Discovering Evidence: Post #3

I think the most relevant thing we have learned recently is how to do pre- and post- test assessments and that there will be times when people make progress during treatment but return to previous levels of assessments after treatment ends. This is important to remember in practice so that it is not a surprise when it occurs.

Discovering Evidence: Mid-Semester Reflection

So far the research requirement for this class has been interesting. I’m glad to be taking a research class because it encourages research at a more relaxed pace than a class that only requires research for one major project which makes research seem more stressful than it needs to be. This class has re-awakened my enjoyment of research, which has been a really cool experience.

My chosen research focus has been police approaches to mental health crises. I’ve found that there’s not a ton of research on this topic and as a result, a lot of repeated research and supporting research but not a lot of opposing research. However, I’ve only scratched the surface of research in this area, so this is just the general feeling I’ve gotten from my overview of the research. It’s also been fairly difficult to find systematic reviews and meta-analyses in this specific area due to the lack of research in it, so in our assigned search for a meta-analysis, I had to settle for one about multiple-session early mental health interventions following traumatic events, which doesn’t necessarily involve police. Overall though, I think this is a really helpful, foundational course for building research skills which are necessary to competent, ethical practice throughout a social work career.

My First Semester at OSU

My first semester at OSU has been many things. It’s been inspiring, stressful, exciting, and fun all at once. I felt at the beginning of the semester that I had made an excellent choice in deciding to come to OSU. Reflecting on that sentiment now, I couldn’t agree more with myself from three months ago. However, the home I’ve found here wasn’t in the traditions and hype that made me excited to be here during welcome week. The home I found in this place has been in the unexpected – people I never could have imagined or anticipated would come into my life. My OSU home is in the friends I’ve made – in Baker East, in my classes, and in organizations and groups I’ve joined. It’s in the people who have inspired me – from my Gender, Sex, and Power professor Dr. Smooth to Jill Davis, who showed me that even a first-year student has the power to make a positive impact in the OSU community.

Parts of my OSU experience were what I expected. Like I thought it would be in the beginning of the semester, Calculus I is in fact very hard. I think I can pass it though, and since I’m currently considering a major in Social Work (stay tuned though, I change my mind a lot) that’s really all I need to do.

My view of the world has been made much bigger this semester, and it’s made me a more understanding person. I hope that my perspective never stops growing or changing, because as soon as it does, so will I.

 

Aubrey Kreusch

Math and I have a love-hate relationship. Even though it drives me nuts, I keep coming back for more. It’s the most beautiful yet horrendously precise discipline, but I know that at the end of the day I wouldn’t want to do anything else.

IMG_Aubrey_Human of OSU

Top Five Strengths Reflection

Overall, I feel that the Top Five Strengths Assessment was very accurate in its evaluation of my talents as they relate to my personality. My top five strengths are Connectedness, Empathy, Context, Adaptability, and Intellection.

My top strength is Connectedness. As soon as I read my strengths report and found this to be my top strength, I was quickly convinced that the strengths test was an accurate depiction of me. I truly believe that all things are connected and that everything happens for a reason, and the description for the talent of Connectedness  said almost exactly those same things.

My second strength is Empathy. I feel that this strength also describes me very well because I have always had a knack for picking up on other people’s emotions. Studying people is fascinating to me, and I feel that my interest in it has simultaneously been fueled by and strengthened my talent for Empathy.

My third strength is Context. This strength has shown itself throughout my educational career in my interest in history. I feel that this strength is one that can only get stronger over time as it’s almost impossible to analyze the meaning, cause, or significance of an event without looking at the context in which it occurred.

My fourth strength is Adaptibility. The very first sentence in the description of this talent is “You live in the moment.” I feel that this statement is very accurate for me, but I also liked that as the description went on, it was sure to communicate that living in the moment doesn’t mean you don’t have plans for the future. It just means that you discover your plans as you go along and form them in a way that allows you to adapt to the context of any given situation.

My fifth strength is Intellection. This strength interestingly encompasses all of my other strengths. I am always thinking, but it’s almost never just a mindless drone. I think about how things are connected and what they mean in different contexts. I think about my future and how I can adapt to new hurdles I may encounter. I often think about people and what they’re doing, thinking, or feeling. I wonder if people think about the same things that I do.

About Me

My name is Mara, and I’m a first-year exploration student at The Ohio State University. I’m from Dayton, Ohio. I graduated from Beavercreek High School and had two consecutive jobs at KFC and Bob Evans over the course of my senior year. I was involved in many extracurricular activities during high school but I enjoyed my involvement in my school’s GSA (Gender-Sexuality Alliance) and the Dayton-area chapter of GLSEN (Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network) the most because I felt like my involvement contributed to the lives of others and I met a lot of really great people through it. This year I am taking a Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies course titled Gender, Sex, and Power. I hope to learn more about intersectional feminism in this class and become a part of the feminist community here at OSU.

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 information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. 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 information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. 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 information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]