after eating way too much ice cream at Scott Traditions.

    My background going in to OSU is that I’m a first generation student. My mom has an associates degree, and my dad didn’t graduate from college, so they’re both really proud and supportive of me getting a 4-year degree at a great school! My current major is Biology, but I may decide to switch to Molecular Genetics. One of the best parts of being a science major is that there are so many amazing factors that fell together to create life, and we get to try to identify the ways these factors developed and what we can do with this information to improve our futures! There are a few different careers I’m considering going in to as a result of my interest in genetics. I’d like to either be a Healthcare Scientist, diagnosing genetic conditions based on working in the lab, or a Genetic Counselor, communicating with clients about the genetic conditions that have been identified.

    I like to find out what I can do to help the environment, because this is the only planet we have. I also like to read articles about the effects of different actions humans take could potentially be harming the planet. This includes the effects of cow farming, which adds methane to the air, and deforestation which reduces the ability for the carbon we real ease into the atmosphere to be cycled back in to oxygen at a healthy rate. I love to go outside and embrace nature’s beauty. I love to see the green leaves on trees, the rippling streams, and feel soft grass beneath my feet. My favorite season is fall, because the leaves change color and the air is crisp and fresh. 🙂

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