My second year at OSU has been one of great introspection, discomfort, realization, and eventual contentment. Upon reflection on my sophomore year and the G.O.A.L.S. that I as an Honors student strive toward, I recognized that I have upheld each of these in different ways. At the beginning of this year, I was a Neuroscience major planning to attend medical school. At this point nearing the end of second semester, I have added another major in International Studies and a minor in Quantitative Economics, and have completely switched my post-undergraduate and career goals. Along the way, many decisions that I’ve made have helped me to carve out a unique path toward my personal, professional, and Honors goals.
To develop my global awareness, I am pursuing an education abroad experience this summer in Copenhagen, Denmark. Last year I did not think I would have the time nor the resources or reason to pursue such an experience, but I am extremely grateful that I made the decision to push myself out of my comfort zone now that it is more relevant to my academic pursuits and career goals. Broadening my horizons by taking this trip will be invaluable for my personal and professional growth. I have been a research assistant in a cognitive communications lab for the past 3 semesters and I have thoroughly enjoyed the learning experiences and taken advantage of opportunities it has provided. Unfortunately, the PI of the lab is taking a position at UC-Davis, and thus I am currently looking into other lab positions in a field more directly related to my new academic path. I have also applied for a summer research position at another university to continue working on my research skills in the meantime. In regards to academic enrichment, my coursework demonstrates a commitment to challenging myself with more than half of my degree hours being at a 3000 level or above. Additionally, double majoring and minoring suggests a desire to push myself to strive for excellence. My coursework will give me an advantage in a future career in national security, and I am enriching my academic experience not only with major and minor courses but also with GE courses that supplement my goals, such as persuasive writing. To develop leadership skills, I have committed a lot of time this semester to my position as Vice President of Outreach for an organization called Empower Sports, which provides sports programs for children with autism. I am the liaison between parents and the club, which entails recruiting new athletes and families to join our program, keeping them up to date on what is happening weekly, answering questions and responding to requests promptly. It has allowed me to develop my leadership abilities doing something that I absolutely love, and I’m thrilled to continue the position next year, in addition to mentoring the next VP of Outreach who will take over the role when I am finished. The last of the G.O.A.L.S., service, is one that I have continued to engage in despite my change from the pre-med track. I volunteered at Dodd Rehab Hospital last semester, and I have continued to serve as a tutor with Buckeye Tutor Team at Nationwide Children’s Hospital for the past 3 semesters. The experience of visiting the children at Nationwide is something I’ll never forget; they often thank me for coming and tell me how much I cheered them up, but I truly believe that their energy and liveliness is what I need in my week. I plan to continue making a difference for deserving populations in the future.
To sum up my sophomore year, it has been a rollercoaster. At times I wanted desperately to get off the ride and retreat to the safety of an “easier” path or to have someone else make all the tough decisions for me. However, it was absolutely worth the dizziness that I felt at one point to now feel so satisfied and relieved, knowing what I want to aim for in life and how I can set myself up to succeed after my undergraduate career. The Honors G.O.A.L.S. have helped me to put the activities I’ve done and decisions I’ve made into a bigger picture to see how all the dots are connecting for me.