As a part of my scholars program requirements, I interviewed my mentee, Aryn, on her experiences in her first semester at Ohio State. Aryn is a first year student from Vermont, majoring in Special Education. I absolutely loved chatting with her, and getting to know her better. Although her experiences at Ohio State have been fairly limited thus far, she has been making the most of them, and is excited for what is to come during her four years at OSU.
How did you decide on the major you have chosen?
Aryn has always had a passion for helping people, and was very involved in the Special Olympics program at her high school. She also started a unified basketball team, which brought students in special needs programs closer to their peers, through sports. They were able to experience the team dynamic that is so often lacking in availability for students with special needs, and played a whole season of games. Through her work, Aryn realized that she wanted to make this passion into a career, and is majoring in Special Education in hopes of becoming a Special Ed teacher.
What kind of involvement are you interested in on campus?
Ultimate Frisbee was a hobby of Aryn’s in high school, and she was looking forward to joining the Ultimate team at Ohio State when she started her freshman year. Unfortunately, she has not been able to do this because of the limitations of the pandemic. However, once it is safe to do so, Aryn hopes to get involved with both the Ultimate Frisbee team, and possibly the rowing team during her time at Ohio State. She also mentioned that she is excited for group fitness classes to begin again, as she had always enjoyed taking spin classes in her hometown. She loves being active, and can’t wait to do all that OSU has to offer!
Why did you choose ACES?
When she saw the option to join ACES, Aryn knew that it would be the perfect fit for her. She is an education major, and wanted to be in a community of people who shared the same aspirations and passion for teaching. She has also always considered herself to be an advocate for others. She has fought for inclusion of students with disabilities for much of her high school career, and wants to continue doing so through service at Ohio State. She was so excited to join ACES, as it seemed to match her criteria perfectly. Although her experiences in the program have been limited, she’s really enjoyed it thus far, and feels as though it’s a good fit for her.
What do you plan to do with your major after graduation? Graduate or Professional School? Enter the workforce?
Aryn is not quite sure what she wants to do after graduating from undergrad. She definitely knows that she wants to be a special education teacher, but is not totally sure what the process to getting there will look like. With her degree, she will be able to begin teaching almost immediately, so she said that she likely sees herself teaching in a Special Education classroom following graduation. She is considering the possibility of grad school, but is not sure when it would fit into her post-graduation plan — it is likely that she will go back to school for her Masters after teaching for a few years, but that is subject to change.
What is one of the most important things you have learned so far at Ohio State?
After thinking for a bit, Aryn told me that the most important thing that she’s learned at Ohio State so far has been how to be okay with being alone. Going in to the school year, she knew absolutely no one. She was from Vermont, and had no family or friends within hours of the campus. The pandemic made opportunities for meeting people and making friends very scarce, and Aryn found herself spending most of her time alone, when she wasn’t with her roommate. This was a totally new experience for her, but was an enlightening one nevertheless. She now feels much more confident spending time alone, with herself, and has learned a lot more about herself in the process. This is a really important skill to have, and one that most people don’t get the hang of until they’re much older. I’m proud of Aryn for making the most out of her first semester at college despite the circumstances, and choosing to see the bright side of things.