I have always been told that I was a natural born leader but I have never really had the chance to use my skills as a leader in a place other than high school. When I came to Ohio State I applied for and got a job in University Catering. I gained more experience of working with others and finding when and where I can be useful. As I have worked there more, I have become more trusted by my managers. I am often put in charge of certain tasks and told to guide others while doing these tasks so they can be carried out efficiently. I hope to work there long enough to become a student manager and this way I will learn more about how to lead others and reach the goals of the event. This job will teach be valuable skills of team work and responsibility and it has already started.

Through ACES I have volunteered at different places with diverse groups of people. One of the places I volunteered at was the Boys and Girls Club and helped out with their homecoming dance. We learned pizza and drinks, took pictures of the kids, and made sure they were having a good time. It was here I met a little girl that reminded me a lot of myself. She was shy and didn’t interact with very many people but she liked hanging out with my friends and I. We spent a lot of time with her that night and we tried breaking her out of her shell to get her to dance with us. We requested songs that she liked and she eventually felt brave enough to dance with us. I think many time people look at volunteering as helping the maximum amount of people you can at a time. Although this is a good goal, I think that helping one person is just as good and fulfilling. The girl reminded me of why I like to help others. It’s important to put a smile on other people’s faces and to give them a break from their normal lives for just one night.