In high school I never had to put much effort into my school work in order to receive the grades that I desired. When I arrived here at The Ohio State University I assumed nothing would change from past years, and my study habits could remain the same. I specifically want to focus on math here because my understanding of this subject has always come so naturally and easily to me. The first few weeks of college I attended every calculus lecture, completed all the homework, and took all the quizzes just like I would in high school. I would do what was required of me but nothing more. The first midterm came around and I performed okay, not as well as I would have liked, but I was not concerned about my overall grade. I continued with the course and by the time I received my second midterm score, which was much lower than I wanted, I knew something had to change. I knew that I could no longer get the grade I wanted in my classes by doing the bare minimum. I began looking over notes right after lectures so I could clear up any confusion I had instead of letting it all pile up. The resources on Carmen that I had previously ignored now became my best friend, and I completed almost all of the extra worksheets and practice midterms that were available to me. In addition I went to the MSLC, a place where at the beginning of the semester I never would have thought I would go. I originally viewed the MSLC as a place to go when you are so far behind or even failing, so I never wanted to attend. My viewpoint shifted throughout the semester, and after the first time I went I realized that at the very least it was somewhere to go and just work on homework. If you ended up needing assistance than it was right at your fingertips. For the third midterm in calculus, I studied more than just the night before. I had been preparing for the test for a few weeks, so when day of the test came I was feeling confident. I had completely changed my study habits and I was ready to put them to the test. My hard work ended up paying off, and I received the grade I believed I deserved. I learned over the course of the semester new study habits, as well as realizing that college is very different from high school. Adjusting to all the new aspects of college has been difficult, but my academic challenges have been by far the most difficult to overcome. Now that I have overcome them I feel like a better student and person overall.
Posts
CHAARG
CHAARG is an organization that brings women together on campus to focus on both mental and physical health, and I am so glad I decided to be a part of it. It was a leap out of my comfort zone for me this semester because I do not consider myself a pro at working out and I was scared to join a club by myself. I had always seen advertisements about the organization, and heard girls raving about the awesome experience it was, so I had to try it out for myself. There was a fee for joining the club, but I believe I have gotten more than my money’s worth so far. Every week on Wednesday there are weekly workouts that I can be apart of. These workouts range from runs on campus to cycling classes and boxing classes off campus. The photo above was taken after a weekly workout at a local yoga studio where I participated in a “Pound” workout. The weekly workouts have given me a chance to experiment with many different types of exercise, something I would not normally do on my own. On top of that, CHAARG is made up of multiple “small groups” that meet together weekly and do workouts as well. These small groups are more for the mental health of the members so we focus on creating bonds with new people, and just being able to relax a little from the stress of school. Everyone I have met so far that is involve with this organization has been a joy to get to know, and the girls on the CHAARG executive board have become role models for me. One day I hope to be in their shoes and setting examples of a healthy lifestyle for other women. CHAARG has not only brought me closer to other people, but also has brought me closer to myself as I have learned how to care for both my mental and physical health.
Welcome to my Honors & Scholars e-Portfolio
[The Home Page will show a running blog of your recent posts, which are categorized and show on that category’s page. Please delete this post or edit with your own information.]
Year in Review
[ “Year in Review” is where you should reflect on the past year and show how you have evolved as a person and as a student. You may want to focus on your growth in a particular area (as a leader, scholar, researcher, etc.) or you may want to talk about your overall experience over the past year. For more guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]
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 guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. 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.]
Career
[“Career” is where you can collect information about your experiences and skills that will apply to your future career. Like your resume, this is information that will evolve over time and should be continually updated. For more guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]
Artifacts- STEM Outreach
One of the promises I made myself coming into this new environment at OSU was that I was going to get involved. This campus is huge, and with 60,000 students walking around it can get very overwhelming. One of the clubs that I signed up for, and that I fell in love with was STEM Outreach. STEM Outreach is a volunteering based club that focuses on nurturing interest in STEM topics in young children. I wanted to get involved with the club because I love working with kids, and everyone gets to learn in the process. The projects that we do with the kids in STEM Outreach include but are not limited to Paper Speakers, Solar Cooker, and LED Displays; we help the kids learn about different STEM topics, and we get to learn how to do cool projects too! During the weekly meetings we learn how to do the projects in advance so then we can go and help the kids to the best of our ability. My favorite one so far has been the LED Display project, pictured above. I was also able to attend my first volunteering event with the club where I got to interact with the kids, and it was very rewarding. I was able to aid them in problem solving and designing their paper speakers, and it was eye opening to see how excited they all got for the project. I saw how great of an organization STEM Outreach was, and I wanted to be even more involved so I applied to be one of the officers. I went out of my comfort zone to apply, and it paid off! I am now the co-secretary of STEM Outreach, and I could not be more proud of the organization I now represent.
About Me
Hello! My name is Abbie O’Connell, and I am a freshman at The Ohio State University. You can find me most days spending time with my friends, dogs, or exploring new places to eat! I also love to play tennis, watch football, and go shopping. I am currently an undeclared engineering student because I am still looking for the discipline that is right for me. I have always loved math and science, but most importantly I have always enjoyed problem solving and thinking outside of the box which is why I gravitated towards engineering.
I am still uncertain of the specific career path I want to take after college, but I do know that I want to work with others and be able to give back to the community. I am hoping within the next four years I gain the clarity I need to be happy and successful in the future.
I have always been passionate about helping others and giving back to the community. This was my motivation for involving myself in the National Honors Society and Student Council in high school, and my motivation for joining STEM Outreach and the Society of Women Engineers this year. Specifically STEM Outreach focuses on exposing STEM concepts to children at a young age, in hopes to enrich their learning experiences. Working with children is something I love to do, so any chance I get to work with them is an opportunity I never pass up. I am also a STEM Exploration and Engagement Scholar here at Ohio State, and a member of the First Year Leadership Initiative.
One goal I have is to study abroad through the college of engineering in order to open my eyes to engineering around the world. In addition I am always eager to learn about different cultures and people from around the world, so studying abroad is a perfect fit for me. Another goal I have is to Co-Op for one or many different companies, so I can get a feel for what I want to do after college.
I am excited for what the next few years have in store for me here at OSU, Go Bucks!