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Month: June 2016
Year in Review
This first picture represents how I felt the days leading up to transitioning into college. I was all packed and ready to go, but internally I was freaking out. My mom took this picture of me silently panicking in our car and although I initially used the image as comedic relief, I can now look at it with pride. This picture depicts where I started from. It shows the pure fear behind my eyes and the anxiety bubbling in my head. Looking back at it now, I can feel accomplished at how far I have come. I can also use it to remind myself that no matter what I am going through in the moment, I will reach a time where I can look back at it and laugh. This illustration of my progress holds more value than I ever could have imagined.
The second picture was taken a few weeks into my first semester of college. After stressing about classes, a few of my high school friends and I decided to take a break and explore the city. It was through the adventures we went on that day that I realized that there was so much more to life than just the classes we were taking. Although they are extremely relevant, my friends were able to remind me that spontaneous adventures did not need to expire at the end of high school. In fact, as the day went on, the memories we made just got better. Realizing that I had to choose activities that kept me fulfilled was truly life-changing.
The third picture was taken sometime around Halloween. The girl pictured next to me is one of my best friends, Emma. Earlier that week during our weekly facetime calls, I told her about the rough time I was in due to some family issues. This girl did everything she could to come over to OSU from UK that weekend just so that I wouldn’t be alone. This picture is worth so much to me because it is a constant reminder that no matter how far we end up from eachother, our friendship is so strong that we will always have eachother’s backs. Having a community is so important, especially at a school as big as OSU. Having Emma come hang with me that weekend helped me see that no matter what, I would never be alone.
This fourth picture is a screenshot of a snapchat that my roommate took after Halloween. We had found someone’s shark costume in our room and so we all tried it on. As silly as it sounds, seeing this on snapchat made me feel proud. Although the picture was intended for humor, the fact that my roommate, someone I did not think I would get super close to, remembered my dream goal of becoming a Marine Biologist was something that seemed really cool to me. That night, we had a really deep talk about life and our dreams and now this girl is one of my best friends. This picture embodies not only the vibes of that night, but also the beginning of my new friendship. The value of this to me is truly indescribable.
This fifth picture was taken on probably my favorite day of all of first semester. At this moment of the ENR camping trip, I felt so connected to the universe and I felt like my existence had a purpose. Staring into the sky at night in the same spot also provided me with a (completely different) experience. At night, when we went star gazing, I actually teared up because of how beautiful the world was. I had never seen the stars like that and thankfully, Ris was able to capture a picture of it. This location is probably one of my most favorite places ever and being able to feel that connected with nature was the greatest gift that scholars could have given me.
This sixth picture is of my wonderful roommates and I. We had just concluded an adventure and were riding the bus back. In this moment, the amount of joy we all felt was immense. I never thought I would get this close to my roommates, but I am so glad I was proven wrong. These girls are two of my best friends and my first year would have been so completely different without them.
The seventh picture is of me and my best friend, Morgan. This girl has been my best friend for years now and it describes our friendship perfectly. It is very rare to see us together when we are not dying of laughter about something that only we would find funny. This picture reminds me of how fortunate I am to be able to go to through the journey of college with my best friend. She is the Spongebob to my Patrick and going to OSU together is only strengthening that bond.
This final picture includes me and three of my new friends: Olivia, Riley, and Brisa. This was during finals week under the statue of Thompson. Although we have only known each other for this one year, the picture is a clear representation of how quickly we have gotten close. Without ENR scholars, I would have never met them and I cannot begin to imagine my college experience without them.
G.O.A.L.S.
The Columbus To-Do assignment is a really cool way to help first year students, especially those of us who are not from Columbus, figure our way around this beautiful city which we are lucky enough to be able to call home. The theme I chose for this semester is “Ice Cream and Desserts”. As a person who is addicted to any type of ice cream and all kinds of desserts, I thought this theme would be the perfect choice for me. I am extremely excited to be able to try out different ice cream stores and experience the top dessert destinations in Columbus. I hope to be able to adventure to everything; from the stores known all around the world to the stops that have earned the distinction as the city’s best kept secret. Through this assignment, I hope to be able to gain a better understanding of the city as a whole. I want to discover what the smaller, local stores add and mean to this big, fast-paced city. Coming from a smaller town, I also hope to gain skills to maneuver around Columbus. Along with this, I aim to form friendships with more people in ENR scholars. So far, I went to RocketFizz on High Street. RocketFizz is an amazingly mystical store that mainly sells soda pop and candy. Although at first glance, it may give off the vibe that it’s a local store, the RocketFizz franchise has made its way across America! Stepping into the building, I felt as though I stepped through a time machine. It looked like something out of a dream! The best part of the trip was talking to the friendly staff. They were as passionate about tasty treats as I am and being able to bond with people about something as great as candy really made my day! I would definitely recommend RocketFizz to my friends and family and I hope to go back soon!
This past weekend, I spent a lot of time exploring Columbus with some really fun people. What started as an expedition to complete an assignment quickly transformed into an unforgettable adventure. The first stop of the day was to a very unique custard store called Whit’s Frozen Custard. What made this shop unique was its ability to thrive on selling just three flavors of custard. This is unique because as a store known for its custard, one would imagine that it sold many different and fun flavors of custard. However, Whit’s only sells vanilla, chocolate, and one weekly flavor of custard. Even with this surprising sales routine, the store was very busy and all the customers looked satisfied with their custard. The high level of quality of the custard was undeniable and it was clear that the owners made the dessert fresh every day, as promised on the menu! Even though I only tried the chocolate custard, I can safely say that I give this restaurant a ten out of ten and that I am definitely recommending it to my friends and family.
Our next stop was to a frozen yogurt store called 39 Below. This store provided me with one of my least favorite experiences. Although the store looked very cute and welcoming on the outside, my friends and I were met with a different vibe once we entered. The first confusing event that took place was when the employee tried to sell us an object that definitely was not frozen yogurt. When we finally purchased our frozen yogurt, we realized that there wasn’t any where to sit inside the building, therefore we claimed seats outside. Ironically, and not in our favor, the weather also seemed to be “39 Below” and so we could not fully enjoy the cold dessert we were eating. In fact, we got so cold from the combination of the icy dessert and the chilly weather that no one was able to fully finish their frozen yogurt. I don’t know if my undesirable experience was a one-time event or a commonality, but I probably will not be recommending it to my friends or family. One good thing that came out of the visit, however, was the chance to take some cool pictures while waiting for our Uber driver to rescue us from the cold.
The third stop on our tour was to a nice little diner called Johnson’s Real Ice Cream. This destination provided us with a very fun and relaxed place to hang out for some time. The diner had a variety of food and drink options from burgers to ice cream to milkshakes to lemonade. We sat in some booths and enjoyed our food. The staff members were all very friendly and definitely contributed to the positive atmosphere. One of my favorite experiences from this store was probably seeing a group of little kids walk in together and just hang out. It illustrated the idea that this was a very family friendly, safe space for kids to just be kids and have fun and I enjoyed that idea a lot! It was cool to see young children embrace the city that I was only beginning to love. For all these reasons and more, I would definitely recommend this shop to my family and friends.
Our final stop was to a little chic pastry kitchen called Pistacia Vera. The building was aesthetically pleasing, both in terms of appearance and items sold. It had a very modern and relaxed vibe, but the food truly blew my mind. For the first time in my life, I tried a macaroon and it is safe to say that I found it to be my new favorite dessert! After trying the Buckeye macaroon, I felt as though I was experiencing a new level of pride for being a Buckeye. Not only was the food amazing, the music being played was very interesting and fitting for the store. Overall, I really enjoyed my experience at Pistacia Vera and am planning to bring my friends and family there soon!
Out of all the experiences I have been able to take part in through this project, the overall experience of spending time with my incredible roommate and some cool new friends was definitely my favorite experience of all. Building relationships with people can be scary for all introverts and extroverts alike. This project helped me overcome some obstacles by forcing me to talk to people I didn’t know very well and by putting me in situations I would have never imagined getting into (like getting on the wrong bus twice in one day). Through this assignment, I gained a lot of information about Columbus and all the people who impact the way in which the city works. I learned that Columbus never stops changing and improving itself, and if you just take some time to explore, you will be able to find some really beautiful places like German Village. After finishing this project, I have a desire to explore the music scene in Columbus. Since music is a huge part of my life, I am very curious as to how it impacts the life of our city. A recommendation I have for someone else completing the same list would be to take the time to take it all in. Absorb every single beautiful detail the city has to offer and don’t be afraid to let it change you. Also, if you are doing the ice cream and desserts list, make sure to check that the weather outside supports your decision to eat lots of ice cream and other various cold desserts in the unpredictable November weather that controls our new home in Ohio.
Career
With the semester coming to an end and the impending arrival of opportunities for new beginnings, I have been finding myself reflecting on my life and planning for the future. The catalyst for this new mindset was the RIASEC discussion I took part in during the last ENR scholars class. Consistency has never been a dominant feature in my life and I have always struggled in decision making when the decision being made was intended for me. Because of this, I found the RIASEC discussion to be helpful. It provided me with evidence on who I was as a person and what I wanted out of life. Although I already had the desire to be a Marine Biologist, I enjoyed the chance to remember my childhood; a time where the only thing I wanted to be when I grew up was a musician. This dream was created through my love for music and although I have changed my career goal, I was proud to see that my passion for the art had not died down. With my new dream of being a Marine Biologist, I would have to earn my degree as a Biology major and then specialize in marine life. A part of my dream involves moving to Australia. This would not only allow me to get more experience with marine life, but it would also help me see another side of the world and travel and gain a new insight and perspective on life, and that would be a dream come true. Due to my existing plans and my passion and desire to see them through, I believe that I am in the “Reality Testing” step of the career exploration process.
I have always been fascinated with the concept of exploration. Mysteries and adventures would always give me a thrill and I always wanted to be involved in something weird, exciting, and rare. This yearning for adventure, along with my love for ocean animals and my passion for bettering the world are what led me to my current dream job of becoming a Marine Biologist. However, these traits are all a little strange and not necessarily related. This explains why I had difficulty coming up with some alternate careers. In fact, I could only come up with becoming either some other type of scientist or a journalist, since I am also passionate about writing and writing for something like National Geographic would be so cool. However, both of these careers lack one thing or another and I am not willing to accept just any job. I want my future career to be something I am excited for and truly passionate about. Therefore, my brainstorming did not satisfy me or cause me to change my mind.
One of the many reasons why I enjoyed the RIASEC discussion is that it helped me focus on the future. This was especially good because it was timed perfectly for scheduling classes and other important decisions. This helped me see specifically what I would enjoy doing in my future and what I needed to do to achieve it. My code was IRS: Investigative, Realistic, and Social. I think these results were accurate in their overall description of me. I am the type of person who likes to help people solve problems and fix things. I am an extrovert and am very social, but I also enjoy working alone. I am in love with the outdoors and going on adventures. I love coming up with ideas and testing their practicality after. I love working on things hands-on and I am very task oriented. I believe one of the best feelings is being able to come up with a plan to help others and see it come through. Based on the descriptions we were given in class, that is an IRS. In addition, I had tied A (Artistic) along with S. This also fits me because I am creative with the ideas I come up with. I value self – expression highly and I practice it myself with music. When it comes to organization, I am organized in a messy way. The way my brain makes connections and sees things is very unique and I like to think that it helps me see the world in a different way than other people typically do.
When I looked at the O*Net results for my code, most of the careers that came up were related to medicine (Nurse, Surgeon, Radiologist), science (Chemist, Forest and Conservation Scientist), or building (Engineer, Prosthetist). Although it would be cool to follow one of these career paths, it is not what I am passionate about. They all have a strong STEM base but they don’t make me feel excited about the future. I didn’t expect to see “Marine Biologist” on the list since it is not a common career path, but I did notice some similar fields such as Veterinarian or Veterinary Assistant or Lab Animal Caretaker. It was interesting for me to see these because before I decided on strictly marine life and marine animals, I was debating becoming a Veterinarian. This helped me see that I wasn’t randomly jumping around from path to path and that my dream was only transforming which was a comforting realization.
Most of the jobs had high levels of preparation, but I am willing to work hard for a future which I will love. For now, my plans are to graduate from OSU as a Biology major with a possible minor in Business and hopefully have completed a few internships. I hope to go to grad school to specialize as a Marine Biologist, and somewhere in between I wish to travel the world. It has always been my dream to see every continent, and maybe I can begin to achieve that dream through study abroad. I hope to eventually lead a happy life as a Marine Biologist in Australia. Although this discussion didn’t change my path, it did help me realize that it is ok for me to not know what I am doing or for my dreams to change. No matter what I end up doing, as long as I am passionate about it, everything will be okay.
Artifacts
Being presented the opportunity to “interview” one of my mentors, Katie Gorman (a second year Evolution and Ecology Major), turned out to be a lot more insightful than I had originally imagined. Katie had a lot of cool stories and advice to share with me and her answers to my questions were very unique and they provided me with a better understanding on what to expect in my new life as a college student. Starting off with every student’s favorite topic, I asked Katie what her most challenging class was and how she got through it. Although she answered with Organic Chemistry, a class which many people agree is difficult, her reasoning for why she believed it was difficult was though-provoking. As a person who is fond of science, Katie told me that O-Chem was strange for her because it forced her to work hard on a subject that she liked. This was weird for her because she was used to putting in extra effort for classes that didn’t come to her naturally, unlike chemistry classes which she usually enjoyed. This made me realize that no matter what you do in life, you will always come across projects or tasks which you believe are impossible to solve, even in the field you are most passionate about! However, this doesn’t mean you should go find another passion or skip over the task. Katie’s advice on how to succeed in hard classes proved this to me. She said that when you realize a class is going to be difficult, you have to stay on top of the material and study actively. Basically, she advised me to work hard and truly learn the material instead of attempt to comprehend it enough to pass a test.
Moving on from academics, I then asked Katie about volunteering opportunities and internships she has participated in at OSU and how exactly she got involved with them. That’s when she told me about the job shadow opportunity she received with the Fish and Wildlife service. To me, the cool thing about this was that ENR introduced her to this opportunity. She talked about this experience with lots of excitement. Katie volunteered with them twice. One of the opportunities involved introducing children to the wetlands to provide them with a chance to experience the outdoors. I thought this seemed like a cool project to participate in because not only was she able to learn more about the environment, she was also able to give children a chance to learn about it, too. Being able to pass knowledge to others, especially through hands-on experiences like this, is one of the many things I am excited for in ENR.
This led to my third question which was about how to make the most of ENR. Katie’s advice on this question was very inspirational. She told me the best way to make the most of ENR was to get involved and take initiative. Katie helped me realize that ENR is a program which each member has the ability to change and edit to gear it more towards their own interests. She emphasized that I need to take advantage of this moldable nature of the program. We then talked about outdoor adventure, something we are both passionate about. This helped me reflect more about the camping trip to Hocking Hills and the memories and friendships I made there. This then made me even more excited for future ENR events. Katie also mentioned to me the possibility of applying for the leadership council. She talked about how it pushed her to get out of her comfort zone and participate in public speaking. Listening to her talk about how this program is helping her become a better speaker was inspiring.
Later on, we talked about our dream jobs. She told me that her goal is to do conservation research. However, her dream job is to study conservation biology at the Smithsonian! This led to us talking about Bones, a TV show we both enjoyed very much. Talking about something as interesting and personal as our dreams really helped me realize that all the members of ENR scholars form a family and that we all have eachother’s backs. This was a really comforting concept for me to realize so soon in the year!
The last question I asked Katie was about what the most important thing she had learned at OSU was so far. She told me that she was amazed by how much she had changed during her first year. She was shocked at how accurate the common cliché was, but she told me that once she allowed herself to change, she realized how great college was. She also advised me to take care of myself and learn to balance my interests with my classwork. This was great advice because I came into college stressed out about how I was going to attempt to manage schoolwork with life. When Katie told me that I needed to realize the importance of being able to balance work and fun by putting aside time for a break doing things I enjoyed, I was able to really comprehend the fact that I was going to be okay and have a great college experience. Overall, talking to Katie helped me realize that even though college wouldn’t be easy, I will be able to make it through. She also helped me appreciate the ENR program more because I realized all of the opportunities it offers to me (both in and outside of my major). Without ENR, I wouldn’t have discovered the Mountaineering club, which is something I am very excited for. All in all, I am very happy to be a part of ENR scholars at OSU and I know now that with the help of my friends, professors, and both my mentors, I will be able to achieve anything I strive for here at OSU.
About Me
Hello everyone! My name is Sneha Radhakrishnan and I am from West Chester, Ohio. I have lived in Ohio for my whole life, but my family is originally from Bombay, India. I graduated from high school in May and am now enrolled at Ohio State as a Biology major. Eventually, I hope to add a Business or Psychology minor. I am proud to be a part of the Environment and Natural Resources scholars program! I am the type of person who loves to go on adventures, meet new people, and learn new things. Since the ENR scholars program offers all of that along with a sense of community in this huge school, I thought it would be the perfect fit for me. In the past, I have focused a lot of my attention on ways in which I could better the world and the situations of the creatures living in it. I led a project in my school to clean a local river and I have also traveled back to my hometown in India to help reinstate the music program back to a local school. My ambition is to one day become a marine biologist. I love everything about marine life. I find the way in which the mystical creatures and beautiful flora live and work together harmoniously absolutely incredible. I am very passionate about marine life and hope to be able to work with and research marine animals with others who share the same interest. Along with this, I am also greatly passionate about music. Music and singing are two ways through which I am able to easily express myself and I feel like music in general has really helped me get through some of the hard times in my life. I am so excited for these next four years at OSU and I am proud to be a Buckeye!