Unfortunately, my second year did not have the ending that I had hoped. I had hoped to be finishing up my medical school pre-requisites and continuing on in my major courses. SARS-CoV2 has thrown a wrench in my plan. The transition to online classes was not an easy one for me during the second semester. It has taught me to be much more self-disciplined and self-motivated.

I hoped that at this point in time, I would be solidified in my plans and have a clear path to my future. Unfortunately, I am still not there. This year I got involved in research because I had the intention of pursuing an MD/PhD post-undergrad. However, I was not a huge fan of this research and going to the lab seemed like a chore. The good thing about this is that I still have time to find something different that I enjoy. In fact, I have decided to take a couple classes over the summer as well to explore my interests further.

Luckily, a lot of good has come out of this year as well. I have become the Service Chair for the Biological Sciences Scholars Program and the Director of Volunteering for Doctors Without Borders. These are two positions that I am extremely proud of and am excited to work in in over the next year. I thoroughly enjoy volunteer work and am looking forward to showing others ways to give back as well.

Last summer, I started working as a Patient Care Associate at the Wexner Medical Center. I work in the Float Pool at University Hospitals, meaning that I get a lot of different experiences. I have worked in the Emergency Department, ICUs, Med-Surg Units, Rehabilitation Hospital and the Mental Health Hospital. This has allowed me to develop a deeper appreciation for everyone working within the hospital. This experience has done nothing but affirm my desire to work in healthcare. However, it has also opened my eyes to so many ways to get involved aside from being a physician. I am currently exploring my options of how I want to be involved in healthcare; but as of now, all I know is that I belong in a hospital actively caring for patients.

Today marked the end of my freshman year of college. It was certainly not a walk in the park, but the challenges that I have faced have improved me as both a student and a person. My first semester was relatively light, and the adjustments that I made were more of a social adjustment. The second semester was very much an academic adjustment for me. My course load was much heavier and more challenging, and I really had to learn how to study more efficiently. The biggest thing that I learned over the past year has been time-management skills. I had to learn to prioritize and compartmentalize. Chemistry 1220 and Italian 5101 both required a lot of time and dedication to studying, but the feeling of accomplishment I have now was well worth the struggle.

Saying goodbye to my best friends over the past two days has been very difficult for me. I did not realize how close I have gotten to these people, the friendships that I have built have are forever bonds. It is so surreal to me that my freshman is over and I am moving onto my sophomore year of college next year. I am really excited to continue to grow throughout the next couple of years, and I can not wait to see what the next years have in store for me.

Throughout this semester I have gained several valuable skills that I will be able to use throughout the rest of my life. College thus far has certainly been an adjustment period, with me doing essentially everything on my own after leaving my family. However, as time as progressed, I have fallen into a new routine and am able to get everything done effectively and efficiently. A big part of this transition has been getting used to living the people around me, which has taught me detrimental communication skills because I have been forced into discussing with new people quite often. For the remainder of the year, I hope to continue to improve upon my time management and communication skills the most.