End of the Year Review

My first year at The Ohio State University has been an absolute blast! From the first day I arrived in August, I have met so many wonderful people and learned so much about myself and various other topics.
Something I learned in a class that has impacted me has to be in my Russian 1101 class. Though I’m not going to continue pursuing the language, I’ve had a great time learning Russia’s culture and unique alphabet. In this class, I have memorized extensive vocabulary; from saying hello, describing clothes, introducing myself and family members/friends, nominative cases and prepositional cases, and more! Learning another language has continuously challenged me throughout my spring semester and will be an experience I am always thankful for!
Something I have learned outside the classroom is getting involved is the best way to make friends. In such a busy and large university, you often don’t see the same people daily and this can make it difficult to make solid friends or even find a group you’re buddies with. If you find something you enjoy to do with a group of people that have similar interests as you, you’re sure to put yourself on a path towards the right direction.
Something I’ve learned about myself this year is I was a lot more shy than I thought I was! I lived in the same town my whole life, so I grew up with the same people for 19 years. I remember being shy at the beginning of high school, I just liked to stay quiet and keep to myself. However, going into my senior year, I wasn’t afraid to talk to anyone or be completely myself because everyone already knew me. Coming to a huge university really shook things up for me (which, in essence, is exactly what I wanted and needed!) but it was hard for me to come out of my shell. I kept feeling like I wasn’t being entirely me, or I was being too much of myself at once. I just doubted myself a lot. Now, I’ve met so many different people and I’ve learned that I can be myself in every situation, but I can be a little more professional vs. goofy and friendly at times.
I’ve changed as a person by pushing myself to experience everything and really find who I am/ what I want out of life. First semester, I was heavily involved with Air Force ROTC. I was improving on my fitness and pushing my own limits, attending extra events, I joined the ladies Air Force basketball team and a book club where we analyzed and discussed books focused on leadership. Going into my second semester, I figured out that the Air Force, though ROTC taught me so much and exposed me to a different side of life, was something I no longer wished to pursue. In this, I struggled a lot at the beginning of 2019 because I felt a sense of uselessness. I no longer had a group to belong to, something I could label myself with and keep me busy. I had to really sit back for once, look at my life, and realize that not knowing exactly where you’re going is completely okay. This experience and transition has made me much more introspective and thoughtful.
Among many memories made, I think some of my favorite memories include going on a camping trip with my scholars group (Environment and Natural Resource Scholars), attending OSU hockey and Blue Jackets hockey games, going ice skating with my friends, exploring German Village and eating at Katzinger’s, taking a trip to Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, and hanging out with friends after my Russian class. Next year, I’m looking forward to more adventures such as these and the endless possibilities of finding new hobbies and new people to cross paths with. I’m very excited for my dorm next year and to be roommates with a good friend of mine. It’s only up from here!

Career

[“Career” is where you can collect information about your experiences and skills that will apply to your future career.  Like your resume, this is information that will evolve over time and should be continually updated.  For more guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

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 includes both a description of the artifact and a reflection on why it is important to you, what you learned, and what it means for your next steps.  For more guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

About Me

[Your “About Me” is a brief biographical statement that might include your intended major, your academic interests, your goals, as well as the things that make you unique.  Definitely include a picture! Also, remember that you can always update this post at any point. For more guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

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 guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

G.O.A.L.S.

[ “G.O.A.L.S.” is a place where students write about how their planned, current, and future activities may fit into the Honors & Scholars G.O.A.L.S.: Global Awareness, Original Inquiry, Academic Enrichment, Leadership Development, and Service Engagement. For more guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. Delete these instructions and add your own post.

  • Global Awareness: Students cultivate and develop their appreciation for diversity and each individual’s unique differences. For example, consider course work, study abroad, involvement in cultural organizations or activities, etc.
  • Original Inquiry: Honors & Scholars students understand the research process by engaging in experiences ranging from in-class scholarly endeavors to creative inquiry projects to independent experiences with top researchers across campus and in the global community. For example, consider research, creative productions or performances, advanced course work, etc.
  • Academic Enrichment: Honors & Scholars students pursue academic excellence through rigorous curricular experiences beyond the university norm both in and out of the classroom.
  • Leadership Development: Honors & Scholars students develop leadership skills that can be demonstrated in the classroom, in the community, in their co-curricular activities, and in their future roles in society.
  • Service Engagement: Honors & Scholars students commit to service to the community.]