This semester I served as a mentor for a small group of which was rewarding and allowed me to gain several skills to advance my leadership and communication skills. I have had the opportunity to practice leading small group discussions, hikes, ice breakers, and more.Through seminars, events, and online assignments I committed at least 15 hours this semester to interact with my saplings. While I successfully met the minimum hour commitment of 15 hours, the hours spent would have been more rewarding and meaningful.

The biggest changes I would suggest for next semester. involve changing the structure of the mentoring program.  I enjoy being involved in the seminars and acting as a facilitator for their learning and first year scholars experience, but I have not had many opportunities to interact with them as a student and form a meaningful and helpful relationship with them. The biggest explanation for this is that our schedules don’t align well, and lack a common time to hang out or do things. A way to change this for next semester would be to incorporate a few days in which the mentor groups saw a movie, ate dinner, or did something of their choice during the originally scheduled seminar time. This would allow us to meet, interact and build a relationship during a time in which we already had blocked off. In addition, I like reading all of my sapling’s post and learning about the amazing experiences they are having, but the process of commenting on them seems unnecessary. With more personal, less structured interactions, I feel like I will have a better relationship and all involved will get more out of the program. Some ideas for next semester that I personally want to implement are monthly group dinners at a restaurant on campus, or going to the tenth floor to hang out with them to know them better.

So far this semester I have met with my saplings a few times, but would like to do more individually planned events with them. The first big event together was the camping trip at Hocking Hills. The camping trip was nice in that the personality lesson created dialogue within the group and allowed us to learn more about each other- we even shared some laughs. Another thing during the camping trip that was enjoyable, was that I saw friendships and connections being made within my group and with their peers.  The other main meeting were the interviews with two of my saplings, Randall and Ally. I thought the interviews went okay, but I didn’t form a strong connection with Ally due to our different interests and my lack of internship experience.  In general, I feel like I don’t have a great connection with my saplings and that I am not much of a resource to them, which was not what I was expecting. I Was hoping by now that I would have a better relationship with them and we would have more of a friendship and dialogue.

As the semester continues I hope to change that by going out to dinner together or through events that my co-mentor and I plan. The other events are possibly a cooking lesson/ sapling made meal, going to see a movie, or taking a trip to the Short North, Downtown, or German Village. The biggest challenger for me personally. is reading how involved they want me to be, or if I am being over bearing. I want them to see me as a resources and to be helpful, but I want it to be because they want my help and advice. At the same time I know some people won’t ask for help unless they feel they have the relationship or environment to do so. I think this will be something that  acquire throughout this semester and year. I look forward to how the project changes or develops within the next couple months.

When I reflect on my educational experiences, I realized that the best memories and experiences were due to the relationships I had with my  advisors and mentors. Without the help of people like them, I probably wouldn’t be where I am today. I relied on my mentors for help with navigating the college application process, with life’s many hurdles, with job applications, but also to be there as my friend. For these reasons, I wanted to give back and be a mentor for those who are navigating college for the first time, specifically students within the Environment and Natural Resources Scholar program. I aim to have a similar relationship with my saplings, and to instill in them the importance of giving back to a community that they feel closely linked to.

Through this program and project I hope the first year find my presence beneficial, in addition to the scholars program as a whole, by creating a more positive and engaging experience. Another goal of mine is to use my experiences and story to help others with similar challenges, concerns, or interests as they continue their education here at Ohio State. Since being on campus I have learned to utilize resources that may be underutilized, or forgotten about. I hope to show the mentors that when you reach out for help, or go out of your comfort zone, good things can happen to you that you never had expected.

Personally, as a mentor I hope to acquire new skills and experiences in both  personal and professional aspects. I look forward to gaining new leadership skills, such as community development and engagement, as well as how to break barriers between individuals of different backgrounds, personalities, or opinions in order to allow additional learning. Other skills that I would like to learn as a result of the mentoring program include how to be a better communicator, organizer, and conflict resolver. All of which are applicable and useful skills in the workforce.

Like Ester says, “Don’t consume your experience, create it”. That is exactly what I am attempting to do as a mentor- create my college experience, rather than follow requirements or what I think I should do. I am excited to see where this project goes, and I know regardless of the outcome I will come out a better individual.

For the Columbus to do list I did outdoor parks and recreation, which was very enjoyable due to the nice weather and blooming flowers and trees. The remaining parks that I visited were:

Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park

Battelle is a wonderful park for outside parties, bikers, runners, walkers, and anyone in between. Battelle has covered picnic areas, playgrounds, sand volleyball courts, wide trails, and bison, just to name a few. My favorite thing about this metro park was the gravel paths throughout the property. The paths were wide and allowed for many people to use them. Also, as a runner and ENR scholar student I appreciated the the trails were surrounded with trees and wildlife, making anyone on the trial feel one with nature. Unfortunately, as you can tell from the picture of a field, there were no bison out when I visited. I was disappointed that they were not visible, but that’s a good excuse to come back another day. I would definitely recommend this to people who like to run, walk, or bike due to there amazing trails and bike paths.

Goodale Park:

Goodale park is a quiet neighborhood park located near the Short North. Goodale park has a wonderful water feature, bench seating, and apparently WiFi. Even though there are kind of busy roads nearby, you don’t hear the cars rushing by. When there it is common to see people sitting on benches along the water feature reading a book, or people laying on blankets on the grass. If lucky, there are sometimes dogs playing, which is my favorite part. I would recommend this park to people that want a change from the oval beach, or if you need something to do after a lunch date in the Short North.

Columbus Commons:

Columbus Commons is very unique due to it being one of the largest, accessible green roof in the area. Columbus Commons is a grassy plot that sits on top of a roof of a parking garage. This space is where the Columbus Bicentennial  Pavilion, which houses live concerts and performances throughout the year. Also, there are often free fitness and yoga classes that take place in this open green space. In addition, there is a tortilla stand and a Jenni’s stand on the property, which are great snacks after enjoying a concert or just lounging on the grass. My favorite aspects of the common were that it was a green roof, and the wonderful flower beds surrounding the area. Many people do not know what green roofs are and how they are functional, yet beneficial to the environment. I think having this accessible green roof in disguise makes people more aware and on board with this movement.

Scioto Mile:

The Scioto mile is a park that is along the Scioto river in the downtown area. The park has water features in the summer, a paved walkway, and green space perfect for a picnic or laying on a blanket. It was cool to see the construction process and what it looks now that it is all finished. My favorite thing about the Scioto mile is the location. It is located a cute part of downtown and right next to COSI. The view of the Columbus skyline is breathtaking, and is the reason why I enjoy the Scioto Mile so much. Also, I heard that on fourth of July they have a spectacular firework display on the river. I would recommend this park for anyone who doesn’t mind a short bus ride, but wants to experience downtown and its beauty.

Overall, the Columbus to do list is a wonderful, hands on experience that allows students to learn COTA, build memories with friends or suite mates, and explore Columbus. My only piece of advice I have for others competing this list is that you should go with a group of friends. It is way more enjoyable and meaningful if you go with others and share the experiences.

Overall the Earth Month Challenge was a very positive experience. The challenges empowered me to make a difference in my lifestyle and reduce my carbon footprint. By completing this challenge I learned that I am good at holding myself accountable regardless whether or not people are watching what I am doing or not. On the other hand, I learned that sometimes my values and beliefs aren’t always reciprocated in my actions. I love sustainable lifestyles, but clearly my lifestyle isn’t the most sustainable, especially for someone who is an ENR scholars,  for many reasons. To name a few, I am not a vegetarian and don’t buy organic produce, I enjoy long showers, and I use beauty products filled with tons of toxins. While some of the things just listed are easy fixes, they are more expensive and intimidating for someone living on a college budget. However, this challenged allowed for me to improve aspects of my lifestyle. I plan on continuing challenges like cold water laundry, but will most likely discontinue taking cold showers or taking the stairs up to the eleventh floor. While the cold water felt good when its war out, it is not as pleasant when it is cold out. Also, the stairs, while very helpful for building strong leg muscles,  is not convenient when carrying a heavy backpack, wearing rain boots, or when you forget your BuckID before a midterm and have to run home to get it.

Having such a positive experience with the challenge makes me want to try other challenges. I would like to one day be a vegetarian or pescatarian. Also, I Would like to reduce my toxicity through  the products and items I consume and put on my body, specifically how much processed food I eat and beauty products that I use. In general, I want to complete various challenge areas so I can improve my carbon footprint and be a role model. A role model can’t just be all talk, but they have to act and follow through with what they say. If people see you doing something, they may change their ways too.

Overall, the Earth Month Challenge was really eye opening and impacted me a lot. I hope that this challenge continues and expands over the years. I would like to see more scholars and honors students to join the challenge. If that were to happen the world could possibly be a more healthy and sustainable place.

Week three’s challenge was the most difficult challenge and was the only one that I didn’t 100 percent complete. The first few days I was able to take colder showers in under 10 minutes. However, Saturday morning I ran a color run with my suite mates, and in order to get all of the pain off of my face and in my hair I had to use hot water and took longer than 15 minutes. I am proud to say that was the only time I  didn’t follow the guidelines I set for myself. The difficult thing will be to continue to do this for another week, in addition to the hardest challenge yet. Overall,  I thought it was easy to limit the showers to 10 minutes, but very difficult to take cold showers. A trick I learned that helped with the challenge was to start with the water ice cold for the first few seconds, and then slightly increase the temperature to where it is still cold, but a lot warmer than the initial temperature. This made me feel like I was taking a warmer shower then I really was. Also, the cold water was good for waking me up in the mornings. From this challenge I learned that will power and making yourself accountable is important. No one was there outside the shower timing it, or verifying the water cold. It was up to me to make sure I was doing what I said I would do and to set a timer and not “snooze” it. While this challenge was difficult, this weeks challenge will definitely be physically straining. I will have to persevere and try my best. I believe I can make it through the entire week, but it will be the most difficult  challenge yet.

This weeks challenge was slightly more difficult than the previous week’s. With temperatures in the lower 40’s, the temptation to ride the bus on campus will be even more difficult to overcome for the remaining weeks of the Earth Month Challenge. One thing I learned or realized about the challenge and myself was the power you have on your peers. One day I had went to eat with a roommate of mine and she wanted to take a bus since it was chilly. However, I mentioned I couldn’t because of my challenge and she decided to walk home with me. Even though this wasn’t here challenge area, she reduced here carbon footprint and did something to better the environment. This shows that one’s actions do matter and can influence others to act differently. It also shows that you have to be the change you want to see in the world. If you don’t step up and make a difference, but expect others to, nothing will change. This same idea was also seen in other ways throughout my sweet through the use of less toxic dish soap and reusable bags.

Next weeks challenge will definitely be challenging, since I enjoy longer, warmer showers. When choosing this challenge I thought it would be warmer outside and I wouldn’t want as long or hot of showers. Yet, like this week’s challenge, the weather is abnormally low for the season, which makes cold showers not sound appealing.While it will be difficult, I know it is more than  possible with the help of my roommates.

The first week challenge was a very simple switch to make. It required me washing my clothes using cold water rather than my preferred warm water. While it doesn’t seem like a very impacting change upon first glance, it is actually very important. Researchers found that the energy required to heat the water  for the laundry was more than the energy needed to run the machine for the wash cycle. To avoid this energy cost, I learned that they now make laundry detergent that works well in cold temperatures, some specific brands are Tide cold water  and most of the pod style laundry detergents. To find out whether or not the detergent is compatible at cooler water temperatures look on the back of the package and it should say something like, “dissolves at all temperatures” or will specifically say cold water on the front of the packaging.

Like stated this was a really easy switch because I already had cold water compatible laundry detergent, so I did not have to spend any extra money. All I had to do is recall that I must change the water temperature setting on the washer machine to cold water. With it being so simple it was easy to stay motivated and didn’t require any adjustments or outside help. To make this challenge more difficult or to have a greater affect, I would add that I have to  also hang dry my clothes instead of using the dryer. I believe next weeks challenge will be a little more challenging, but still fairly simple in comparison to future challenges.