My 2nd Year Project

Boxing Club Adventure 

Kerry O’Donnell 

odonnell.349@osu.edu 

Criminology and Psychology Major 

 

Description

For my 2nd year project I decided to join a new club at OSU. The boxing club is an athletic club offered here at the university. I joined to challenge myself not only physically but mentally as well. Throughout my time in the club I met numerous people and even was able to become one of the student coaches. 

Process

Originally my plan was to join the running club. While I was searching for the club’s table I found the boxing club’s table and decided to try it out instead of running. The club has practices weekly on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. In order to fully participate in the club I would go to at least one practice a week. During practices I would put my whole 100% into the workouts. I did my best to challenge myself not only physically but also mentally. Whenever I doubted myself and my abilities there was always someone there to push me forward. Another major step I took to assure that I would have success in the club was that I put myself out there to make friends. I was always asking people what their names were and encouraging them during the workouts. 

Results 

Through joining the boxing club I have made really good friends and have gotten my body into pretty good physical shape. I also was able to become a student coach. I help run the practice and hold mitts for others to hit. This project is not yet finished because I plan to be a member of the club until I graduate. 

Reflection 

Joining  boxing club has brought many different results into my life. Through this club I was able to make so many good friends. I took myself out of my comfort zone. I always initiated conversations with as many people as I could. Another thing that boxing club gave me was confidence in myself. Before joining I was pretty insecure as a person. Through this club I was able to see how much I could actually accomplish as a person. I’ve become more confident in my abilities at a physical level. I also think that I have become more confident in my abilities as a person. I trust myself more to make good decisions and I know that I can handle anything life throws at me.

 

First Semester @ OSU

It was tough. There were a lot of adjustments that had to be made. I went from not having a lot of control over what I really did to being fully independent. There was also the struggle of actually motivating myself to go to class. I struggled also with reaching out to my teachers when I needed help. I am used to getting all A’s and never having major problems. I did not expect college to be this way at all. I struggle and study hard only to get B’s and sometimes C’s. The most stressful thing for me this semester was accepting that I’m trying my best and my best should be good enough. I shouldn’t worry about things out of my control. Being in the Humanities program has helped ease a few of my worries on a brighter note. I met my great roommate through this program. I was exposed to more people and it was easier to make friends. Humanities also helped me adjust to being in a different environment by giving me a community to belong to right away. This semester was definitely one to learn from and I hope that next semester I can succeed more with grades and also making more friends.

Humanities This Week

This week at OSU the humanities have been present in a few ways. My Math TA is from Latin America. The TA and a boy from Puerto Rico greet each other in Spanish everyday. Of course no one in my math class knows what they are saying but it still amazes me everyday. It has become a routine for them to do this. You can see every time they speak Spanish to each other there is joy on their faces from sharing their native language together. Another way I saw the humanities this week was through Alex’s presentation. Learning about any immigration story always amazes. Her culture is so different from the culture I know and it intrigues me to learn about her culture. Her foods from Cameroon also caught my attention. She talked about how they loved spicy food and that just stuck with me because my family loves salty foods. Comparing my culture to another’s is my way of understanding another person’s. Since I have arrived OSU the humanities has been more visible to me than ever. This campus truly is great place for the humanities to flourish.

Humans of OSU

Joe Dandino

“I was born and raised in Toledo, Ohio. I went to Catholic school my whole life. I guess you could say God has showed up in my life in ways. I’m currently a strategic communications major with a business in economics minor. My goal after college is to either land a sales position or marketing position. Hopefully after I get some experience there then I am looking into possible entrepreneurship. One of the things I would love to do is start my own brand. I’m not sure what kind of brand yet. It’s been a long bumpy road to get here. I didn’t start out at OSU I actually went to Capital University for a year and played baseball. I was a health science major looking into physical therapy. When I transferred here I was still a health science major but then I decided to switch because it was too difficult and I wanted to do business. I didn’t get into the college of business here so now I switched to where I am at currently. I still want to be in the business world hence my minor. Throughout this whole bumpy road my family has supported me. I have two very loving parents and two older sisters. They both attended OSU as well. Honestly they are less hard on me than I am on myself. I’m hoping to land an internship this summer around Columbus or out of state. I hope to graduate by 2020. I want a family eventually but I have my career goals ahead of those plans. Traveling is also a goal of mine before having a family. I picked OSU because I was raised around the traditions of OSU and loved them.”

My First Week Reflection

I don’t think that there is an exact word to describe my first week at OSU other than adjustment. I never knew that with the freedom college gave me would come loneliness. Adjusting to sharing a room, having to walk to eat, and not having a support system like my family challenged me. It still is challenging me. I was the rock to my family and I took care of them. Going away to college gave me a purpose, to do something in my life for me and not anyone else.

 Making friends this week has been a little difficult. I have heard countless horror stories of roommates, but I however, did not have that problem. My roommate and I seem to be very similar as a person and both have respect for each other and boundaries. I have a few similar faces around campus and it’s nice to see them as well. I think I will find my niche with time. I know everyone is in a similar situation as me so I find comfort in that.

Classes are way different than high school. The distance between buildings will hopefully keep the freshman 15 away from me. So far the professors seem like good people. I’m still nervous that I may fail a few exams but I think I can carry through till the end. I have a lot of motivation to do well. College is very important to me and I hope that I adjust quick to college life.

My first week has been very eventful. I have already gotten involved in the Humanities Scholars Program. I’ve made a few friends and I’m still adjusting to college. Getting through the first week to me is a step towards my future. The final thing I can say about my first week here is that I know this place is going to be my new home for the next 4 years.

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

[Artifacts are the items you consider to be representative of your academic interests and achievements. For each entry, include both an artifact and a detailed annotation.  An annotation includes both a description of the artifact and a reflection on why it is important to you, what you learned, and what it means for your next steps.  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.]