Month: August 2019

Semester in Review: Fall 2019

by

Now that I am about three quarters of the way through the semester, I can honestly say that college has been very different from what I expected. As a highly motivated student, I was used to having a rigorous course load and moving quickly through material, but even with that experience I was still surprised by college classes. Taking a class that would have been a year long course in high school as a semester course in college meant that I was expected to learn and internalize a large amount of material at a much faster rate than I was used to, and the fact that there are only three midterms rather than a series of tests made exams a bigger event than they used to be. While I have slowly adjusted to the system and figured out how to manage my time and direct my energy towards effectively studying, there was a learning curve over the course of the semester. Despite the quick pace and the increased emphasis on tests, I have found that I have enjoyed what I am learning more than I did in high school as all of my classes are in a field of interest rather than a wide variety of subjects I may not have vested interest in.

Socially, my time at college has gone smoother than expected. The Biological Science Scholars has fostered a great sense of community and I have met many nice people in the program and in my residence hall, which is almost all other scholars. Going to a large school like Ohio State means that there is never a shortage of things to do and people to meet, so I have tried my best to take advantages of the programs offered by the clubs I am in and the Ohio Union Activities Board. Though I would not say my time at OSU has been smooth sailing so far, I have begun to forge my own path and identity at this university, and I hope to continue on that path as I continue in my time here.

G.O.A.L.S.

by

Global Awareness: One of my main goals in college is to study abroad somewhere to further my academic and cultural education. Recently I have been hoping to go to Scotland to study in Edinburgh, as the anatomical history and the medical schools that were once in the city have very interesting history, and could help me to see the field of medicine in a new and exciting way. This would allow me to broaden my cultural horizons and experience new and fun situations, making me  more well rounded student and person.

Original Inquiry: I am currently taking Molecular Genetics 2220H, which is a class designed to expose underclassmen to research opportunities within the field of molecular genetics through laboratory tours and staff presentations. So far I have had the opportunity to head over five professors discuss their research, and have been able to engage with them and inquire about their findings. Through this I have gained connections with professors, and could possibly find an undergraduate research opportunity that will set me apart and give me more unique experiences and opportunities in the future.

Academic Enrichment: As a member of the biological science scholars program, I have a variety of new and different opportunities presented to me that other members of the university may not have access to at this time, such as tours of factories or panels with alumni for support. In addition, as a Pre-Med major who would like to go to medical school after I graduate from Ohio State University, so I have to take challenging courses such as organic chemistry and anatomy courses to appear competitive when applying for medical schools.

Leadership Development: This year I joined the Buckeye Blood Club which helps to organize and coordinate blood drives around campus for local hospitals, which is something I was heavily involved with in high school. If I continue to participate in that club, as an upperclassman I could run my own blood drives and deal directly with the red cross and other organizations. Furthermore, as a part of Alpha Phi Omega I am currently serving on the fellowship committee, and could have an opportunity to help in running multiple events this semester for both actives and pledges in the fraternity.

Service Engagement: My parents both went to Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and met through the service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega. The people they met and the activities they did left a lasting impact on their lives, and growing up I always heard about their Halloween parties with children at the local hospital or handing out letters of encouragement around finals season. Though my parents graduated, their love for service never left them, and as a result was imparted on me. When I got to Ohio State, one of the first clubs I looked to join was Alpha Phi Omega, and I am currently pledging the fraternity this semester. I hope to get to meet like minded people who are looking to give back to the community as I am, and make new connections with different groups of people around the city of Columbus and make campus feel more like home.

Career

by

Though I may only be a second year, I have already worked to accomplish some pretty cool things! I have attached a copy of my resume so you can see some of my more meaningful activities and commitments.

My Resume

Artifacts

by

As a freshman, I was disappointed to find that my high school did not have a Model UN club, so I decided to create one myself. I spent the majority of my sophomore year filling out paperwork and finding a sponsor, but it all paid off in junior year when I got to hold my first meeting. Finally in senior year we went to our first conference at American University with the club executive board, pictured on the left at the train station before going to DC.

 

 

 

Two years ago I went to the Cayman Islands with my family and got to experience some of the local culture and food. We went to Rum Point and got to swim with stingrays, see starfish, and get a tour of the island and its history. One of the places we stopped at was a town called Hell, which was given its name because of the odd grey rocks that take up almost all of the town, giving it a cavernous and otherworldly feel, as pictured to the right.

 

 

 

One of my favorite teachers I have ever had was my biology teacher, Mrs. Dietsch. When she was working on her third masters degree, she selected a few of her best students to help her with her required research, and I was one of the chosen few. Every day we would look at the health of brine shrimp exposed to different household chemicals, and counted how many in each sample petri dish had died that day, and organized the data in a spreadsheet. The picture included is me and two of the other helpers along with our teacher and a few of our other classmates before graduation.

 

 My first scholars event was the Columbus Clippers baseball game, where I met two of my now good friends and learned more about the type of community the scholars program at Ohio State could offer.

About Me

by

Hello! My name is Allison Michaels and I am a current medical anthropology pre-med major at The Ohio State University. I am originally from a small suburb of northern Philadelphia, and am a proud alumni of Wissahickon Senior High School. Growing up, I had a passion for solving complex problems and learning new things, which has lead me to my love of medicine, particularly pediatric medicine. Now as a second year at Ohio State I hope to continue cultivating this interest throughout my college experience and increase my involvement on campus. So far, I have become involved with the Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity, Buckeye-thon, casual sports club, and OSU Penpals. In my free time I am an avid history buff, enjoy reading books of all sorts, and hope to learn about astronomy and metaphysics.