The first year of college is more than just the first year in the beginning of life outside of high school, it’s the largest growth you experience in a single year. In my first year at Ohio State, I became incredibly independent (mostly because I had to be, since I was 600 miles away from home) and grew as a person. I became more outgoing and confident, mostly out of necessity but regardless was an important change. As a student, I became more dedicated to my education, and learned how I learn best, and what studying actually entails. I learned through trial and error how to take notes, on how to prepare for exams, and how to do well in STEM classes. I learned these things about myself and a student through a combination of my scholars program, as well as the idea that I was all of a sudden on my own for the first time. Being on my own for the first time in my entire life, and that fosters incredible personal growth.

At the beginning of the academic year and my time as a STEM EE Scholar, I was incredibly shy, awkward, and used to very standardized and rigid education system. I really hated how a lot of my classes weren’t lecture based (how do you take notes if they aren’t given to you!?) and still felt super uncomfortable participating in group discussions during classes of 100 (okay, seriously though, aren’t you scared of all those people looking at you?!). However, throughout my first semester, and after failing to adapt several times, I started to enjoy not being lectured at for 55 minutes, and figured out how to pick out the important bits of information during a class where the notes aren’t displayed on the screen in front of you, and more importantly, how to take better notes when the notes are given to you. I even participated in maybe one class discussion, which was huge for someone who can barely talk to a group of more than three people without getting very anxious at all the people staring at me. I achieved academically, and made more friends than I ever thought someone as awkward and shy as me ever could.

Second semester I grew even more. I decided to go through formal recruitment for Panhellenic Greek life, which was hilarious for everyone involved because I had absolutely no experience or knowledge about what Greek life even entailed, and even less knowledge that Panhellenic sororities aren’t even the only kind. However, after the emotionally draining process of recruitment, I received a bid from Gamma Phi Beta, whose philanthropic mission is “building strong girls”. This was huge for me – not only because I whole-heartedly believe that building strong and confident girls starts in elementary school, where we volunteer, but I wanted so badly to be that strong girl. Gamma Phi has already helped me to become strong and confident – I participate in class discussions more often now, and I’m not afraid to go up to anyone and compliment them, or start a conversation. My sisters are pushing me to take on leadership roles within our chapter, and I finally feel like I won’t pass out if I have to address all 205 of my sisters at once. But, Gamma Phi isn’t the only reason and way I really grew in my second semester. I started taking my academics more seriously, and I worked harder than I had ever worked in my life, and FINALLY recognized that college is nothing like high school. I stopped being afraid of going to office hours and tutoring rooms and asking for help when I needed it, and that boosted my grades and comprehension. I was no longer scared to go to the library, which was a weird freshman thing I was afraid of, and I spent most of my time there. I got better at managing my time because I had so much to do all the time, I figured out how to effectively give myself free time to get my mind off school.

All in all, my first year in college helped at least start to form me into the person I always wanted to be – confident, driven, mature and open minded. I stopped being so scared all the time (and replaced that with being stressed all the time, but that’s college). I never thought this was something that could happen to me in just nine months, but I feel like a completely different person in the best kind of way.