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Enneagram Personality Test

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I took the Enneagram Personality test and discovered I am a type six, the loyalist. Type six is defined as committed and security oriented, responsible and anxious.

While reading through the qualities of type six, I found it is very accurate for myself.  They think and worry a lot, and struggle with self doubt and fear of abandonment.  However, they are very loyal to their friends or beliefs that they hold. Although sometimes they can become overly reliant on friends or others to make decisions.

I identify with many of the qualities of a type six level 5. This involved being indecisive and procrastinating.  They also have anxiety and internal confusion that causes them to be read with mixed signals.  To advance through the levels, the biggest challenge for sixes is to gain confidence and create stability. It is hard for type six to form strong beliefs or convictions, as they are very indecisive, yet they crave stability.  To feel more secure, sixes must invest time and energy in to things they believe in and can be stable in their life.  This could be people, faiths, or movements. A six at their best is self-affirming and trusting of themself and others. They have gained independence and a belief in themself.

I can apply this at OSU by committing to things I believe in, and following through with the commitment.  This can involve joining clubs or organizations and staying active in them throughout the whole year or over many years.  I am also prone to make friends through proximity and not maintain ongoing friendships.  At OSU I want to work intentionally to maintain relationships with people throughout my years there to be able to built trust and stable relationships.

Columbus to-do List

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Visiting the Short North

Jeni’s Ice Cream

 

I finally got to try Jeni’s ice cream after hearing so many wonderful reviews about it.  I loved the wide variety of flavors they offered.  After many samples I chose wild berry lavender, but I will definitely be back to try more.  Jeni’s is in the short north on high street and it’s easily accessible on the bus, which motivated us to get there for ice cream even on a cold November afternoon.

Something that impressed me about Jeni’s was their commitment to sustainability. All of the testing spoons were metal and reusable, and bowl, spoons, and napkins were all compostable.  They also offered a wide variety of vegan options.  It is rare to see restaurants that provide specifically vegan options, and Jeni’s goes above and beyond that by offering a selection of choices.

I learned they offer free ice cream on your birthday! Unfortunately I was there the day before my birthday, but it would be a good deal to take advantage of.  The prices were reasonable, especially for the quality they provide.

I plan to be back and I would highly recommend it to a friend.  It is a business founded in Columbus, so it seems like a great place to bring family or friends visiting.

Clintonville Thrift Stores

I spent a day in Clintonville north on High street.  I was surprised by the number of thrift and antique stores in such a small area.  My favorite was the Antique Mall.  This “mall” hosted a variety of different vendors that curated all different types of antique goods.  The building has three levels filled with millions of things including my new winter coat and a human skull.

A block down is the famous thrift store Rag-O-Rama.  They had a wide selection of used clothes, shoes, and accessories, including some which were donated new.  Because of the huge inventory, the store felt disorganized and cramped.  It was one of my least favorites because of the time and energy required to find something nice.

The “Timporium” was also a quality shop.  Here the focus was more on antique goods rather than clothes.  Like many antique stores Tim had bins of records and stacks of books as well as tons of other trinkets and objects.  Here I found a 1926 Ohio State yearbook that featured many people who’s names I now recognize on buildings around campus.

Alumni Interview

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I interviewed Sydney Stobart, who graduated with a B.S. in Environmental Policy and Decision-Making with a specialization in Communication and Behavior-Change. She is currently a Global Sustainability Associate at LyondellBasell, helping the company achieve its sustainability goals.  At Ohio State she was part of the ENR Leadership Council, Mentor Council, and served as Co-Chair for a year.  Outside of ENR Scholars, she was involved in intramural sports, Students for Recycling, the OWL Program, Buckeyethon, and College Mentors for Kids.  Throughout her responses she emphasized exploring new things and taking advantages of opportunities presented.  At OSU she had and internship with the U.S. Senate and a job in the SENR office.

 

In and out of school, she emphasized the importance of networking.  She recommended attending professional network events and introducing yourself when meeting new people or listening to guest speakers. In business, making relationships with people at work, including those who you do not typically work with and who may have a completely different job, can help in having contacts when you have questions, and can help you learn more about your company.  She also gave good advice on specific things to include in a resume and ways to prepare for a job interview.

 

I want to use my time at OSU to practice my professional communication skills in a low-pressure environment. No matter what job you have, communicating is always going to be a factor, and those are skills I believe I can improve on.  Additionally, networking with teachers to make connections and have a future reference is a good way to take advantage of my time at OSU.

Columbus To-Do List

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Coffee and Tea List

I chose this list because I love spending time in cafes and I can multitask by studying in new locations while completing the list.  I am most excited to visit Mission Coffee because it is located in the Short North, which I have been looking forward to exploring since I got to campus.  I hope that completing this list will make me more comfortable leaving campus and encourage me to go new places.

Kate Kerouac

I have already visited Kafe Kerouac multiple times, and I will definitely be there again. It is a small cafe and bar located on High Street, which means it has a fun atmosphere and is always open late.  They offer a wide variety of specialty coffees, all named after famous authors.  You can get any coffee or tea you could want, and the multitasking barista/bartenders are usually having a great time.  They also sell a variety of baked goods. The cafe also sells used books, records, and local publications. They have a multitude of board games for guests to use along with crayons and coloring books.

The main room of the cafe is filled with mismatched comfortable seating, and the secondary room has walls of books and additional tables and chairs.  However the first time I visited, all of the tables in the second room were put away to make room for the live music performance, which was a nice surprise addition to our visit.  They often host small concerts, open mic, poetry nights, and improv.

I have already brought friends to visit Kafe Kerouac and I would definitely recommend it as a place to study, talk with friends, or enjoy local art.

 

 

Year in Review

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Over the course of this year, the design studio classes have taught me the most and changed the way I approach work. Throughout the class, we learned how to develop a concept behind a design. This changed my approach, from simply completing an assignment, to thinking through the purpose behind it. This not only helps create better and more cohesive designs, but can translate well in to many other areas. I was able to use this to develop branding and messaging for a club I’m involved in.  Creating concept and intention behind any sort of creative project helps guide the decisions and create better work.

Out of the classroom, I have learned the most about trying to balance each day. It was a big adjustment to have full control over everything and not have family obligations. I found ways to add things in to my day to makes things new and exciting. Just simple things like getting a new type of coffee or walking to class a different way. I find I usually stick to routines or the things I know, so it was helpful to work against that. This helped repetitive days feel more exciting and helped me to find new things around campus that I enjoyed.

Living with so many people helped me discover how important quiet time to myself is. I often found myself staying up late so I would be the only one up and could have a room to myself. This was probably the toughest adjustment when moving in to school. I learned how to make time for myself during the day and find quiet spaces to relax. I started running which was a great way for me to create time for just myself. I had never had to intentionally create that space for myself before, but this year made me realize how important that is.

One of my favorite memories from this last year was attending a music festival with three friends. We got a flyer from someone at the involvement fair for a small weekend music festival about an hour away form campus.  It was so soon into the semester I didn’t know anybody very well, but I had met a few other people that were excited to go.  There were no more then 100 people there, most everyone was friends of the performers.  We forgot the tent so we had to sleep in the car, but there were hiking trails and great music. It was a super chaotic even but I had a great time and and the people I went with are some of my closest friends from school now.

Next year I am looking forward to pursuing the connections I made last year. It took me a while to meet people and join clubs, so I am excited to do more with these connections I had made. I found some great organizations to get involved in next year. I enjoyed my first year at OSU and I am looking forward to another!

 

G.O.A.L.S.

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[ “G.O.A.L.S.” is a place where students write about how their planned, current, and future activities may fit into the Honors & Scholars G.O.A.L.S.: Global Awareness, Original Inquiry, Academic Enrichment, Leadership Development, and Service Engagement. For more guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. Delete these instructions and add your own post.

  • Global Awareness: Students cultivate and develop their appreciation for diversity and each individual’s unique differences. For example, consider course work, study abroad, involvement in cultural organizations or activities, etc.
  • Original Inquiry: Honors & Scholars students understand the research process by engaging in experiences ranging from in-class scholarly endeavors to creative inquiry projects to independent experiences with top researchers across campus and in the global community. For example, consider research, creative productions or performances, advanced course work, etc.
  • Academic Enrichment: Honors & Scholars students pursue academic excellence through rigorous curricular experiences beyond the university norm both in and out of the classroom.
  • Leadership Development: Honors & Scholars students develop leadership skills that can be demonstrated in the classroom, in the community, in their co-curricular activities, and in their future roles in society.
  • Service Engagement: Honors & Scholars students commit to service to the community.]

Career Plan

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Job Posting Here

The job listing I found is for the Director of Inclusive Design and Accessibility at Microsoft.  This position is to lead a team of Inclusive Design experts to focus the design process on accessibility for those among the spectrum of disabilities.

While at some point in my career I may choose to lead a creative team, I am currently more interested in being one of the designers on this team.  However, this job posting is interesting to me because it mentions the existence of the Inclusive Design expert position, which is exactly what I hope to specialize in.  It motivates me to see that a top tech company has adopted this position, and I hope it serves as an example for other companies to ensure the needs of their users with disabilities are being considered.

This job, as Director of Inclusive Design, requires significant experience in a few areas.  The top priority is experience designing and shipping software. I am currently in the pre-design program, and upon my acceptance to the program I will graduate with a degree in either Industrial or Visual Communication Design.  This job would align best with a visual communications major with some additional software experience.  Another listed requirement is experience with visual interaction or product design, which aligns with an industrial design major.  Based on this I believe either major would adequately prepare me for this job, and the key requirement is gaining the correct experience.  The final qualification is experience in accessibility and inclusive design applications.  I am pursuing a minor in Disability Studies and currently seeking internships in the field.  I hope to apply the idea of accessibility in everything I design, and ideally find a position like this one that specifically considers accessibility.

Artifacts

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[Artifacts are the items you consider to be representative of your academic interests and achievements. For each entry, include both an artifact and a detailed annotation.  An annotation includes both a description of the artifact and a reflection on why it is important to you, what you learned, and what it means for your next steps.  For more guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

About Me

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I’m Mackenzie Russ, and I’m from West Dundee, Illinois. In high school I spent most of my time being involved in student government, music, and working various jobs. I’m currently in the Design foundations program, hoping to get my major in Industrial Design. Throughout school I was most interested in math and computer classes, so I originally applied to OSU as an engineering major. However, I realized that I wanted to continue my passion for art and work in a more creative field, so from there I chose Industrial Design. I am also pursuing a minor in Disability studies. By combining these I would like to work in the field of Universal Design, creating accessible equipment for people with different abilities. I have also considered continuing in school to get a degree in occupational therapy, but all of those plans may change in the future.

I have always loved spending time outdoors doing things such as hiking, yoga, and photography. Some of my favorite experiences have been hiking in the Olympic National Park and in the Smokey Mountains. I became more interested in the environment during senior year of high school when I took an Environmental Science course and learned details about large-scale environmental issue. This also gave me my first hands-on experiences with organic farms, composting, and environmental advocacy. I specifically liked learning about sustainable systems and making positive environmental change in the community. I joined ENR scholars because I want to continue this interest into college, even though I’m not studying an environmental discipline.