Finally Figuring It Out

My first semester experience as an Ohio State student has been a learning experience. It’s crazy to think that I’ve moved to a new city, met some amazing people, and have completely changed as a person in only a few short months. I’ve seen myself develop into the person I’ve dreamt myself becoming as a child, and I’m proud of that. Two weeks before school started, I had every intention on becoming an actuarial science major. I was and still am interested in pursing a career in the insurance industry, but after my internship this summer, I knew that I had to diversify my skill set and pursue something that would further intellectually stimulate me. I chose to switch my major on the whim to Business Administration with a specialization in Finance, not exactly certain what the major was about but interested in the general idea of it. I came in feeling very uncertain if I was making the right decision, so I immediately reached out to ones I thought could help.

One day in the beginning of the semester, I walked in to the Fisher Leadership and Engagement Office and was greeted with open arms. I was brought into the Director of the Leadership and Engagement individual office and met the most impactful lady I’ve encountered on campus so far; Lorraine Pennyman. Her office door was open and she took the time to introduce herself to me and helped me navigate through the business school and discussed ways for me to get involved. We exchanged contact information and now we regularly meet with each other to catch up on each other’s lives and little things I can do to get involved. Meeting Pennyman was by far the best thing that has happened to me as a Fisher student. She has made me feel more confident in my major and helped me decide on a minor to complement my studies and my interests. She has helped me find organizations that I’m passionate about pursing for the rest of my 4 years in college. She has made me feel like there’s someone I can turn to when there are things I’m struggling with but don’t necessarily know how to address. With her help, I’ve developed my mindset, personal, and career values. I feel more confident continuing as a better student and person knowing that I have someone to turn to in times of need.

(Inserted is my original and new schedule, helped created my none the other, Lorraine Pennyman).

Salsa the Stress Away.

My experience at Ohio State has been a blast so far. There are so many things I’ve done that I haven’t realized that have had such an impact on me. One of them was very unexpected. I attended a First Year Success Series Workshop, required by my Business Survey course. I wanted to choose one that seemed interesting and out of my comfort zone, so I chose “Dance it Off: Mindfulness of the Body.” I learned about mindfulness during this session and how to use dance as a mechanism to combat stress.

We learned about being open, curious, and non-judgmental towards new experiences. The way we implemented these lessons was through a dance lesson. We paired off with other students in the workshop and learned salsa moves. This event was important to me because I can easily implement these life lessons in my current life if I remain mindful of my actions and thoughts. Being mindful is extremely important, especially being in the position that I am. As first year student, I need to be able to try new experiences like this workshop and take it with open arms. I’ll most likely remember the new friend I made during this seminar. We switched dance partners every couple of minutes and I quickly learned that I clicked better with some people rather than others, and I can simply carry that onto my personal life when I interact with others. My new friend and I were able to relate to each other quicker and in turn, be able to dance together in sync.

In dancing and in life, it’s important to be able to focus on your progress and no one else’s. Focusing on my personal success and not others helps me grow as a person. This experience pushed me out of my comfort zone like I expected it would. It also taught me new ways to become mindful with my body. I feel as if I occasionally get lost in my thoughts and don’t know adaptive ways to deals with my stress. Taking this workshop not only taught me about ways to become more mindful, but implement it through dance.

I demonstrated an interest in trying new things, which lead to an overall positive impactful experience. Now, I feel as if I’m more open and curious about the world around me, and I try to see it in multiple perspectives. This workshop has helped me become a more understanding and self-focused person, and I hope to carry these mindfulness techniques in all aspects of my life. I advise others to try new experiences because you never know what the outcome could be. I feel like attending this workshop was a great experience and I advise others to do the same, if they have the time.

A Break Away from Reality

During the final first week of classes, I had the opportunity to attend one of the best and largest music festivals in Columbus called Breakaway. Breakaway was honestly a “break away” from school and just a weekend filled with live music from some of my favorite artists, vendors, and food trucks to make the experience an unforgettable one.

This event was so important to me because I got to spend time with my new friends in college, but I was lucky enough for my friends back in my hometown to drive up for the weekend and spend time with me, as well. Music festivals are something that everyone has to experience at least once in their lifetimes. Everytime I’m at a music festivals, I can feel positive, loving energy being radiated off of everyone. Every time I leave a festival, I’m engulfed in a new sense of well being. I feel like I become a changed person and gain a new outlook on life.

Some of my favorite artists performed on the stages that weekend, including Halsey, Khalid, and Odesza. I won’t ever forget is the performance of these live artists. You can see when an artist is invested in their line of work. Regardless of people are fans of the music or not, one thing that can be agreed on is how well that artist performed that night. The reason why the artists I listed are some of my favorite is because how much time, energy, and effort they put in to their work and their commitment to delivering a show for everyone to enjoy. Halsey highlights the importance of LGBTQ+ rights in her performances and creates a safe space for individuals apart of the community and allies to celebrate themselves  Khalid focuses on becoming a distraction from everyday life, but also highlights the importance of self-care at the end of the day. Odesza is a EDM band, but radiates positive vibes throughout the entire set list to make the crowd all be able to enjoy the music with one another.

Experiences outside of the realm of Ohio State and outside the realm of my major allows me to connect with others one a more personable level. I got the chance to meet new people and expand my circle to people I never thought I’d be able to connect with. Music is such a big part of my life, so being able to diversify my experiences in an area that I’m interested in allows me to highlight apart of my personality that can’t be expressed on my resume. Through this experience, I was able to connect with apart of myself that is so important to me. After Breakaway, I gained a new sense of appreciation for my life and the ones who surround me. Life is so limited and it’s so easy to get wrapped up in the day to day tasks and activities, but it’s so important to take some time out of our busy schedules and do the things we love.

Year in Review

[ “Year in Review”  is where you should reflect on the past year and show how you have evolved as a person and as a student.  You may want to focus on your growth in a particular area (as a leader, scholar, researcher, etc.) or you may want to talk about your overall experience over the past year.  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.]

G.O.A.L.S.

[ “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

[“Career” is where you can collect information about your experiences and skills that will apply to your future career.  Like your resume, this is information that will evolve over time and should be continually updated.  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.]

Artifacts

[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

Hi, my name is Saba Setegn and I’m currently a freshman Finance major here at The Ohio State University. I’ve always been a really analytical person, so I’m interested in a career where my problem solving skills would be tested everyday. I want to help other people out in the best way I can so I want to go into some sort of career involved in consulting because I feel like I would be mentally stimulated by the work I would have to do everyday. I’m interested in the Mathematics portion of STEM because I love the idea of having to solve a problem with a definite solution. The opportunities provided by this program is what drew me to become a STEM EE Scholar. Being apart of the Scholars community provides a vast network of other scholars that I can connect with and network with to help further advance my personal and career goals. I like to think holistically, so I have goals for myself to improve my personal, professional, and physical life. Personally, I would like to develop more time management skills. Professionally, I want to improve upon my network and communication skills. Lastly, I want to be more physically active everyday. Hopefully, by the end of the semester, I will learn how to balance all these portions of my life to become a better version of myself! Hopefully, you learned a little bit more about me and I’m ready to track my journey as a first year college student!