Reading: One of my favorite things to do is to read. It’s like entering a whole new world and it’s a great escape from reality. My taste in books ranges, whether it’s a classic like To Kill a Mockingbird or an entertaining, obviously fictional book like the Harry Potter series, I enjoy the majority of books that I read. All of my best friends like to read also, so it gives us topics to talk about and books to exchange.

Volleyball: Volleyball is another important aspect that has been very prominent in my life. I played competitively for four years. My uncle helped coach me since he is the head of the volleyball department at Metro Sports Center in Evansville, Indiana. Although I stopped playing competitively my freshman year of high school, volleyball still stayed in my life. I became a volleyball coach and referee my junior year of high school for people ranging anywhere from first grade to twelfth grade. I really enjoy helping others excel in what they love, and my job as a volleyball coach is one of the main things I miss from home. In the program at my work, my coworkers and I were able to play on a team together, so I was still able to be active in volleyball. Also, playing sand volleyball was one of the highlights of my summer. My friends and I would just get a big group together to go to the local sand volleyball courts. It was a great way to hang out with my best friends while also meeting new people at the same time!

Short North:  Although my time in college hasn’t been extensive, the few months that I’ve been here, I’ve created some great memories with amazing new friends. During one of the first few weeks at Ohio State, I participated in HES Community Day, in which the Humanitarian Engineering Scholars classes traveled the COTA buses to Goodale Park and the Short North. This was a great way to learn both the bus system and the city of Columbus. Since this trip, I’ve traveled to the Short North with my friends quite a few times. It’s a great place to grab a bite while taking a break from campus. Visiting the Short North has also presented more opportunities, such as going to the German Village and downtown Columbus, which I’ve also done a few times. Since we don’t have cars on campus this year, this quick trip to other parts of Columbus is perfect for freshmen.