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It was great to be able to catch up with Kirsten Zink about her semester, although her semester isn’t following the trajectory she thought it would due to COVID-19. As a pre-Dental Hygienist major, she had to take both Anatomy and Physiology this semester. These courses are challenging in person and moving to online hasn’t exactly been easy. Kirsten told me that it feels like she has to teach a lot of the material to herself which is difficult. I asked her if she had considered using the pass/fail option for these classes but since they are prerequisites to her major she will not be able to use that option. Her anatomy class also had a lab connected with it where she was getting hands-on experience with human cadavers and body parts. This lab has been moved online and has become less interactive which is a shame! Kirsten seems to be handling all of this positively though and we are both feeling hopeful about her finishing this semester strongly. 

Kirsten came to The Ohio State University with a solid plan of becoming a dental hygienist and her plans have stayed the same throughout her first year. She has also been able to get field experience as she is employed at an orthodontist in her hometown of Jackson, Ohio. She would work in the orthodontist office over break as an assistant and the dental hygienists would show her elements of their work and she was even able to shadow one!

Despite the unforeseen challenges of this semester, she says she is still enjoying her major a lot and is working through the required prerequisites. Since she was employed at the orthodontists before she came to OSU, she was already pretty sure she would enjoy it. After Kirsten finishes her prerequisites this upcoming fall, she will begin an interview process and start getting into the dental hygienist major classes in the spring. 

Kirsten was involved in the OSU Women’s Rowing team during her first semester and is an active member of both the ACES and Stadium Scholars programs. She is planning on staying involved in both of her scholars’ programs next year. She decided not to get involved with student organizations this year because she wanted to focus on her studies and she is also employed at Buffalo Wild Wings on High Street where she would work between 20 and 30 hours a week. Needless to say, she was plenty busy without the additional student organizations. During her Sophomore year, she is planning on looking into and joining a student group or two. 

Kirsten’s first-year experience in ACES was unique as she did not live in the Smith-Steeb living-learning community. She received a housing scholarship from Stadium Scholars and lived in the designated Stadium Scholars house. I asked Kirsten if she had any recommendations for improving the ACES program but she feels very satisfied with the program and thinks the requirements for membership are reasonable and attainable. She enjoyed the ACES program overall and said it gave her a place to meet new people and become more involved with OSU. She noted the first-semester ACES class as being a place where she met many ACES friends. She enjoyed the program because it did not add stress to her life, was beneficial, and is a great involvement to put on her resume.

Although her first-year on campus was cut short, she told me her favorite memory from this past year was being able to meet so many new people almost every day around campus and the Columbus community and being able to step outside her comfort zone. Since she grew up in a small town, Columbus was quite the change but she welcomed it, had a great experience, and is excited to return in the fall.

Questions

• Are you enjoying your major? Why or why not?
• How have you gotten involved on campus?
• Do you think you will keep the same involvement next year? Why or why not?
• Have you enjoyed the ACES living-learning community? Why or why not?
• What recommendations do you have for improving the ACES program?
• Have your career plans changed since your first semester? Why or why not?
• Have you had the chance to explore your desired career through internships, field experience, etc.?
• What is your favorite memory from last semester?

I interviewed Caitlyn Pipoly and she is a Middle Childhood Education major. I was happy to hear that Caitlyn is enjoying her major so far and has been able to get some hands-on experience in the classroom. She loves OSU because it is one of the only universities that puts you in a middle education classroom setting your freshman year. She is active in the FEEP (First Education Experience Program) which allows her to gain classroom experience. She has been working with 5th graders at Holt Crossing Intermediate School and told me that it has been an awesome experience. She worked to implement mindfulness into the classroom and did so by asking the class to gauge their mood and then she would lead them through either a calming or energizing meditation. She also taught them calming exercises that students could do on their own or could do with their teacher to settle down as a class. I was amazed by how much Caitlyn had done for the students and the students felt the same as they still send her emails frequently, even though she can’t be at the school right now. 

Caitlyn has become much more involved on campus during her second semester compared to her first. She is the Social Chair or Recipe For Good– a cooking and volunteer-based student organization. She also joined College Mentors for Kids and secured a staff position! She is the youngest general manager in the organization which is no easy feat. As a general manager, one of her main jobs is to interview applicants to be mentors. She has given dozens of interviews for the positions. She plans to keep up with these two involvements moving forward and is hoping to be elected as the president of Recipe For Good during her Sophomore year. She also hopes to become more involved with the Block O student organization. She is applying to the football committee, which is in charge of all the student events surrounding football games. She loves football season so this would be a great fit for her.

Caitlyn liked living in the ACES living-learning community because it allowed her to meet the rest of the ACES easily as they were right next door or down the hall. It allowed her to create close friendships and bonds with the ACES girls. One thing she did not like about living in the ACES community, however, was that she felt like she didn’t meet many people outside of ACES and interacted with many of the same people. She also felt that there were a lot of Sophomores living in Smith-Steeb and she hoped to meet more Freshmen. Her living situation improved dramatically in the second semester as she got a new roommate who she became very close with. They’ve been writing letters to each other during the quarantine.

Her career plans have slightly changed since the first semester. She is still planning on majoring in Middle Childhood Education but now wants to work with 5th graders instead of 7th or 8th graders which is what she originally planned to do. Her time in the FEEP program working with 5th graders opened her eyes to how good it was working with them. She recently decided that she wants to try to work on a cruise ship as an educational planner. This will allow her to travel as well as educate. She also wants to have a focus on after school planning to give children a safe space as well as continue to educate them after school lets out. Caitlyn also wants to promote women in STEM in her classroom. Caitlyn has been lucky to explore her career through the FEEP program which offered field experience in the classroom.

This semester has given Caitlyn some challenges as she now has to do her statistics and physics labs online. A few of her exams have also turned into final papers and she feels it is harder to do school work from home. She is still doing well in her classes though even though she is facing difficulty. Her favorite memory from last semester was football season! She met many new friends at football games and made vlogs each Saturday and put them together as the end of the season to capture her happy memories. I plan on using this information I learned from Caitlyn to continue to support her in her extra-curricular and academic pursuits. I will check-in with her periodically through text to ask how things are going in her personal and academic life. I will also keep an eye out for events/organizations/opportunities that I think might be of interest to her.

Questions

• Are you enjoying your major? Why or why not?
• How have you gotten involved on campus?
• Do you think you will keep the same involvement next year? Why or why not?
• Have you enjoyed the ACES living-learning community in Smith-Steeb? Why or why not?
• Have your career plans changed since your first semester? Why or why not?
• Have you had the chance to explore your desired career through internships, field experience, etc.?
• What is your favorite memory from last semester?

Mine and Kirsten’s explore Columbus included not only one, but two new things that Kirsten had never done. First, we met up to go to Northstar Cafe in the Short North. I let her know that we would just take the bus down there because it is free and the cafe is located on High Street. She then told me that she had never taken the bus before! This was an adventure in itself! I was glad that I could be with her for her first time on the bus because I know it can seem scary or intimidating, especially if you are not sure of the bus routes or which bus to get on. We were both glad to get on the bus when it came to getting out of the chilly weather and it was smooth sailing from there.

I have heard a lot of good things about Northstar Cafe and thought it would be a great place for us to try. Both me and Kirsten are vegetarians which I discovered that day but was a wonderful coincidence because Northstar is known for its extensive amount of vegetarian and vegan options. We looked at the menu and both decided to get the Thai burrito with tofu. They also have humongous cookies which were really hard to pass up one. We both thought the burrito was delicious and said that we would go back again. The place had a nice ambiance and it was quite cozy. The staff was very friendly too.  It was fun to take Kirsten somewhere that she had never been and have her really enjoy it. 

I think this was a really good way to get to know Kirsten. We are both so busy with school, work, and extracurriculars it can be hard to find time to dedicate to just hanging out. This time we set aside allowed us to put down all the craziness of Ohio State for an hour and enjoy each other’s company– which was awesome because we have a lot in common! We have a similar sense of humor so the time passed quickly and we talked about school, friends, and a bunch of things in between. I think this experience allowed us to become closer friends and will make ACES events more relaxed and fun with her. 

I would definitely recommend Northstar to anyone looking for a bite to eat for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. They have a great breakfast menu that is just as good as the dinner one. You can really make the experience what you want it to be because you order at the counter and then find a seat. You could be quick and take it to go, find a seat for a short lunch, or there are cozy tables in the back where you could hang out and relax without all the busyness of up front. Honestly, the menu is not super cheap, however, all the produce is local and organically sourced so you get what you pay for! I personally do not have a problem with splurging a little when I go out to eat to get high quality, nutritious food. Plus, if you take the COTA, it is free for students so you skip having to pay for parking or gas. This restaurant also makes transitioning to vegetarianism easy and fun because of its diverse and flavorful options. 

I often think that there are not enough options and messaging out there for people to consider eating less meat. However, I learned that if you look for them, Columbus has options for people trying to avoid meat. I think that there is a long way to go with that sort of thing but places like Northstar are setting a positive trend. For someone looking to explore Columbus, I would recommend doing a bit of research first! While it can be really fun to just go out and figure out the plan as you go, that can be a little overwhelming or nerve-racking for some people. For instance, I looked at bus routes before we left and made sure it was close enough that the bus ride wouldn’t be dragged on. I also checked the hours of Northstar to make sure we would not have to rush or they would not be in the process of closing when we arrived. Looking at reviews is also good. I use an app to look up the menu of a place and reviews before I go. While I don’t do this everywhere I go if I have time I like to do it. I think this is an easy way to determine if the food is something that you like or will be able to eat, especially if you have dietary restrictions or are vegan/vegetarian. It can also help you decide if it is a place you want to give money to. If the service or quality of food is bad, then why would you want to support that restaurant? I like supporting local businesses or places with good quality food and great service and reviews can help you figure that out. I would also mention not to let one bad review deter you from going. I’ve worked in food service for a couple of years and sometimes customers come in grumpy and leave mad, or the kitchen might have had an off day and that’s why the food came out slow. We are all human and we should not expect perfection every day. So while reviews are super helpful and I love to utilize them, I try not to let a few bad ones ruin the restaurant– just make sure most of them are positive!

I really enjoyed interviewing Kirsten Zink and felt like a got to know her a lot better. Kirsten decided to go to school to become a dental hygienist because she went to a technical skill high school and is already a dental assistant! She found her passion for dentistry because when she was younger, she had braces. Unlike most kids with braces, Kirsten loved them and looked forward to going to the dentist! When she was in high school, she was at the top of her class and thought that she should follow her natural talent and pursue a career as a dental hygienist. After she graduates, she does not plan on going to graduate school because she will already have two certifications in assisting and hygiene. Although she is very excited about her future career, her dream job is to be an orthodontist: going back to her love for braces! She actually told me, “If I could have braces I would have them again.”

Kirsten has been doing well in school but her most challenging class so far has been chemistry. The issue with chemistry is that the tests are standardized across the department but her teacher is teaching things that are not on the test or is glazing over things that she needs to know for the test. This is a common issue students feel in these types of classes because professors all have a different teaching style. Although she is feeling some difficulty in this class, she has a good grade and goes to office hours often. She has also made some great friends in chemistry and those girls have become her closest OSU friends!

College, as we know, is not all just about hard classes. There is definitely room for fun and involvement too. Kirsten joined the rowing team early in the semester but decided to stop because it is a huge time commitment and was getting to be too much with school and work. I thought this was very mature of her because she clearly knows her limits and does not want to give herself too much stress. Along with being a member of ACES, she is also a Stadium Scholar. Both of these groups have given her many opportunities to serve her community and she has participated in multiple High Street clean ups and Community Commitment. When she goes home on the weekends she also helps with her church’s Sunday school. When she isn’t volunteering she is working at Buffalo Wild Wings as a hostess and really enjoys her job. 

She chose ACES because she wanted to be involved in something that was outside of her career path so she could get a variety of experiences. She is looking forward to being a mentor next year. Something she has learned quickly while being a student at OSU is that time management is very important. She told me that high school was quite easy for her and she did not have to spend too much time studying because she was naturally good at the material. But OSU is clearly not high school and she has had to step up her time studying and doing assignments. She has made this transition very smoothly, however, and is doing great in her classes. 

Before coming to OSU, she expected college to be like the movies, where she would always have her friends around. She thought that there would be more community in residence halls and classes, and she was a bit surprised when there was not. She does like the independence this environment brings though. She likes being able to do her own thing and be able to go make friends in many places. 

I feel much closer to Kirsten now that I have heard so much about her. I’m impressed with her determination and ability to excel in places where she is struggling. I think I can best mentor her by checking in making her chemistry is going well, which I am sure it will be and letting her know of any services that could further help her academically. Another thing I will be sure to do is to let her know of events on campus that foster the sense of community she wants. OSU does a great job of throwing events for students that bring different groups together which I believe she will enjoy. I look forward to talking with her soon!

Questions

• How did you decide on the major you have chosen?
• What has been your most challenging class so far and why?
• What kind of involvement are you interested in on campus?
• Why did you choose ACES?
• What are you most looking forward to in the ACES program?
• What do you plan to do after you graduate?
• Dream job?
• What is one of the most important things you’ve learned at OSU?
• What has surprised you about OSU?

For our first Explore Columbus, Caitlyn and I decided to go to Zen Cha Tea Salon. We chose this place because it had been a spot on Caitlyn’s Columbus bucket list. Plus, we both love tea. We were both excited to go to try teas we have never been able to try before. I personally had never been to a tea salon and was excited to visit one. Zen Cha is in a Short North so naturally we took the COTA to get there. We talked about how much we like taking the bus and we both agree it’s something people should do more. Once we hopped off the bus, we were met with a dog wearing a Halloween costume, and then another, and then another! During our time together, we probably saw 20 dogs wearing costumes. It was definitely a nice surprise.

Once we arrived at the tea salon, I think we were both a little overwhelmed with the amount of tea they offered. I was shocked at the number of teas had— there had to be at least 100 different kinds. Zen Cha offered tea from all over the world and in many varieties that I didn’t know existed. We both ended up getting a red tea from Africa. The tea was delicious and we both had a few cups of it. The place was decorated with different types of tea sets from different times and places around the world, and we both liked looking at how intricate they were. When we arrived we didn’t know they served food but they had a pretty extensive menu. We both said we would be back, but if I were to go again, I would make sure I didn’t eat before going. It’s a nice place because of its convenient location on High Street and the fact it offers so many things. You could go there many times and get something new every trip. It also was not very expensive. I think we both spent around $5 and that got you a few cups of tea, so a student on a budget could afford this— especially since it is right on the bus line which OSU students get for free!

This was a really great way for me and Caitlyn to get to know each other better. It was fun to explore the city with her and I will always remember that we went there together. I really enjoyed hearing more about Caitlyn outside of ACES events and the interview. We talked a lot about her hometown versus mine. We both had very different experiences growing up as she was from a rural area and I am from Cleveland. It was interesting to be able to compare and contrast where we grew up. Being at OSU, I don’t really get to learn a lot about where my friends and peers lived before they came to school so that was very beneficial. I think this experience helped me and Caitlyn bond more as an ACES pair. 

Something I like about Columbus (and the general OSU/ Short North/ Clintonville area) is how much diversity you can experience in a very short distance. On the way to the Zen Cha you pass restaurants from every ethnicity and as I mentioned, the tea shop itself had tea from anywhere you could imagine. I learned that Columbus is an incredibly diverse place. Learning about a new city or trying something new can be scary! But it is made easier when you do it with a friend. It is important to try new things in a new place so you can make it your home. It is likely you will not enjoy everything or love every experience but there is value in that. Along the way, you are sure to find things, places, and people you like to be with and that is really how you get to know a new city! For someone else looking to explore Columbus, I would first recommend taking the bus! City transport is a great, environmentally friendly way to see a city. I think a lot of people are afraid to take the bus and there is definitely a stigma surrounding the bus, but the bus is great if you give it a chance! Plus, the bus system won’t improve if you don’t ride it. Secondly, I would recommend trying to go to a place you wouldn’t normally go, because that is what exploring is all about (and it’s more fun if you do). Plus, you could find something you really like and you could introduce your friends to it. Overall, I had a great time exploring the city with Caitlyn and trying something new!

Like many students, Caitlyn did not know right away what she wanted to do. In highschool, she had thought she would become a detective and be able to serve the public and do good for the world that way. However, she had a life changing experience when she was a 4H counselor one summer and worked with many underprivileged children. Instantly, she knew she needed to go into a career where she would be able to work with children and have a positive impact on a generation. Many of the children she worked with did not have much parental support and she wanted to be someone who could show those kids that they could do anything. She wanted to be a force for good in these children’s lives that allowed for personal growth. 

Caitlyn has already done a great job of getting involved on campus. She is part of the organization Smiles with Styles, where we goes to places like the Ronald McDonald house and gives women makeovers and brings toys for the kids. She’s also found another group called Recipe for Good. With this student group, she helps prepare and serve a meal for various nonprofit centers around Columbus. One that stood out to her was Huckleberry House, which is a youth crisis center. This made a lot of sense to me as she is passionate about working with children. 

ACES stood out to Caitlyn because she really liked the service aspect of it. She wanted to use her time to help others and make her community a better place and felt this program was an excellent way to be able to do that. She was originally looking at Mount Scholars but with her passion for education and service, ACES was home for her. She is excited to be a mentor next year and thinks mentorship is a really great aspect of ACES. Interacting with a younger ACE and being able to give advice and insight about OSU is something she is really looking forward to. 

Caitlyn told me about a dream she has for herself after she graduates. One day, she hopes to open up a ranch in a rural area and provide educational/day care services for underprivileged children. We both agree that time outdoors is vital to positive development and she wants children in struggling homes to be able to have experience in nature. She also hopes to work to improve common core. She dislikes common core because of its rigidity and says that education and children are always changing so the curriculum should be allowed to have some fluidity. Her dream job, although, is to be the President of the United States— because she would have a lot of power to do good!

Something that surprised her about OSU was the amount of diversity. Coming from a small, rural town, the residents there were predominantly white. There also was not a lot of sexual or gender diversity, meaning most of the people where she was from identified as cisgender and straight. She has loved seeing and being a part of this diversity and it is amazing to her than there is so much diversity in our small fraction of the world!

The thing that stood out to me about Caitlyn was how open and compassionate she is. She has no problem letting people into her life and is very warm to the people around her. This makes me think she is going to be a great educator. Her compassion is clear in how she talks about her experience with children and the underprivileged. I also learned that she loves service, which is an important part of being in ACES but also an important part of being a part of a community, wherever that may be. Throughout the year, I plan on using what I learned about Caitlyn to help benefit her experience here at OSU. I’ll keep my eye out for service opportunities involving children that she might be interested in. I also mentioned Ohio State’s undergraduate student government since she has an interest in government. OSU also has many events showing off the diversity of our campus such as Taste of OSU in February, which I will be sure to let her know about. I will also make sure to check in with her and make sure she is doing well. She is very motivated and has gotten very involved but sometimes things can become overwhelming, and I want to make sure she knows ways to destress and take care of herself. This was a wonderful experience getting to know Caitlyn more and I look forward to learning even more!

Questions

• How did you decide on the major you have chosen?
• What has been your most challenging class so far and why?
• What kind of involvement are you interested in on campus?
• Why did you choose ACES?
• What are you most looking forward to in the ACES program?
• What do you plan to do after you graduate?
• Dream job?
• What is one of the most important things you’ve learned at OSU?
• What has surprised you about OSU?

Throughout this first semester, I have volunteered with Best Food Forward consistently. BFF is a student organization aimed at fighting food insecurity on campus and has the goal of providing ways to eat healthy, fresh foods. Throughout my volunteer experience, I have learned so much about food insecurity and food deserts and how much having good food really affects us. For example, one thing we talked about at the beginning of the year was how eating good nutritious food gives you a good start in school. If you don’t have this food as a child, it may be harder to focus and do your best. This pattern follows up to high school and beyond, where success is difficult. Low success rates in school can lead to not attending college or getting lower wage jobs. This means you would have to buy lower quality, less healthy food for you and your family, perpetuating the cycle. Learning more about food insecurity and the importance of healthy eating has really had an impact on me and I am looking into local providers and the student farm for BFF buys. Our buys are held biweekly and we offer fresh produce and healthy dry good add-ins for only $6. Going forward, I am aiming to become more involved in the organization in a leadership position because I really believe in the message Best Food Forward promotes.