Month: September 2019

Journal #1

Welcome week was a bit overwhelming for me as I felt as though I had a lot on my plate. I had to deal with the pressures of trying to make friends, adjust to a new schedule and place, and attend many different events.

My classes are, for the most part, easier than I expected. Though I have a lot of work to complete for each class, I feel like I have plenty of time to get it done. In regards to finishing assignments, I do not feel as stressed now as I did at many points throughout high school.

I am adjusting pretty well to my new life and schedule. I do not feel like I have many more responsibilities here than I did at home, so the transition was fairly easy. My greatest struggle thus far is making new friends and finding circles where I feel comfortable. I have been trying to put myself out there and to try new things, but it hasn’t been easy, and I don’t feel like I’ve really gotten anything from doing so yet. I just try to remember that I have a lot of time ahead of me to meet new people and try new things and that change will not be instant.

I didn’t have very many expectations going into my first week because I don’t think I truly comprehended what was about to happen. I knew that everything would be different, but I didn’t really expect anything in particular. One thing I didn’t really expect was how many people would be from around the area. Even though most people did not know each other, they had an understanding of where everyone was from and went to school. I think that aspect of things has made it a little more difficult for me because I don’t immediately have something in common with most of the people around me to talk about.

Though it has been difficult adjusting to such a foreign environment, the Scholars program has already helped me familiarize myself with a lot of people. Because of the living situations and classes, I see a lot of the same people everyday. It acts as a constant, so I can ground myself. Even though I haven’t necessarily become friends with any of them, I know that I can go to any of them if I need something.

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.]

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

I am Rachel Kuepers, and I intend to pursue a degree in architecture. Alongside architecture, I would like to study city and regional planning to have a greater understanding of the built environment and its effects across the globe. I would love to study abroad at some point in my college career, so I have the opportunity to apply my studies to foreign places and cultures.