Artifact #1

My bible is important to me and who I am because I have had it since I was 8 and have had it throughout my growing up and maturing in my faith. My parents got it for me for my first communion, and I have brought it on many retreats, vacations, and have it by my bed every night. I have accidentally spilled water on it, written in it, and marked so many verses that the bookmarks are falling out. In the past few years, I have been annotating with a different color each year so that I can look back and see what verses I studied that were particularly impactful to me that year. I love my bible and the memories and life I have had it and it has been with me through, and how I have grown to learn how to read it and understand it deeper.

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.- Columbus To-Do #1 and #2

Columbus To-Do #1

On Saturday, October 20, my peer leader group and I went to Katalina’s to complete our first Columbus To-Do. Overall, I had a good experience getting to and eating at Katalina’s. It was a quick bus ride, and then a nice walk to get to the restaurant, which was out of the way but nestled in a cute neighborhood. The restaurant was very small and very crowded, and it took a little while to get our food, but the food was very good and very Instagram-worthy(see picture above). I got the breakfast tacos with vegetarian sausage, which was good, but not the best food I’ve ever had. We also got pancake balls which were unique and very good. Being from Chicago, I’m used to impeccable food offerings, so this cuisine was good but not spectacular. Despite this, I enjoyed the ambiance of the restaurant. It was in a calm neighborhood, had very interesting decorations, and you could draw on the tables. Next time, I would probably get another item on the menu, or go to a restaurant closer to High Street, because it was a bit of a walk. I would recommend Katalina’s to a friend, and I would recommend eating in on the patio vs taking it to-go so that you can enjoy the full atmosphere and experience that Katalina’s has to offer. I’m not sure I would go back, because there are so many other restaurants on High Street and in Columbus to try, but I’m glad I did try it.

Columbus To-Do #2

For my second Columbus To-Do, my roommates and I went to Bareburger on High Street(in the Short North) on November 10th. I made my own burger, and it was quite delicious. I enjoyed the food at the restaurant and the vast amount of options they had, the service was very good, and the décor and ambiance of the restaurant was very cool. They had a light fixture decorated with spoons, and very artistic molding on the ceiling. The booths had very high walls and were also comfortable, which I enjoyed. From this experience, I learned that I like ranch on my burgers, and found a new food place that I greatly enjoy. Next time, I would definitely try something new on the menu to see what else is good, and add a side of sweet potato fries, because my roommate got those and they were very good. I would definitely go back to Bareburger and would bring friends because I had such a great experience, and want other people to experience the great food Bareburger has to offer.

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.]

Artifact #2

Cru at Ohio State has been one of the most significant experiences of my first semester here at OSU. My faith has been a very significant part of my life my whole life, so I knew that when I came to college I needed to find a community where I could continue to grow in my relationship with Jesus. I was so blessed to find Cru, and have met so many amazing people through it. We have a weekly meeting with the whole campus, bible study once a week, and various other community-building and hangouts throughout the week. All of the people I have met are so kind and fun to be around, and this community have allowed me to stay strong in my faith and away from the typical temptations of college. This community has played such a significant role in my life this semester, and I cannot wait to continue to grow in it.

About Me

My name is Anna O’Keefe and I am from Grayslake, Illinois, a northern suburb of Chicago. In high school, I played tennis, performed in theatre, and was a member of French National Honors Society. I was a 4-year member of the tennis team, where I was captain of the JV and Varsity teams, won MVP, Captain’s Awards, and the Conference tournament, twice. I was also a member of Student Council, National Honors Society, Environmental Club, and Orchesis Dance Company. At OSU, I am involved in Cru, flag football, and plan on rushing in the Spring. I work as a lifeguard over the summer and love to hike and visit national parks. My favorite national park that I have been to is Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. There, I hiked to thermal features, saw geysers, and explored the historical aspects of the park. When I was a sophomore in high school, I went on a mission trip to Tucson, Arizona, which contributed significantly to my interest in humanitarian work. I am excited to be a part of the College of Engineering and the Humanitarian Engineering Program at OSU, and cannot wait to see where it takes me.

My top 5 strengths are:

  1. Discipline- I love routine and structure in my life. Sometimes I find it difficult to keep the routine I like, but at the end of the day I definitely thrive when I have a step-by-step plan and routine for whatever I do, from my day-to-day life to my homework and studying.
  2. Input- I have a craving to learn more and love visiting museums and reading books and collecting random information about things that interest me and the world around me.
  3. Learner- My input strength goes along well with my Learner strength because I would rather learn something just to learn something rather than apply it on some sort of test. I have a wide range of random information that I just know and none of it will ever be applied to an assessment or have an outcome other than me just knowing the information because I find it interesting.
  4. Belief- As a Christian, I have a strong set of core values that are unchanging and lay out how I live my life and make decisions.
  5. Positivity- I have an enthusiasm for everything I do in my life and go into all situations with an excited demeanor and positive attitude.