Several weeks before arriving at Ohio State, I sat down at my makeshift desk to attend a zoom with my peer group. Already worried about the uncertainty of moving five hours away from home and living in a completely separate dorm from that of my peers, entering the Politics, Law and Society program was daunting, not to mention Ohio State as a whole. However, that zoom offered some much needed solace in the form of familiar faces and such faces continued to offer advice, wisdom and know-how about the ways of the Ohio State Campus.
Having grown up in Columbus, Amanda Mixter is no stranger to the hustle and bustle of Ohio State’s campus. Among her chief reasons for attending OSU was a deep familiar connection, as her grandfather served as a professor and her mother frequently worked on campus, as well. In addition to influencing her choice in university, Amanda also recalls that her family inspired her to go into law as she was surrounded by lawyers as a kid. Majoring in Political Science and Philosophy, minoring in French and being a part of the Politics, Law and Society Scholars, Student Government and College Democrats, she has been preparing for her post-college goal of attending law school since day one. Her ultimate goal is to help climate change by advocating for a change in our lifestyles. She enjoys learning, stating that Political Identities has become a favorite class this semester and hopes to travel abroad, stating that one of the most exciting things about the prospect of law school is getting to attend a new school in a different part of the country. Additionally, she hopes to participate in university-offered study abroad programs, such as one offered at the Canadian Parliament or a pre-law course at the University of Oxford.
When asked about what made her consider PSL, Amanda stated that she hadn’t thought about it until she was able to talk to Kevin at a college fair. However, she states that it has been an interesting learning experience. She favorite speaker came was the President of the Legal Aide Society for Columbus. The first guest during her first year, Amanda described how impressive and eye-opening it was to hear someone speak candidly about going from an engineering major to law school. The ups and downs and turns of finding what you want to do with your life do not happen automatically and Amanda greatly appreciated the speaker’s honesty. However, the most valuable lesson she’s learned from PSL has been to listen to people she disagrees with and learn to respect them despite their differences.
As for what she’s learned from The Ohio State University, Amanda says that the university has taught her how to be independent. Going from a very tight-knit high school with people helping every step of the way, she believes that Ohio State offers students a chance to prepare themselves for the professional world and whatever else may be ahead of them.
Reflecting on our conversation, I believe it was not only important for me to get away from the zooms and see the campus, but make a connection. Besides the interview part of our conversation, Amanda offered me places to study, facts about the campus and honest advice about being on campus. As I go through my first semester at Ohio State, I have learned to listen to others (especially when its easier to block their opinions out), to get involved and that there is always something to look forward to. I don’t know what will happen in the next few years–this year has brought a level of uncertainty that has changed how all of us live. However, despite the ups and downs of our education, our career trajectory and our personal lives, there is always something on the other side.