My freshman year at Ohio State was similar to the sensation of wading into a large, cold pool; I was cautious and yet excited, slowly dipping my way into a vast expansion of possibilities, knowing that once I got through a period of discomfort, I would be having the time of my life. When I first entered OSU, I was certain that I would be graduating with a double major in International Studies and Political Science and a Spanish minor, hopefully moving on to law school and eventually a position in the US State Department.
As the year progressed, I realized that that was no longer what I wanted to do, and I became okay with that over time. Now, I am double majoring in International Studies and Spanish (my advisor helping me to realize that becoming fluent was one of my greatest ambitions) and doubling minoring in History of Art and Philosophy, with a legal focus. History of Art has been a passion of mine ever since taking AP Art History in high school, but I had always limited myself in pursing a degree in this field because of its lack of job prospects. I have decided to pursue a career in intellectual property and copyright law, with the eventual dream of working in art law. It took me quite some time to make these changes and ignore my inhibitions, but since making the switch, I have never felt more comfortable in my career path and have not looked back since.
I sat back and was less involved in extracurriculars this first year than I was during my high school career, and I have come to terms with this because I am now fully aware of what I want to spend my time on next year. I got a job in the Office of International Affairs as the Student Assistant for the East Asian Studies Center and was elected as the Social Media Manager for the Undergraduate Black Law Student Association. I will be continuing both of these endeavors in the coming year, as well as pursuing a History of Art organization and increasing my participation in the Black Student Association.
I choose to include a photo from the Women’s March on Washington, because I felt that this experience was one of the pinnacles of my freshman year. The devastation I felt on the night of election into the triumph I felt while marching alongside millions of American women, represents my conquering of my first year and reminds me that closed doors always precede opened windows. I am looking forward to my next three years at Ohio State and opening more windows on my journey.