My mentee, Maria DiFrancesco and I went to Condados Tacos in The Short North for the Explore Columbus assignment. We had both decided that we wanted our exploration to be about something that we both love. Initially, we had planned on going to COSI. Maria and I both love science and exploration so going to COSI really excited us, but unfortunately, she got sick, so we had to cancel. Fortunately, we could fall back on another thing we love, and that was food! On a Tuesday afternoon, we met up on the first floor of the Union to head to Condados. We decided that it’ll be best to take the COTA, but we didn’t really know how it works. We did a word search on our destination, and fortunately, there was an option for a bus, and it showed the COTA bus schedule. It also showed us the best bus for our destination. We bonded on the fact that we didn’t know how to figure it out but eventually we did. We walked to the bus stop and waited for about 5 minutes for the bus. In the short amount of time that we spent waiting for the bus, we discussed other forms of transportation. Maria suggested that we use the Scooters on campus, but I hadn’t used it before, so I was hesitant. I was concerned that I had my bookbag, so I would be out of balance, but the truth is, I’m scared of those things. They go so fast and I have very minimal balance. Maria encouraged me to try it at least once, and I told her that I would at some point, just for her. Once we got on the bus, we talked about how our days had been going. We quickly realized that the COTA doesn’t stop at every stop, so we had to keep watching to make sure that we request a stop at our designated stop.

Fortunately, we got to Condados safely without getting lost. Once at Condados, we got seated quickly, and ordered some queso with chips. We just looked at each other and said “queso”? Whiles waiting for the queso and chips, we discussed how our semesters went, and how much we’ve grown. We submitted our orders and had conversation as we waited. We talked about finding the right study places, prioritizing, and having fun in college. We talked about Maria’s Animal Sciences major, and how it has affected her. Maria has liked animals ever since she was a child, and she’s always wanted to learn about how to care for them, so an Animal Sciences major made perfect sense. She stated that she’s taken some nutrition classes in her major and that has enlightened her on healthy food items, and the differences between GMO’s and non-GMO’s. She also stated that she believes that as she spends more time in her major, she’s more likely to become a vegetarian. Having spent some time being a vegetarian last year, I talked to her about some of my experiences. We talked about how sometimes it can be hard when you’re surrounded my meat all the time, and that there’s not always accommodation for vegetarians. Our orders came after a short while, and we both enjoyed our tacos. They were really delicious and it’s not an exaggeration at all. Whilst eating, we discussed Christmas. Maria talked about the gifts that she got for her mother, father, and brother. She also got a gift for her roommate, which was really nice of her. We talked about how expensive gifts can really be. I showed Maria some of the gifts that I plan on buying for my cousins, and we just spent time discussing Christmas gifts. As we waited for our checks, we checked the COTA bus schedule, but we didn’t make the first one that came. Finally, our checks came, and the waiter was really quick about returning our change.

The next bus was scheduled to arrive in 10 minutes, so we took our time, and walked outside to wait for it. We stopped outside of Condados and took a picture under the Condados sign. As we waited for the bus, we realized that we came out too soon, because we had about 5 more minutes to wait, and it was extremely cold. When we returned to campus, Maria and I walked towards the Union, and we said our goodbyes. I learned so much about Maria in the short amount of time that we spent together. Last year, my mentor took me to Condados for our first Explore Columbus assignment, and I loved it, that’s why I took Maria as well. I would definitely recommend it to a friend. The food is great, the atmosphere is great, and it’s not far from campus. I learned that the Short North is really popular because the food there is awesome! I look forward to spending more time with Maria, and I’m excited to see where we will go to explore Columbus next semester.

ACES Mentor/Mentee Interview

Maria DiFrancesco: Animal Sciences Major

1. How did you decide on the major you have chosen?
2. How do you plan to get involved on campus?
3. What are you most looking forward to in the ACES program?
4. What do you plan to do with your major after graduation? Graduate or professional school? Enter the workforce?
5. What is one of the most important things that you have learned so far at Ohio State?

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve looked forward to meeting my mentee. As a mentee from last year, I really appreciated having someone to guide me through my first year. I was able to ask my mentor questions, get her advice, and etc. This year, I hope to do the same for my mentee.

My mentee’s name is Maria DiFrancesco. Her major at the Ohio State University is Animal Sciences. After the speed dating event, and mentorship retreat, Maria and I met up over lunch to discuss how her first year is going so far.

Maria grew up being watching the animal planet pretty much 24/7. She remembers loving animals and wanting to be around them any chance that she got. As she grew older, her love for animals grew as well, and she found an interest in watching Veterinary TV shows. For as long as she can remember, she has always aspired to be a Veterinary. So far, her interests have remained the same. Maria is in an Animal Sciences class right now, and the only thing that has affected her was handling blood. She believes that it’s due to the fact that it’s new to her but as she becomes familiar with the lab, she’ll get used to it.

When it comes to studying, Maria likes to study 100% alone with no distractions. She loves to study outside, especially when it’s warm with the sun shining bright. There are instances where she enjoys studying with friends. Her academics really mean a lot to her. Fortunately for Maria, she finds all of her classes this semester extremely easy. Although she finds her classes easy, she still works hard to make sure that she doesn’t make silly mistakes and continues to stay on top of her grades.

Unfortunately, Maria was sick at the beginning of the semester, so she hasn’t been able to join the organizations she’s interested in, or participate fully in the ones’ that she’s already in. She’s currently in Pre-Vets club, Behavior and Wellness club, and Four Paws Club. She looks forward to joining Charge and participating in Yoga on the Oval.

Maria looks forward to the community service events in ACES. She looks forward to giving back to the community and just serving. She plans to go to Veterinary school after graduation and pursue being a Veterinarian. One of the most important thing that she’s learned so far is how important it is to balance her academics and social life. She’s also learned that a strong support system is very beneficial, and I agreed with her. Both of us discussed how important it is to have a group of people that would help whenever needed.

This interview helped me in getting to Maria well. I learned about her goals, viewpoints, character, and personality. I learned that we both dislike cold weather, but we love the fall and winter fashion. We bonded over our dislike for Mathematics, and our love and passion for our careers. Although we both enjoy the company of our friend and loved ones, we agreed on the fact that sometimes, it’s necessary to stop being social to focus on academics.  I believe that Maria has great ambitions, and with hard work and persistence, she can accomplish all of her goals. The similarities in our personalities and major will make it easy to communicate and provide resources. I plan on sharing information about buildings to study in, resources for tutoring, organizations about physical activities, and etc.

I hope to get to know Maria a little more during the semester, and I look forward to catching up with her in the Spring to discuss her progress in school!

The ceramic piece below is a teapot that I made a few months ago. It was created using clay, some tools, and a ceramic wheel. The piece is a hollow donut teapot, with a woman representing Africa placed in the middle. I selected this piece because it was one of the hardest projects that I’ve ever completed. It took me a few weeks to brainstorm, draw, and plan before even beginning the process of actually making the teapot. I selected this artifact because it reminded me of the fact that it’s alright to learn from mistakes. The first hollow donut I made was too thick, and the hole was really tiny. I realized that I just needed to pinch up the walls of the clay a bit more to make them thinner. I tried again, but the walls collapsed, because the clay was too wet. I became more and more frustrated because time was not on my side, and I needed to mold the woman, the spout, the lid, and the handle of the pot. I eventually realized that my mistakes taught me good lessons, and just learning from them was going to help me finish quicker. I finally became successful in creating the hollow donut by preventing all the mistakes that I made the first and second time around. I’m now more aware of the fact that mistakes shouldn’t ruin or slow me down, but rather, they can teach me to get better.

This is a picture of me and a good friend Charlotte at the Eisenhart cross country invitational. The Eisenhart is hosted at Thomas Worthington High School each school year. Several student athletes in a cross-country program are invited to compete. There were Elementary School students, Middle School students, and High School students. I chose this particular picture because it is a representation of our happiness after a long day of planning, and cheering on runners. I got to the Invitational at 5 am in the morning, and I was extremely tired. I spent the morning with the coaches, and other volunteers. We set-up tents, hospitality, the finish area for the race, and etc. When the race started, I got the opportunity to cheer on and support the runners. I could see on most of their faces that they were exhausted yet they kept running until they reached the finish line. This experience was very important to me because it brought back memories, and lessons that I learned during cross-country. I learned that hard work, practice, and perseverance are great contributions to success. These lessons will be applied to my life here at OSU, and ever after. This picture is a reminder that I should develop my will to keep going even when everything else prompts me to quit.