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.
