Year One Review

When I started school in the fall, I had expectations for how I thought my freshman year at OSU would turn out. I knew classes would be difficult and that I would have to put more effort into my school work than I did in high school. I thought that it would be easy going to school far away from my family because I grew up in Columbus and knew the area. I believed I wouldn’t have time to miss home or obsess over grades because I would be too busy enjoying college life and making friends. But, as I have now realized after completing my first year at OSU, you cannot rely on expectations.

Now, having finished my spring semester, I can honestly say that I had a good year. But if I had been asked in October or November if I was having a good year, I would have probably said I was stressed, overwhelmed, and wanted to give up. When I had several midterms, a lab, and an essay due in the same week, I didn’t believe I could study and get all of my assignments done on time. I wanted everything I turned in to be perfect. Therefore, it would take me hours to complete one assignment and check over it repeatedly for errors. By the time the second semester started, I felt burned out and didn’t know if I was strong enough to continue with the same routine because I never let myself relax. On top of school work, I felt homesick and didn’t prioritize making new friends, so I was disappointed in myself because I wasn’t having the college experience I was expecting.  It took time for me to realize that it is okay to make mistakes and not fulfill unrealistic expectations. Once I did, everything became more manageable, my mental health improved tremendously, and I began enjoying college.

In addition to classes, I joined the Doctors Without Borders student organization on campus. I attended biweekly meetings where the international organization’s progress was discussed, and fundraisers were planned to raise money for medical supplies. Along with being a general body member of Doctors Without Borders, I am a member of the international travel team that volunteers abroad. Two trips were planned for May of 2020 to Sri Lanka and Ghana. I was selected to go on the trip to Sri Lanka. We have spent the last several months preparing for the trip by organizing fundraisers and learning about the culture in Sri Lanka. We were planning on volunteering at several hospitals, clinics, and other medical facilities over a two week period. Unfortunately, the trip was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Even though I am disappointed that I do not get to volunteer in Sri Lanka this summer, I am grateful for the people I have met through the student organization and the lessons I have learned from being a member of the club and international travel team. 

Overall, I learned a lot about myself this year and how I can continue to grow as a person. Although the second half of my spring semester had to be administered online, I am glad I had the chance to finish my classes and spend time with my family while I wait to start my second year at OSU.

 

Spring Project Plan

For my spring project, I am going to learn to knit a hat. My friend recently started knitting and recommended I use a youtube video to guide me through the process. After browsing youtube for the best beginner knitting videos, I found a video that describes in detail the supplies needed and demonstrates step-by-step how to knit a hat. I bought the yarn and knitting needles required for the project and am ready to begin knitting. To finish the project by the end of March, I have created a weekly plan based on the video. I need to spend at least one-hour knitting each week to complete the hat on time and write my conclusion. My goal is to be done knitting by March fifteenth. If I finish by this date, I will have enough time, about two weeks, to write my conclusion and turn in my time log. However, if, for some reason, I do not finish the hat by March fifteenth, I will have two weeks to complete it and turn in the other components of the project. Below is a link to the video I will be using.

Spring Project Introduction

Having finished my first semester at Ohio State University, I realize how stressful and time-consuming college life can be. While studying and being ambitious is a good thing, I was so worried about my GPA and falling behind last semester that I rarely took the time to relax and do things that I used to love doing as a high school student. Although I was happy with my grades, I realized during finals week that I never allowed myself to have fun and enjoy my first semester as a college student. When I came back from break, I made a promise to myself that I would spend less time worrying about my future and more time enjoying the present. The spring project for STEM EE is the perfect opportunity for me to take a break from academics and clear my mind when I am feeling overwhelmed and need a break from studying. For my project, I am going to learn how to knit a hat. For several years I have been knitting simple scarves, and I have always wanted to learn how knit something a bit more complex. Now, I have a reason to take the time out of my day and do something with my hands that doesn’t involve practice problems or writing equations. Even though I love science, I need a break sometimes, and despite it taking me an entire semester to realize, I now know it is okay to spend my time doing other things that I enjoy. That is why I am looking forward to completing the spring project.

 

Diversity Event

For the diversity event assignment, I wanted to attend an event that would mean something to me on a personal level. It was challenging to find an even that worked with my schedule, but I eventually found one after a couple of days of searching. In my dorm, there are always new posters being hung in the elevators and hallways about upcoming events on campus. I saw the poster for the Global Engagement weekly meetings hosted by the Office of International Affairs and was intrigued by the wide range of topics assigned each week. I saw they were having one titled, “The Myths about Migration,” and I thought it would be a perfect event to attend. 

 

My father is originally from Bolivia. He moved to the United States when he was sixteen years old. Despite all of the adversity he faced for being an immigrant, he managed to work hard and earn a bachelor’s of science, a master’s degree, and a Ph.D. in electrical engineering. With the current political condition of our country and learning about the obstacles my dad had to overcome when he came to the United States, I thought I could get a lot out of the “Myths About Migration” Global Engagement event hosted by the Office of International Affairs. 

 

Before attending the event, I was excited and nervous. In the short time I have spent at OSU, I haven’t had the opportunity to explore different departments outside of the College of Arts and Sciences. Therefore, I didn’t know what to expect going into the event other than it would be an excellent opportunity to learn more about immigrants in America and to meet new people. 

 

When I got to the event, I was surprised at how casual and welcoming the leaders were. They encouraged people to sit next to someone they didn’t know and allowed people to converse while they finished getting everything set up. Something else that I was pleasantly surprised by was that they also had food from a local business owned and operated by an immigrant family. To go along with the theme of supporting immigrant-owned businesses, they gave everyone a list of all the businesses in Columbus that are owned and operated by immigrants.

 

For the first fifteen minutes, everyone got their food and talked to the people next to them. I had the opportunity to get to know several members of the Global Engagement organization. The presentation that was given facilitated group discussions on the topic of immigration and allowed everyone to voice their opinion. Not only did I learn about the different organizations in Columbus that focus on helping immigrant families find services in the area, but I also had the opportunity to take a different, more neutral perspective on the topic. As someone who believes that immigrants bring diversity and new ideas to our country, it was interesting to discuss immigration out of the context of politics and see how much of an influence our morals and values have on our opinions of different subjects. When the presentation came to an end, I was both excited and disappointed. I was excited that I found a new place on campus I could connect with people, and I was disappointed that our discussion had to be over. I hope to be able to attend the last couple of Global Engagement events before the fall semester is over. 

 

Based on the information I learned at this event and from my own experiences, I believe that having people from different backgrounds when doing any job or project is essential for success. Especially in STEM, a field that tends to have very little diversity, having people with different experiences facilitates creativity and the formation of new ideas. Having learned more about the struggles my dad and other immigrants have had to overcome, I have a deeper appreciation for the contributions that immigrants from all over the world make to diversifying our society. Hence, I am more than grateful that I get to attend a university that supports and encourages diversity as much as OSU does. 

 

The photo above was taken at the beginning of the Global Engagement event when people were still arriving.

STEM Seminar

When it came to completing this assignment, it wasn’t picking a seminar that was difficult; it was finding one that fit my work and class schedule that was challenging. I saw several on the Art and Sciences webpage that looked very interesting and connected with one of my majors, microbiology, really well. Hence, I was disappointed when I couldn’t attend any of these fascinating science seminars. The only seminar that worked with my schedule that I could attend to complete the assignment was the Science Sunday seminar that was held on Sunday, October 13th. The seminar was called “The Mathematics of Partisan Gerrymandering,” and the speaker was Dustin G. Mixon, an assistant mathematics professor at Ohio State University. 

 

I was hoping to attend the seminar with a fellow STEM EE scholar, but when I asked, everyone had either already completed the assignment or had other work to get done. Being that is was a Sunday afternoon on one of the very few nice weekends we have left in the year, I wasn’t very eager to attend the hour-long seminar. Additionally, because one of my majors is microbiology and I am most interested in the life sciences and medicine, I didn’t believe I would enjoy the seminar as much as I would have if it were more science-focused. Therefore, I walked into the presentation room with a negative mindset. Upon scanning the room, I didn’t see a single person that looked to be an undergraduate, and this furthered my already deteriorating attitude. Most, if not all, the people in the audience were older and had a sense of prestige. Initially, I felt uncomfortable being surrounded by people that appeared more intelligent and overall, more important than myself. But once everyone began sitting down and preparing for the speaker to start, my feelings of inadequacy dissipated. 

 

I expected the presenter to use a lot of math in describing the topic, but to my surprise, he didn’t. Inevitably, he used some math theory to explain the reasoning behind the gerrymandering system and why it is unfair, but it wasn’t anything that I couldn’t understand. The main reason I believed I wouldn’t enjoy the presentation was that I thought it would consist mostly of math concepts that go above and beyond the math I have learned up to this point in my education. However, because most of his presentation focused on how the application of mathematics would benefit the American people by making it so that the people decide who represents them and the representatives do not decide on the people they represent, I was engaged and fascinated during the entire seminar.

 

After sitting through the presentation and hearing other people’s questions at the end, I realized that I enjoyed the seminar much more than I anticipated. The potential applications of Dr. Mixon’s research closely related to the upcoming elections, and because this is the first year I will be able to vote, I was eager to learn more about gerrymandering and how it affects the electoral college outcomes. Even though this research does not directly apply to my major or area of scientific interest, I am glad that I got to experience what it is like to attend a college seminar. I’m relatively certain that throughout my time as an undergraduate in the STEM field, I will have many opportunities to sit through different science seminars. Therefore, it was nice to hear about a subject that is outside of my major department, and that can be applied to other aspects of my life. 

 

From my experience with this seminar, I believe that academic seminars are worth attending as an undergraduate. Even if a topic doesn’t seem to fit someone’s interests, I think it is best to go and explore different fields of study. Not only does being active in the Ohio State community help me to build connections, but it also helps me find new topics I am interested in outside of my majors. Even though I thought I wasn’t going to like the “The Mathematics of Partisan Gerrymandering” seminar, I ended up learning a lot from it and finding a new appreciation for math and its applications in everyday life. I’m glad I had the opportunity to attend this seminar and hope to attend more soon on a variety of topics now that I know there is more to a seminar than its title and description.

Campus Resource Post

Since I came to visit campus in July of 2018, I have been hearing students and faculty talk about the countless resources offered to Ohio State Students. The idea of having different resources available to me when I need them is one of the reasons I decided to come to OSU for my undergraduate years. I knew I would not only be given a chance to seek out academic resources, but I would also have the opportunity to find non-academic resources that would help acclimate me into campus life and find people with similar interests to mine. 
When classes started, I was set on looking into several different resources that I could use throughout the semester. I wanted to schedule an appointment with “Career Success” and have them help me edit my high school resume; I wanted to visit the multicultural center and see what events they host throughout the academic year. There were a lot of resources I heard about from the upperclassman that I wanted to look into. But unfortunately, because of class assignments and work, I found that I didn’t have the time to visit all the different resources that I was hoping to, and as a result, I felt dejected. I was overwhelmed by schoolwork and wanted to find a place I could turn to when I feel stressed and need a break. 
Fortunately, a few weeks ago, I was reminded of the STEM EE seminar eportfolio post I had to do on a non-academic resource on campus. Desperately needing a chance to do something productive other than homework and class assignments, I decided this was the perfect time to try one of the resources on campus. However, I had trouble picking one. There were several I was interested in, but I knew I didn’t have the time to go to all of them. Therefore, I picked the one that would not only count towards assignments in two of my classes but would also teach me a bit about community service and help me meet people who enjoy similar activities as me. 
I chose to attend the First Year Success Series titled “Service in You First Year, A Big Mood.” During my sophomore year of high school, I began doing community service regularly at different places in my town. As a result, I developed a passion for service learning that has stuck with me throughout the years. Hence, I was thrilled to hear that a Success Series was being offered about how to get involved in community service on campus and around Columbus. Since arriving on campus in early August, I have joined a handful of clubs that have community service outings every once in a while but are not focused entirely on service learning. I knew that I wanted to learn about more frequent service opportunities that I could get involved in, and I believed that this First-Year Success Series would provide me with that. 
I attended the October second session of “Service in You First Year, A Big Mood.” I expected to learn about the different student organizations on campus that focus primarily on community service and various places around Columbus, where students can volunteer. I didn’t expect the presenters to lead us in a discussion about the meaning of community service and how it affects the communities we live in. They showed us a diagram of the different levels of citizenship, ranging from a member to active citizen and another diagram of the circle of service in a community. I was pleasantly surprised by this aspect of the presentation, and I am glad that we were able to have such a meaningful and uplifting discussion about service-learning. 
In addition to our enlightening discussion, the presenters also gave the other freshman and me at the event a list of ways we can get involved with community service on campus and in the Columbus area. Even though this was the information I went into the event wanting to find out more about, I left with a lot more useful knowledge.
 I think that the First Year Success Series, especially the “Service in You First Year, A Big Mood,” are an excellent resource for freshmen to get involved on campus. They have numerous different kinds of success series that cater to different interests and schedules. In the next couple of weeks, I am attending two more success series about managing stress and possible careers after we graduate, and I am looking forward to the information I will learn. By attending these success series, I know where to go and what to do when I am feeling stressed or overwhelmed and need a break, which I believe is the best information any college student could receive, and is why everyone should utilize the resources offered to us on campus.
This is a photo of the freshman that came to the October second session of “Service in You First Year, A Big Mood.”

Academic Support

I learned the hard way that seeking out help when I need it is crucial to being a successful student. In high school, I struggled to gather enough courage to raise my hand in class and ask questions because I worried that others would think my question was dumb, or worse, that I was dumb. Therefore, I rarely asked questions in front of the class. If I didn’t understand something, I might have stayed after class for a few minutes to clarify my confusion, but speaking to my teachers one-on-one was also difficult. My biggest fear was that my teacher would get the impression that I couldn’t handle their class and wouldn’t recommend I move on the next year. Thus I avoided asking them questions unless it was important. It took me several years to realize that asking for help isn’t a bad thing or an indicator of failure. Having questions and seeking out help when needed is an indicator of grit and perseverance. Once I discovered that asking my questions not only made me a better student but also helped boost my self-confidence, school has been one of the most enjoyable aspects of my life.
 
After my struggle in high school, and coming to realize just how important asking questions truly is, I began looking at the academic resources on campus as soon as I arrived for my summer bridge program. I wanted to know ahead of time where I could go at different times throughout the day if I needed help with homework or other assignments.
In addition to learning about the MLSC and office hours for my different professors and TA’s, during my early arrival program for LSAMP (Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation), I learned that I am registered with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. At first, I wasn’t sure how this would benefit me academically, but after they came and gave a presentation on their different tutoring and test-bank resources, I felt as if a giant weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. 
Based off of what I heard from my peer mentors about the difficulty of chemistry and calculus at the college level, I knew that I had to find a tutor for these courses. Even if I found that I didn’t need help all of the time, I knew it would be better to have a tutor and not need them, than need a tutor and not have one. Before coming onto campus, I believed I would have to find a tutor by myself and pay them out of pocket, which wasn’t something I wanted to do but I was willing to invest in if it meant I would succeed. However, upon arriving on campus and getting to know the different resources that are offered to me, I discovered that I do not have to pay for a tutor in calculus or chemistry. Through ODIs tutoring program, I can receive weekly one-on-one tutoring and supplemental instruction tutoring several times a week with no cost. 
I decided to schedule weekly sessions with a calculus tutor and use the supplemental instruction for calculus when I don’t have a tutoring session or need extra help with a topic. For chemistry, I decided to mainly utilize the supplemental instructions sessions when I need clarification on specific topics. 
Since school started in late August, I have had two one-on-one calculus tutoring sessions, went to several calculus supplemental instruction sessions, and attended one of the chemistry supplemental instruction sessions. Along with the resources ODI offers, I go to to the MSLC a couple of times a week when I am working on math homework. I find that completing my math homework while in the MSLC, allows me to ask my questions as they come up, and I don’t have to wait for my weekly tutoring session or supplemental instruction meetings.
The combination of ODI’s tutoring programs and the MSLC have had a huge impact on both my academics and my overall enjoyment of college life. I find that having these academic resources gives me a boost of confidence in my classes and allows me to enjoy what I am learning. If given the opportunity, I would love to be a tutor or supplemental instructor leader. I know from personal experience how frustrating it can be not to understand a topic but to be too scared to ask questions in class. I want to help others if they are struggling academically or need a little help in certain areas. I don’t want people to believe that seeking out help indicates a lack of intelligence. Instead, I want them to know that having the courage to ask for help demonstrates persistence and a dedication to learning. 

A snapshot of the MSLC before the first calculus midterm.

Student Organization Post

Before arriving on campus for the semester, I looked through the different student organizations on the Ohio State app and saved a couple that I thought would be fun and engaging. Among these organizations was the Doctors Without Borders Ohio State Chapter. 
Upon graduating from Ohio State, my goal is to attend medical school and one day become a practicing physician. Therefore, when I found the Doctors Without Borders webpage and Instagram, I knew immediately that this was a club that not only catered towards my passion for medicine but also my love for cultural diversity and inclusion. When the involvement fair took place the Sunday before classes began,  I made it a priority to stop by there booth and meet the executives in-person and hear first-hand what their organization is about. From the overall atmosphere surrounding the booth and the expressions of pure passion on the member’s faces, I knew that I had found a place where I could make friends and gain useful experiences that will without a doubt help me in the future. 
When they sent out the email about the first meeting, I made sure to mark it on my calendar and to have all of my work that was due the next day completed so it wouldn’t distract me from absorbing everything I could at the meeting. 
Even though I was excited about attending the first meeting, I was also very nervous. I had to go to the meeting alone and didn’t recognize anybody when I got there like I had hoped I would. Typically, I try to avoid going to big events like this alone. I prefer to go into a new setting with at least one other person I know. That way, I avoid the feelings of isolation and detachment that are associated with joining in on a new activity. But I knew that if I let my fear of going alone keep me from attending this meeting, I would regret it. Consequently, I forced myself out of my comfort zone and went to the meeting. And this was one of the best decisions I have made since arriving on campus. 
As I most new-member meetings are comprised of, the executive members began by introducing themselves. They spoke about what the clubs main focus was and how they recently added international volunteer opportunities to Ghana and Sri Lanka. Along with the summer volunteer trips, they explained how a large part of the student organization was raising money for the main Doctors Without Borders non-profit organization. As I sat there and listened to everything the executives had to say, I became more and more excited about being a part of the club. Not only would I have the chance to travel to different countries and volunteer at hospitals, but I would also have the opportunity to help out on campus through different fundraising events. I hope to be able to participate in as many opportunities that Doctors Without Borders provides me with and if the first couple of years go well, I hope to one day be an executive member and provide new members like myself with as great of an experience that I know the current executive members will give me.
Below is a slide from the international travel powerpoint explaining how this type of international volunteering experience can help prepare those who want to go into healthcare as a career.

About Me

Hi everyone! My name is Isabel Rojas, and I am a freshman at Ohio State University. My current major is Microbiology, and I am hoping to do a double major in Medical Anthropology. I am also on the pre-med track. Since I can remember, I have always found biology and its related fields to be fascinating areas of research and innovation. Therefore, because of this passion I have for the life sciences, specifically medicine, it is my goal to attend medical school after graduating from OSU and one day be a practicing physician. As of right now, I am thinking about a career in neonatal surgery, but that could change as I advance in my undergraduate degree and beyond.

In high school, I was involved in my school’s Model United Nations Team, volunteering, school musicals, and softball. I plan to continue with Model United Nations at OSU and am hoping to volunteer around Columbus and abroad through the Doctors Without Borders Student Organization and as other opportunities arise. Also, I am an LSAMP scholar as well as a member of the PASS program. On the occasions that I do have free time, I enjoy reading, singing, knitting, spending time with friends and family, and going to the gym. For me, my education is my top priority, but I also believe that a lot of the learning that takes place in college happens outside of the classroom. Thus, I am open to experiencing new things and finding ways to challenge myself academically and professionally.

I am the one on the far right (in the Ohio State sweatshirt).