Q: Are you enjoying your major? Why or why not?
A: Aryn is really enjoying her major! She’s still studying Special Education, and it has proved to be everything that she expected and more. First year education majors at Ohio State have the opportunity to participate in FEEP (First Education Experience Program). In FEEP, students are placed in a Columbus school district classroom that correlates with their particular teaching interest. Aryn got placed in a second-grade special ed classroom at Tipp Columbus Elementary school this past semester. She goes four days a week from 9am-3pm, and shadows the intervention specialist. She’s absolutely loved the experience, and it has made her even more confident in her career-path choice. She’s enjoyed the FEEP experience so much that she’s still shadowing her teacher, even thought FEEP technically ended a couple weeks ago — that’s how much she loves interacting with the kids in the school environment!
Q: How have you gotten involved on campus?
A: Even though there aren’t a ton of involvement opportunities available because of the ongoing pandemic, Aryn has still found her place on campus! She joined the club rowing team this past semester, and has really been enjoying both the sport, and the team dynamic. She notes that it’s also quite the time commitment, leaving little time for much other campus involvement. She’s typically gone weekdays from 4:15-8pm, with the travel time and the actual time spent on campus. The team didn’t have any meets this year since it wasn’t safe to travel, but Aryn is looking forward to continuing the sport next year, and finally being able to compete. She enjoys being busy, so the rowing team has been a good addition to her school schedule.
Q: Have you enjoyed the ACES living-learning community in Smith-Steeb? Why or why not?
A: Aryn is glad that she joined the ACES scholars program, in part because of the living-learning community in Smith-Steeb. She has enjoyed meeting people in the program, and has made a few close friends within the program as a result. She commented that she wishes the circumstances of the year had been different (without the pandemic), so that she could have gotten to know and hang out with more people from the program. The limitations brought upon by social distancing have left many students feeling isolated, and unable to truly get to know their floormates.
Q: Have your career plans changed since your first semester? Why or why not?
A: Aryn’s career plans have not shifted since her first semester — if anything, they have been strengthened. She still wants to be an intervention specialist and work with elementary-school children in a school setting. She noted that the FEEP program has helped affirm her career plan, and has given her a good idea about what life as an intervention specialist looks like. She gets very excited when she talks about her time spent with the kids in her placement classroom, and absolutely adores the teacher that she’s shadowing. The experience has been a really positive one for her, and has confirmed her desire to seek out a similar career-path.
Q: What is your favorite memory from last semester?
A: Aryn’s favorite memory from last semester was the pot painting event in Smith Steeb, which was apart of the week-long activity week in the dorm. She and her fellow ACES members got to sit outside on a sunny day and paint pots for succulents. She also recalls really enjoying the stuffed animal-stuffing event that was apart of the same activity week. The dorm activities have definitely been a favorite of Aryn’s, and have made her first year memorable!