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On Tuesday, August 27th I attended a presentation given by a wellness ambassador for IA students. This academic event was designed to be helpful and connect us with resources on campus. Those of us who attended had the opportunity to get a better understanding of what programs the Wellness Center offers here on campus, and to talk about the 9 dimensions of wellness and how they play into our lives. Resources like the ones the Wellness Center offers are incredibly important for all OSU students to be aware of and have access to, so I was really glad I got to see this presentation.

While this material might not seem closely related to International Affairs, it is relevant to our everyday lives and can be applied to a variety of situations. This event was also an opportunity to meet and form connections with other members of the IA community. Specifically, we were asked to discuss with partners or in groups which gave me the chance to introduce myself to new people and even to make friends. I learned a lot, not only about wellness but also about my peers and I’m glad I took advantage of this opportunity, to learn more about my school and my community.

On Saturday, August 24 a group of IA students and I spent the morning taking part in OSU’s Community Commitment event. This involved us going over to the union together to grab breakfast and sign our group in before loading up on buses and heading to our assigned locations. My group was assigned to the Habitat for Humanity Re-Store, a place I had never heard of before then. I learned that these kinds of locations are another one of the ways Habitat for Humanity helps communities like ours, outside of building houses. Organizations like this are known internationally for the work they do, so it was very exciting to be volunteering with them even if our job was just to clear wooden pallets out of the way so new shipments could come in.

I’m glad I was a part of this event, as it gave me the opportunity to learn how work done at a local level can make a difference nation-wide. Doing volunteer work for such a large international organization like Habitat for Humanity right in my home town really helped to show me that my interests in international studies can be applied even at the local level and still have a large impact.