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.