I really enjoyed my junior year! Headlines are in bold below.
Completed my Honors Undergraduate Research Thesis.
Junior year, I finished my thesis work, which was the culmination of two years of hard work. Since the end of my freshman year, I have been working on research relating to the long-term mental health correlates (specifically, anxiety and depression) of early failure experiences. I hypothesized that there would failure would be negatively correlated with depression and anxiety, and that this relationship would be mediated by fear of failure. My thinking was that those who experience and surmount failure at a young age may teach individuals that failure is simply a part of life, which could decrease levels of fear of failure and perfectionism, and thus lead to better mental health outcomes. While the results were not so clear-cut, I learned a lot about clinical psychology, the research process, and what research as a career could be like through this project. This would not have been possible without such an incredible team. I was fortunate enough to work with Dr. Jennifer Cheavens as my advisor and Whitney Allen, a clinical psychology graduate student, as a partner. The thesis is posted in the artifacts section, if you want to check out the study!
Finished up my neuroscience major!
I reached a huge milestone junior year- I finished up all of my neuroscience classes for my major! My major was not only valuable because of what I learned about the nervous system and its importance, but also because of the incredible “soft skills” I learned throughout, such as how to study effectively, how to process large amounts of information, how to break down complex topics into understandable chunks and work up. I am so grateful for the opportunities that being a neuroscience major brought me, and am proud to have completed my major courses.
Competed with the Ohio State Mock Trial Team
Through the first semester of Junior year, I competed with the Ohio State Mock Trial team for my third season. I was able to engage with complex case material, practice public speaking and persuasive rhetoric, and apply the Federal Rules of Evidence in a high-pressure environment. I even got to deliver closing arguments on behalf of my team, which was a goal I worked towards for several seasons.
Overall, I had a great year, and look forward to what senior year has in store!