My First Year at OSU

For each protagonist in every story it is clear by the end whether that character is Static or Dynamic.  Whether they make a change or whether they stay the exact same.  For myself, now that we’ve only reached the end of a chapter in the story of my life at Ohio State, it is clear that there has been some development, however I don’t know if you can clearly say that I have changed dramatically enough to call me a Dynamic Character.

For example, at the start of my time here at Ohio State, I clearly remember not studying for any of my midterms and getting an A on all of them.  Slowly but surely, that has started to catch up with me and I now prepare at least a week ahead of time to ensure I do well on any final or midterm.  But at the same time, I do not now nor have I ever panicked over a final, stressed out over a midterm or even started to question if I had the ability to do what was required of me for my course.  The ability to look past all of that and keep a calm and level head is too permanently part of my demeanor and will most likely never change.  In this, I am very static.

Looking back, I can remember not having strong feelings one way or another toward any club or group at Ohio State, but recently I have had a change of heart toward multiple groups.  The marching band, for one, is a group that I have now spent hours learning a new instrument for and asked for the help of many of my friends in the marching band to help me with my technique, but a few months ago, I couldn’t care less that I wasn’t out on that field during the halftime show.  Also, I have recently spent much more time volunteering my time and going to events for the STEM EE scholars where as at the beginning of the year, I didn’t care all that much about it.  I now see much more value in this organization and I see that my time spent here is time well spent.

The biggest causes of this change has been just a few seemingly random instances.  For example, I missed playing my saxophone and I joined the athletic band.  From there, I was reminded how much I loved being in the marching band, so I took time to contact the director such that I could sign out an instrument from the band center.  Also, I wouldn’t have fully realized how much the STEM EE scholars meant to me until I took the time to sit down and reflect on what the STEM program has done for me.  Without these instances, I would be even less of a Dynamic character in my own story but instead I would be very similar to exactly how I started.

As for how I started this year out, I had a genuine lack of interest in trying, or even caring for that matter.  I had grown so accustomed to being good but not great at everything, that I had started this year out without the desire to work at anything more than what seemed to be the basic amount required.  But as you can see from what I said earlier, there has been a genuine change of heart and I have really shown that there are things that I care about as well as things that I feel are worth my time.  And although there haven’t been too many changes, you have to keep in mind it has only been a few pages thus far in the story of my time at Ohio State.

For my entire first year here at Ohio State I have been a member of the STEM EE Scholars program where we constantly are relating everything we do back to the G.O.A.L.S. Whether it is an event where we learn about the mathematics behind music or an event where all we do is enjoy a game of Capture the Flag with some of my fellow members, we are always trying to find a way of connecting everything back to our main purpose being the G.O.A.L.S.  Therefore, it only makes sense that this would start to rub off on all aspects of my life.

Now that I am already a fourth of my way done here at OSU, I can’t help but begin thinking about my future.  And when I begin thinking of my own plan for the future, the first thing I think of is living in Los Angeles, California.  I want to live in an apartment, have a job in the business world out in L.A., and be able to travel fairly often.  Now in case you haven’t been to Los Angeles before, it is very clear upon arrival that it is a world all in itself full of diversity, different cultures, and vastly different people.  Now if that alone isn’t enough to show how I can see the Global Awareness aspect of G.O.A.L.S. in my next five years, then I suppose that the fact that I want to travel should also be a key role in the Global Awareness side of my future.  Having never been outside of The United States and Canada, I really want to go to some Latin American countries because of my studies here at Ohio State in Spanish and Spanish speaking countries.  I have learned about the culture of nearly every country located in South and Central America and my speaking skills are enough to get me through a trip to any Spanish Speaking country, so I think this is a very good opportunity for me.  

Also, I have never been to any European countries and I would absolutely love to go see some major cities and landmarks.  I have heard about my family history being from France, Germany, and a few other European Countries, however, I really want to actually go over to these countries and experience their culture rather than just listening to stories from grandparents or looking online.  A first hand experience is always much more enjoyable and informative than just looking online.  Lastly, because of my love of Asian food, Animated television shows, and Japanese culture, I can very easily see myself taking a trip to Japan in order to get a vastly new experience.  I think there are a lot of stereotypes and assumptions about Japanese culture and I know that I would enjoy a trip to Japan where I get to experience all of these things first hand.

While I may know where exactly I want to travel, one thing I am absolutely clueless about is what job or position I would have when I graduate and hopefully move to Los Angeles.  The only thing I am confident about in the position I have is that I will be in some sort of Leadership position.  Having been in many group projects, and many bands, it seems to follow me that in each and everything I do, I take on a leadership role without having tried to.  I simply feel more comfortable in a leadership position and I know that the group usually works better if I am in control of how things play out.  Of course, I have experience being a follower as well, but even when I am just another member of the enormous marching band or in a huge class, I tend to begin leading by example.  Therefore, I know that whatever position I have, the Leadership Development aspect of G.O.A.L.S. will most definitely be at work just because in my life thus far, it never hasn’t been at work.

It’s incredible to me that I can have some sort of picture for my life in five years considering I decided to go to Ohio State on a spur-the-moment decision and considering I never so much as visited the campus.  Honestly, I don’t usually plan all of my actions out but instead hope for the best, but as of right now, I think I know exactly where I will be in five years and I think I know what I’ll be doing.  And for the sake of this paper, I think I also know exactly how the Global Awareness and Leadership Development aspects of G.O.A.L.S. will be playing through my life just five short years from now.

Ohio State Spring Game Band

From this experience, I really gained a lot from teamwork, cooperation, hard work, and being able to put my nerves at ease.  While I may have soloed in front of auditoriums full of people for Jazz Bands and even given speeches to full rooms of people for Speech and Debate, nothing quite compares to playing for over 100,000 people inside The Shoe.  Meanwhile, we only had about seven 1.5 hour long rehearsals to put music to a show, have all of our spots memorized, have all the music memorized and be comfortable enough to play in front of a massively large crowd.  This really shows how much work each and every person in this band along with myself had to do just for a little over ten minutes worth of a show.

note: when the band forms the person from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, you can see myself front and center with my fellow saxophones.

My Strengths

Often times people compare their learning career to a house.  You need a firm base of fundamentals and concepts, multiple rooms or areas of study, and halls and doorways for you to transition from one concept to another seamlessly and make the connections you need to be successful.  However, we often times don’t look at how we built this house, or what tools we used in it’s construction.  I myself have had multiple tools that I have used throughout my years as a student in order to build my house of knowledge but it wasn’t until just recently that I learned not only that these tools have names, but also many other people have tools similar to my own.  Thanks to the StrengthsFinder test, I now know exactly what my strengths are and I see now where each and every one of them have been very useful throughout my student career.

Officially, my top five strengths are Achiever, Strategic, Developer, WOO, and Communication.  In my opinion, the best way to describe how each of these are used by me is to present a situation that we most likely have all run into from time to time – a group project.  First and foremost, you usually need to be able to find a group.  This is where my WOO, or, Winning Others Over, strength comes in handy.  I am generally very good at not just making friends, but getting others to want to work with me.  After I have found a group, we next get acquainted.  This is where my Developer strength comes in handy.  I can often times quickly spot the potential and strengths in others which allows me to get a better handle on who can do what for the group.  This is where my Strategic strength comes in handy.  I am quickly able to determine exactly what would work best for our group such that our project gets done quickly and with the best possible outcome.  Next generally comes a brainstorming session where my Communication strength is exceedingly useful.  Not only am I able to come up with good ideas, but thanks to my Communication strength, I am able to put my ideas into words in order to ensure that everyone in the group is on the same page.  Lastly, thanks to my Achiever strength, I am able to persevere throughout the entire project all the way to the finish.  I am able to focus longer than most people as well as work longer than most people which ensures that the project gets done instead of staying on the “To Do” list.

As you can see, each and every one of my strengths makes doing something as routine as a group project as simple as can be, but what about daily life?  Thanks to my Achiever strength, I have no problem with getting things done.  Be it chores, homework, or even relaxation, I am able to ensure that I get it done.  With my Strategic strength, I am always thinking about how I can get everything done more efficiently, or maybe even a new way entirely of going about doing things.  Regardless as to the daily task, thanks to my Strategic strength, it is never dubbed, “perfect” but instead is constantly getting remodeled.  With my developer strength, I often times can quickly spot who might be able to help me in the long run and with my WOO, I can generally win them over fairly quickly to ensure that they would help me if I ever needed help.  Lastly, thanks to my communication strength, I know that if I ever need to talk to other people about anything, I will have absolutely no trouble doing that.

In the future, I know I will use each and every one of my strengths to complete my undergrad and hopefully go back to school for a PhD in mathematics.  I know that along the way, I will persevere and should I ever need help, I will have no trouble finding people to help me as well as getting them to help me.  With the tools that I have, I know that the house of knowledge that I will end up with can be as grand as I want it to be.  It already is bigger than I ever would have expected and with my current blueprints, I may surprise a few people with the final turnout.

-edited 11/4/15

Welcome to my Honors & Scholars e-Portfolio

Welcome to my Honors and Scholars e-Portfolio.  As of right now, you can navigate to my About Me section to learn a little bit about myself and how I ended up here at The Ohio State University.  As for the skills I have picked up from learning experiences thus far, I have had four years of Engineering in High School which has taught me more than enough about teamwork and cooperation toward a common goal. I am a Buckeye Boys State Delegate, which has taught me so much about staying organized and taking the initiative to do work and learn what I need to know on my own.  And lastly, I played in Marching Band back in High School as well, which has taught me a lot about patients and teaching when it comes to new members learning the basics of Marching Band.  I spend a majority of my time playing Foursquare or doing homework, but in the future I aspire to graduate with a degree in Mathematics and I would like to perhaps be a Data Analyst or maybe even an Actuary.

G.O.A.L.S.

[ “G.O.A.L.S.” is a place where students write about how their planned, current, and future activities may fit into the Honors & Scholars G.O.A.L.S.: Global Awareness, Original Inquiry, Academic Enrichment, Leadership Development, and Service Engagement. For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.

Global Awareness: Students cultivate and develop their appreciation for diversity and each individual’s unique differences. For example, consider course work, study abroad, involvement in cultural organizations or activities, etc .
Original Inquiry: Honors & Scholars students understand the research process by engaging in experiences ranging from in-class scholarly endeavors to creative inquiry projects to independent experiences with top researchers across campus and in the global community. For example, consider research, creative productions or performances, advanced course work, etc.
Academic Enrichment: Honors & Scholars students pursue academic excellence through rigorous curricular experiences beyond the university norm both in and out of the classroom.
Leadership Development: Honors & Scholars students develop leadership skills that can be demonstrated in the classroom, in the community, in their co-curricular activities, and in their future roles in society.
Service Engagement: Honors & Scholars students commit to service to the community.]

About Me

ePortfolio Picture

It is a common occurrence to remember where you were and what you were doing when a tragic event occurs during your life.  Where were you the day the towers were hit?  Where were you when you found out JFK had been shot?  These are profound questions that we often ask of each other.  However, we often fail to realize that this also applies to some of the best things that happen during the course of our lives.  The events and decisions that shape who I am and why I do the things that I do are very clear in my memory and now, I can trace back the yarn to my early life and show you a little bit about myself.

Why OSU?  Well, that’s a good question.  From as early as I can remember, I have loved a good crowd.  Indians games, carnivals, and anything else that involved a lot of people, I enjoyed.  I can clearly remember hearing yelling and screaming from the floor above me coming from my father watching an OSU football game.  If the screams were positive or negative, I can’t remember, but after looking at the full stadium, I do remember thinking to myself, “That must be the place to be.”  I have always known, since then, that I have wanted to go to The Ohio State University.  After all, it really is the place to be.

As for what I study, I am a Mathematics major here at OSU, and most people look astonished when I tell them that I will be voluntarily taking more Calculus classes than they will ever experience – even in their worst nightmares.  Way back in first grade, I can remember being taught how to do basic addition and not having it “click” whatsoever.  I even remember the teacher calling on me and myself giving an embarrassing answer as to what 9+8 is.  I had no idea.  Since that day, I have been determined to not look like an idiot – a goal of most teenage boys – and also to do better in math.  Ultimately, it has paid off because on all standardized tests, I score somewhere in the 99th percentile for mathematical comprehension.  I guess I really showed Mrs. Testa and the rest of that first grade class.

A few years later, while still in elementary school, I got coerced into joining the band by my sister, Courtney.  I took up Saxophone.  I can clearly remember my saxophone coming home one day and me finding it on the floor of the living room and wanting to know how to play it.  To be honest, it was a rough start.  I’m not sure how much you know about music, but I was convinced that there was no difference between an F and an F#.  They were practically interchangeable in my eyes.  So much so, that I thought the director was messing with me when telling me the fingering for an F# and an F and acting like they were different.  A few years later, and a few hours of practicing later, I got the hang of it.  In all my years of playing saxophone for a AA competing school (the highest rank in bands) I have only not been 1st chair one year.  Once again, my whole “Don’t look like an idiot.” thought process took over.  I now love playing Jazz, especially improv, and my favorite song I’ve played thus far is the lead for the instrumental version of the Erroll Garner song, Misty.

While being a band nerd, I also enjoy playing some sports.  Growing up watching my brother and sister playing on Baseball and Softball teams, I had always wanted to play on a team myself.  One night, I remember sitting down at my dinner table and my parents informed me that they found a team that I could play for.  I couldn’t have hid my excitement any worse.  I was four at the time and I have played baseball every years since then.  I know that some people say that baseball is boring, and in my eyes, they simply don’t see the beauty of it.  Not all concerts are Rock and Roll and not all books are Game of Thrones.  My brother once said, “Baseball is like poetry.” and as cheesy as that sounds, I completely agree.  In my mind, a day spent watching an Indians game with friends and family is a day well spent, and a day spent fielding Shortstop and stealing bases is a day full of fun.

In the more recent events of my life, I found that I have a passion for public speaking.  In this last year of school, my friends convinced me to join the Speech and Debate team by promising me two things.  The first was that I could write a speech on anything I wanted and the second was that I could meet cute girls.  In my first round of speech, however, I found myself forgetting my lines at three different parts and ultimately looking like a fool.  Thankfully, once again, my drive to not look silly took over and I ended my Speech and Debate season by being named the third best Original Oratory speaker in all of Ohio.  I have now fully realized my love of getting in front of a group of people and talking about anything that I am passionate about.

Ultimately, I am sure you can draw at least one conclusion about me – I don’t like to look like an idiot.  However, if you look further, you might see a well rounded person who likes to let his friends and family steer him in his path.  I know that I don’t have all the answers, so I like to look to others for help as often as possible.  Without my coaches and directors, I never would have been so successful in Speech, Baseball, or Saxophone, and without my family, I may not be a buckeye.  Using my loved ones as a resource is a great way to describe a little bit about me because after all, they haven’t lead me astray thus far.  Instead, they lead me to all the things that I love – including The Ohio State University here in Columbus which really is “The Place to Be.”