Spring Semester Project Idea

My plan for the Scholars G.O.A.L.S. Spring Semester Project is to learn how to play piano. I’m interested in this project because I’ve always wanted to learn a new instrument, and I think the piano is beautiful. Although I’ve always had the intention to start learning how to play, I’ve never made the leap to just finally start; so, I think this project will be great motivation to finally realize this dream of mine.

This goal of mine aligns with the Academic Enrichment segment of the Honors and Scholars goals we talked about earlier this semester. Along with expanding my hobbies and skills, learning an instrument is very beneficial to increasing focus and improving hand-eye coordination. I plan to begin working on this project as soon as possible, but this will mean having access to a piano, which I may not be able to manage over break. However, I plan to start by the beginning of second semester at the latest.

My first step to completing this project will be locating a piano to practice, and identifying resources that may help me along the way, such as tutors or clubs that are centered around piano-playing. I have a few friends who play the piano, and I learned how to sight read in chorus, so I believe that I’ll be off to a good start to learn! The second step will be choosing one or two pieces of music suited for beginners, and starting to build basic skills as I work towards learning these pieces. I’m sure that online resources such as sheet music and video tutorials will be beneficial to me during these beginning steps, especially as I work to acquaint myself with the structure of the piano and the hand placement.

Hopefully, I will achieve my first two steps of finding resources and learning to play some simple pieces by mid- to the end of February, and from there I can start working towards mastering more intermediate pieces. Perhaps I will even compose a small piece of music myself by the end of this project!

Columbus To Do List: Part 2

For the second part of my To Do List, I visited four more coffee/tea shops in the Columbus area. Unlike Kafé Kerouac, the first café I visited, all of these shops were located in Columbus’s Short North. As somebody who is new to the city, and hasn’t had much of an opportunity to explore this part of Columbus, it was great to get out and see what the Short North had to offer.

The first of the four remaining shops I went to was Mission Coffee in Italian Village. The second I walked into the café, I loved the atmosphere: it was somewhere I could see myself frequenting. I went into this to do list wanting to find (mostly) new places to study, and somewhere I could get some killer latte art–and this place had both. The layout was clean, minimal, and fantastic, and the coffee was splendidly warm and rich. Compared to the home-y, rustic vibe of Kafé Kerouac, this place was more of a clean, modern take on the café. Though I am partial to a good cozy nook where I could read a book or play a quaint game of checkers, the more contemporary look of Mission Coffee was refreshing and inviting.

Next, I stopped by the Roaming Goat and was not disappointed. After ordering a honey latte (which was

wonderful for both  my tastebuds and my blossoming caffeine buzz), I sat down at one of the trendy wooden tables with a couple of friends who had accompanied me. This café had more of a sit-down-and-chat feel than the previous, but still seemed like a pleasant place to read, study, or just grab a superb cup of joe. Also, it was good for an artsy, instagram-worthy photo-op…so I took it.

Third on the list was One Line Coffee. This place was a good

middle-ground between the coziness of Kerouac and the modernism of Mission. Though the hanging lightbulbs and industrial-chic coffee bar screamed “cool hipster”, the warm brick walls and inviting hardwood flooring whispered “bookish hipster”. The coffee itself tasted clean and sweet (not to mention it boasted fun latte art), and the whole environment was one I could definitely see myself visiting to catch up on some homework. The smells of coffee and warm natural lighting were relaxing to say the least, and urged me to come back soon.

Last, but certainly not least, I visited ZenCha Tea Salon. This shop was by far my favorite of the five; on the recommendation of one of my friends, I ordered a hazelnut chai and was very pleased. I often find that chai is too sweet, and strays from the spicy, herbal tea that is traditional of Indian chai. This tea, however, was full of spices and flavors that reminded me of some of the best cups of chai I’ve ever had. Although I’ve neve

r tried a chai with hazelnut in it, the nutty notes mixed in with the cinnamon and cardamom work

ed perfectly, and I was not disappointed. Unfortunately, ZenCha was quite crowded, and its modest table sizes mean I would have difficult using this place to study (not to mention the steam from all the tea made it feel like a sauna). Nonetheless, one glance at the food menu told me I would definitely be stopping back to sample the breakfast.

Overall, this experience has shown me the best of what Columbus has to offer in terms of tea and coffee. As somebody who loves finding new and populated places to study (being around people keeps me productive!) and indulging in the occasional latte, I’m grateful to be in a city so rich with unique and locally-owned cafés. I never knew there were so many independent coffee shops to choose from so close to campus, and I am delighted at the gems I have found. This assignment has inspired me to continue exploring the cafés and restaurants I might not have known existed–especially those farther out of the reaches of campus. To any who wish to explore this city as I did, I implore you to step out of your comfort zone and experiment with places and shops you may not have thought to visit: you might just find the best chai latte you’ve ever tasted along the way.

Columbus To Do List: Part One

On a stroll back from the Goodwill on High Street, I passed a corner shop that caught my eye. With a cozy brick facade, a patio lined with wooden planters, and a big circular sign reading “Kafe Kerouac”, the pleasant coffee shop filled me with curiosity. As a fan of 1960’s-era American poetry (and literature of all kinds, for that matter), plants, and just a good ol’ cup of Joe, I was intrigued by

the possibilities this café offered me. Though I did not stop then, I made a mental note to add the place as a stop on my Coffee-and-Tea-themed To-Do List project–and, thinking of my bookshelf lined with Allen Ginsberg collections, entertained the hope that this place would be beat poet-themed. Wanting to preserve the mystery of this location I had happened upon, I refrained from googling it, so that I would be surprised when I got the chance to pay them a visit.

Much to my delight, my hopes were (mostly) met. Although not specifically themed around the beat poets that comprised Kerouac’s ilk, the Kafe Kerouac was pleasantly stuffed with books, cozy furniture, and other wonderfully bookish adornments. Walls were lined with books and comics for perusing and for purchase; the tables

had well-loved board games to be shared over drinks; and the decoration was pleasantly eclectic, including pieces such as antique cabinets, locally-made pieces of art, and multi-colored Christmas lights. Instantly upon entering I was overcome with a sense of comfort: it was as if the second the door had closed between myself and the busy street outside, I was no longer in Columbus, but rather the character in the setting of an Anne Rice novel.

Speaking of Anne Rice, the menu held a wonderful surprise for book-lovers like me. Much to my surprise, the coffee bar doubled as an actual bar and, though it seemed out of place in such a cozy café, its drink menu boasted references to authors that absolutely delighted me. Each author–from Jane Austen to James Joyce to Dr. Seuss–was paired with a unique blend of flavors that

inexplicably captured the essence of their writing. The thought of drinking Franz Kafka’s interesting combination of Vanilla and Peppermint evoked in me a similar reaction as reading his novel The Trial did: the combination felt strange, unique, but instilled in me a feeling that although I did not understand why the creator had the urge to create such a thing, and although on second thought it seemed to make almost no sense, the creation itself was thought-provoking and enjoyable. For J.R.R. Tolkien, the assigned mixture of mint, cinnamon, and hazelnut felt earthy and mystical, as if it had been plucked from the garden of a cheerful hobbit that morning and brewed together just in time for elevensies.

Of course, not being of legal age to sample the alcoholic allusions to these acclaimed authors, I ordered a simple latte. It may have been the atmosphere of this hidden gem café, or the fact that

I saw the man behind the counter add chocolate syrup, but it was a delicious (and very sweet) cup of coffee.

I am looking forward to finding more themed shops like the one I happened upon in Kafe Kerouac, and delighting in the oddities of each. Though it’s hard to imagine what could top a café named after

one of my favorite authors, I am excited to find out. In the spirit of my first experience with this project, I think it is fitting to end on a favorite Kerouac quote of mine: “There was nowhere to go but everywhere, so just keep on rolling under the stars”. And so I shall, until my next adventure!

Upperclassman Mentor Meeting

For my upperclassman mentor meeting, I reached out to Ellie Frey. I wanted to have my interview with her because during the first day scavenger hunt, we connected over the fact that we had both worked in a greenhouse over the summer. From there, we got to talking about our majors, and how she had considered mine before settling on hers, and I had considered hers before settling on mine. I figured we would have a lot of good things to discuss.

Ellie and I met at the RPAC, not for exercise but for the fantastic smoothies they have at the café. The meeting consisted mostly of me asking questions, and Ellie giving me honest and insightful answers. I asked everything from “Why did you choose your major?” to “Where’s the best place to eat on campus?” (I’m getting a little sick of Traditions already). It was really nice to have somebody who could answer my questions who went through what I’m going through just a year ago–somebody who had perspective and knew exactly what it felt like to be a new college student.

The most interesting topic of conversation for me was about why she chose to major in Landscape Architecture. When I was pondering what to major in a year or so ago, I knew for sure that I wanted to do something environmental and close to nature, but I wasn’t exactly sure what that was. Ellie told me during her experience as a senior in high school, her mom told her, “You’re good at math and science. You should be an engineer.” This sounded exactly like something I had told myself before applying to colleges. Going over all the options of things that interested me–from environmental science to biology to landscape architecture–I finally came to the conclusion that I liked science and I was good at math, so engineering should be the natural fit. Although, Ellie told me that she realized in the summer before she started at OSU as a freshman last fall, she realized that she had a creative side of her that she wanted to satisfy as well, and discovered that Landscape Architecture might be the better fit.

I had a very similar experience: I worked at a greenhouse this summer that also had a Landscaping department. On slow days, I would wander the aisles, watering plants and mentally constructing arrangements that I would put together if I had the money to buy all the plants I wanted. It was really fascinating to watch the Landscaping department give their customers designs and quotes. Being able to design a beautiful garden, and not having to be the one spending thousands of dollars? That sounded like my personal dream.

It wasn’t until this summer that I even considered Landscape Architecture as a career. Quite honestly, I didn’t really know it existed. But having talked to Ellie about our similarities, I’m interested in giving it a try. Ellie told me about some classes I can take for General Education credit that cover the history of landscape architecture, so that I can see if it interests me. Although I don’t think I’ll end up switching my major from engineering to architecture, it would be interesting to explore this new and fascinating topic, or even pursue a minor.

Overall, my meeting with Ellie was great. It was awesome to chat with somebody who I feel shares a lot in common with me, and who has had a similar experience to me at Ohio State, having been a part of the Scholars program last year. I hope to be able to speak with her again soon!

 

Journal One

My first week at the Ohio State University have been truly unique to any of my experiences up to this point in my life. Coming from a small school, where my graduating class was comprised of a little over five dozen people, the sheer volume of humans that are near me at any given time is strange–yet simultaneously exciting. I’ve never had access to such a wealth of diversity and creativity like Ohio State, and I can’t wait to explore all of these new and intriguing resources. Though my home town of Toledo was by no means small, the community that I found myself in every day came to resemble something of a bubble. Though I’ve always sought opportunities to expand my horizons–whether through watching the news, traveling as much as possible, or being swept away in books and movies from other cultures–there is only so much you can do with what you’re given, if your pool of accessibility is limited. For this reason, I am thrilled to be allowed the opportunity to immerse myself in this truly rich hub of learning and creating.

With that being said, I am also grateful to be a part of the Scholars program. Though I was excited to dive into such a massive community, like I mentioned before, I was also incredibly intimidated. The Scholars program so far has allowed me to establish a community that is a similar size to the educational environment I’m used to, and has given me a best of both worlds situation. I can utilize all of the amazing things OSU has to offer, while still having access to a smaller group of people that I can consider a “home base”. On top of that, I’m excited about the intellectual enrichment that the Scholars program will bring to my educational career here. I am thrilled to be in the middle of a group of young people my age who are as creative, driven, and curious as I am. I find that I am the most motivated when I am surrounded by like-minded individuals who share my excitement about learning, and I can already tell that the Scholars program will nurture a community that provides that for me.

As far as classes go, I am surprised at the size of some of mine. Having never experienced a big school, I definitely believed some of the stereotypes I had heard prior to arriving at OSU. I thought that all my classes would be six-hundred-person lectures, that I would never know any of my professors, and that asking questions would be impossible in the sea of my classmates. However, save my medium-sized physics lecture, all of my classes range from 40 people to 8 people. This is a huge relief, and I’m excited at the possibility of being able to establish personal connections with my professors. Furthermore, I am surprised at how much free time I am faced with. As a person who finds herself most productive in the morning and in the early evenings–times that, in high school, were filled with classes and sports’ practices–I can finally do my work on my schedule, and maximize my productivity. I’m excited to see what new and interesting activities I can find to fill my free hours with, and I’m looking forward to having experiences that I’ve never had before.

Overall, I am enthusiastic about the scholars program and the exciting opportunities that it affords. Though I am still all-in-all new to every aspect of my life at Ohio State, I can’t wait to see where my years here take me.

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.]

About Me

Emma O’Leary is a first year undergraduate student and a member of the Architecture, Landscape, and City Planning Scholars Program at the Ohio State University. She is originally from Toledo, Ohio, and majoring in Environmental Engineering. She is passionate about a wide range of subjects–from sustainability, to languages, to food, to animals, to Icelandic post-rock–and she hopes in the future to use Ohio State’s resources to the best of her ability to broaden her horizons, discover new interests, and work on projects she is passionate about (most notably, the environment and its conservation). Emma has volunteer experience with political campaigns such as Ohio Together, and with a local health-based service organization, Universal Health Aid, and hopes to expand her volunteer experience as much as possible.  When not in class, she enjoys drawing, experimenting with vegetarian cooking, binging on episodes of Last Week Tonight, cultivating her ever-growing collection of house (or, in this case, dorm) plants, and planning adventures around the globe that she hopes to take in the future.