First Semester Reflection

The Ohio State University is the largest community of which I have ever been a part, comprised of nearly 50,000 undergraduate students alone. Over the brief time I have been here, I have only gotten to know a small percentage of these students, but I have already become a more well-rounded person.  Through the process of hearing about their different experiences and hardships, I have become more empathetic to the plight of others, who face problems that I had not. I have learned about cultures to which I had never previously been exposed, and I have gained an appreciation for the affects that culture and upbringing has on individual perspective.

Because of this, I have found that more often I slow down to consider an individual’s circumstances before I judge their actions. I am better equipped to metaphorically put myself in another’s shoes, which I believe has made me more sympathetic, and able to comfort others in times of stress. I have become more compassionate and understanding, knowing that everyone has their own history, their own worries, and their own way of thinking.

I expect this compassion to grow as I meet more people, hear more of their stories, and learn more about their cultures. I will continue to strive, over the course of my undergraduate career and beyond, to broaden my own perspective through my interactions with a diverse group of people and to become more empathetic in my judgements and my discourse with peers.

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 information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. 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 information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. 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 information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. 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 is a reflective description of the artifact that attempts to communicate its significance.  For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

About Me

[Your “About Me” is an introduction and should provide insight into who you are as a person and a learner.  This should include a picture of you that is appropriate in a professional/academic context. This information should be continually updated.  For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio.  Delete these instructions and add your own post.]