When I arrived on campus on August 5, 2015, I was an Ohio State student nervous to take on my second year. I was starting my new job as an Office Assistant on August 6th at 4am and was constantly questioning my major. In addition to these worries, I was still the shy and cautious individual that I was when I left campus for the summer after the Spring 2015 semester. Growth has always been important to me, so I set a goal for myself to grow during my second year at Ohio State. I decided I wanted to become more self-confident – in everything from my major to who I am as a person. That’s what this year has been for me: a journey toward achieving a more confident me.
I became comfortable with my position as an Office Assistant and am still growing everyday from the position. I talk to residents that I do not know and give them individual attention even when work at the office begins to pick up quickly. Last year, I held myself back by being nervous about talking to new people, which can be a problem at college since almost everyone here is new to you. Now, I talk to people on elevators, at the desk, around campus, and in class. I consider myself an outgoing introvert because I am introvert that loves getting to know people. I am confident in discussions now and feel comfortable asking tough questions to friends or just talking to someone who seems down.
As I was feeling uncertain about being a mathematics major, I took the time to make the changes necessary to help me work toward a goal of helping others as I discovered this was one of my biggest passions in life. The unexpected moment that made me realize it was time to act and make a change was at the Global Citizenship team’s retreat for the International Affairs Scholars program. We were viewing a TED Talk by Drew Dudley titled “Everyday Leadership.” If you watch this video, you will see that we have “lollipop moments” in which we impact those around us everyday without possibly ever realizing it. I had my “lollipop moment,” and, now, I am a psychology major and smile to myself every time I walk past the Psychology Building because I feel confident in the decision I have made and am genuinely excited to see where this journey will lead me. I am currently contacting research labs on campus in order to become more involved in psychology on campus and to explore various career options.
I am also looking into summer positions such as Camp Recky, LiFEsports, and University Ambassador in order to further grow as a leader and become more involved in areas of the campus community that I find to be the most meaningful, such as youth development programs and tours for prospective students. Next year, I hope to become more outgoing than I already have and to step us as a leader in the residence hall community, within the organizations I am involved in, and whatever employment positions I might be given the opportunity to hold. It is important to grow, and to grow we must be aware of what areas we need to improve in.