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.

Though I did not choose a specific themed list to tour Columbus, I am looking forward to getting out an exploring the diverseness of Columbus. With so much to do, from venturing into the cultural arts center and expo center to eating at several of the restaurants located in short north, to going to the nationwide center and watching a Blue Jackets game. I hope to not only learn more about the city surrounding Ohio State’s campus itself, but to also learn that I have time to get away from my own personal studies and relax and have fun in a different environment. Already I have been to the North Market a couple times aside from wandering up and down the short north area.

For my first experience on the Columbus to do list, a few other HES students and I took a trip up short north to a Midwestern restaurant called “Ted’s.” They specialized in bison, as there was a very large selection of bison burgers to be served. My favorite part about the experience was the bison burger, as it was the first time I tried it and I believe is worth the extra couple dollars. I’m also starting to navigate the COTA better while taking this venture to short north, and starting to know my way around better. I would certainly go again and would definitely recommend to anybody interested in getting a bite to eat while in Columbus.

While exploring the streets of the short north area of Columbus, a few friends and I, some of which are in HES, stumbled into a small hidden art gallery. The gallery consisted entirely of works that were painted on a wooden canvas, and some of which also had designs etched into the wood. The open gala was run by one woman who produced all of the paintings available for sale. Though, my friends and I were only looking around to admire the work, as the paintings ranged from $80 to $500 in price. It was interesting to get a small look at the local artwork in Columbus, and especially seeing the expressiveness of the paintings. I’m not entirely sure when the gallery would open back up for this specific artist, but I would certainly recommend taking a look around if at all possible.

Additionally, the same group of people that I went to the art gallery with also dinner at a Mexican restaurant called Candado. The restaurant specializes in build your own tacos, which were delicious (especially the soft-shell chicken tacos), although my favorite part about the restaurant was probably the chips and queso that we ordered. The way the restaurant ran was very unique, as you would have to fill out the custom taco order yourself on a piece of paper. I would recommend this local restaurant to everyone looking to eat some Mexican style food in the short north area.

Overall, my experiences traversing Columbus were great. My favorite experience was probably eating at Candado, as I had heard so many good reviews about the restaurant and eating there only confirmed what I was told. Not only did I learn that Columbus has a lot of good food, but there are also lots of unique and interesting works of art that I saw not only from the art gallery but also just by seeing murals in the alleys of the Columbus streets. Though I would like to explore even more aspects of Columbus, such as a Columbus Blue Jackets game or even go to some of the parks further out from the Ohio State campus.

 

My experience at the Trism eatery was very enjoyable. The Trism menu consisted of several healthy dishes, including breakfast bowls (hot or cold), breakfast sandwiches, and smoothies. I bought the breakfast smoothie, which was a blend of blueberries, banana, almond butter, oats, maple and almond milk. The smoothie itself was very well crafted and delicious, it didn’t taste like there were any sugar additives or preservatives because there weren’t any, unlike the majority of the smoothies you will find on campus. I learned that even taking a slightly longer walk off campus to support a local Columbus business for a healthier option of a smoothie is worth it. Even though the café is a little pricey, that’s what you get for a high quality smoothie. I certainly recommend Trism to anyone considering going for a healthy bite to eat, and I will definitely return at some point this semester.

Career

Artifact #1

This photo is a picture of my teammates and I on the outdoor track and field team after we won the state championship in the 4x800m relay. I ran track all 4 years of high school, and not only did I enjoy the competitive nature of running, but even after the season ends I run in my free time as a relaxing activity that helps relieve stress from classes. Running itself has helped me prevent procrastination habits by keeping me on a schedule. I’m also considering joining the club running team at Ohio State during the spring semester.

 

Artifact #2

This photo is a picture of me and three friends that I’ve become close with during my short time at Ohio State after running a 5k sponsored by the Design Outreach student club at OSU. The design outreach club is an organization whose goal is to develop the problem-solving skills needed to examine global challenges through a humanitarian lens. This club’s objective is closely related to the goal of the humanitarian engineering scholars, and supports my values as an engineer to work towards ethical solutions on a global scale.

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

My name is Alec Pellicciotti and I am a first year chemical engineering student involved in the Humanitarian Engineering Scholars program at Ohio State University. I have always had an interest in engineering ever since I first learned what it was, and after enrolling in a few chemistry courses in high school, I figured chemical engineering would be a good fit. Personally, I learn best by doing, which lines up very nicely with being an engineering major because there is always something hands-on to be done. What also makes engineering such a fitting major for me and in general is that there are so many opportunities and possibilities for engineers to be utilized in the world, whether it is designing a bridge, manufacturing a new product or helping those in need. That is part of the reason I joined HES, it was not only to join a community during my first year in college, but also helps me understand how as an engineer I can help others. Aside from being an engineering major I also enjoy sports and athletics, specifically football and track and field, which was what I played in high school. I plan to be involved in several intramural sports and organizations on campus to compliment my academics with some fun and leisure time.

 

Here are my top 5 strengths according to the Strength Finder Assessment:

Positivity – I feel as though I can always put a positive spin and optimism on a situation in order to look at the brighter side of certain circumstances, while also keeping a realistic sense.

Includer – Especially when it comes to team work, there is always something for somebody to do, as it both optimizes the efficiency of the work getting done and also helps a person feel good and confident about the job they are doing. That is why I constantly like to include people not only in professional team work but also other team building activities.

Consistency – The consistency of my personality comes mostly from the fact that I am a routine person. By keeping tasks and other activities consistent, it becomes more efficient and second nature to perform those tasks.

Arranger – Similar to consistency, I do my best to keep everything organized, from my notes in lecture to my desk to my computer files, it makes it easier for me to find things and get assignments done quicker. Staying organized physically also helps to keep me organized mentally, too.

Achiever – Though winning can feel like a large feat, achieving a task, no matter how small the accomplishment, is what helps keep me motivated for other upcoming tasks that I have in my college career.