20-21 End of Year Reflection

March 2021 Monthly Reflection

Although we technically skipped a month, I guess that February is short enough of a month that we can get away with it. In reflection of this last month, it has probably been the roughest of months that I have had here at OSU, but I am still hanging in there! Starting from the top, one interesting thing that I have learned about simulations in SolidWorks (the CAD software that OSU uses). Thus far, we have done stress/strain/displacement tests, fluid dynamics tests, and will eventually be doing a drop test for a part that I drew on the software. I have previously worked with a CAD software known as Inventor, although I had never gotten the chance to explore the simulations side of things. Something that I have learned about myself is that I really do not enjoy the random General Educations credits. I have enjoyed those that are at least somewhat related to my major, but there are some classes that are completely unrelated to my career and future. This is not what makes them unenjoyable though. They become unenjoyable when an instructor believes that their class is more important than it really is. I am not going to list the name of the course or the instructor, although they definitely expect us to do more credit hours worth of work than their GE credit class is listed as. Although, this month has also come with it’s struggles, in which I have found myself stressing a lot about school work and grades. While my grades are not particularly bad, I have a fairly high standard for what I want to achieve, and I get down on myself when I do not reach them, although I just need to realize that I am still doing well. Something that I have achieved this month is that I have gotten some pretty great test scores in the classes that haven’t been giving me some sort of trouble.  I have pretty high A’s in them, and even have a 100% in ENR 1150! So while this semester has been hard (especially in the last month), I believe that I will make it through, and it definitely could have been a lot worse of a month.

Career Plan | 02/22/2021

After some searching, I have found a position in Cleveland, Ohio that seemed to catch my interest. With the position titled as a Materials Science Engineer (my intended major), HX5 is looking to hire someone, “…In Support Of The GEARS Contract At NASA Glenn Research Center.” I feel as if this would be a great position for me, simply because it has a lot of the features that I was looking for in a company. To start, I have always had interest in research and design, which seems to be incorporated with this position.  I have also had interest in aerospace engineering before, as well as interest in weaponry advancements. This position has the best of both worlds, with, “…engineering, research and development, and technical services to clients such as NASA and the Department of Defense.” The requirements for this job are nothing short of extensive, with knowledge on how to operate advanced pieces of technology such as electron optic technology, and optical microscopy. There would also be a requirement in terms of operating equipment in the laboratory, which would also require knowing and following laboratory procedures (reports, housekeeping, etc.). Thee last two requirements are physical expectations, although I believe I would not have any trouble with them. While these are the required areas for the position, they also have other desired skills that would help with the job. These include utilizing the programming software MATLAB in order to conduct various tests as well as record them, and laboratory safety procedures. The last component is being capable of working in a team or working alone, which I am perfectly capable of. In terms of education, they are looking for anyone with a Bachelors degree or a Master’s degree. I plan on going to get my Master’s, in which that would help me to get this position. I have a fairly extensive to do list on this position. To start, going on to get my Master’s would help a lot, because it would allow me to get experience in everything I need for the position- lab work, utilizing advanced technology, etc.. I would also need to utilize internship positions and classes at Ohio State (or wherever I choose to go for my Master’s) in order to pick up essential skills for this job. Now, my plan to do all this is to properly utilize all my resources, whether that e research at the university, certain classes, or picking up valuable internship opportunities. I will use my time wisely, in order to get as much done as I can in order to better myself to fit whatever position my heart desires, whether that be this one, or any other. Just looking at jobs has gotten me exited for the job hunt, and I am ever so ready to prepare for and take on the challenge.

January 2021 Monthly Reflection

After a messy start to my second semester, things are finally in order and going well! I’ve started to pick up on some more interesting classes as well as some interesting topics, one including Coulomb’s Law in my Physics 1251 class. I find it quite interesting how the use of different charges can result in such large amounts of force, and gives me curiosity for how else these principles can be used in the real world. To add to that, calculus is finally being used in my calculus-based physics class (Physics 1250 was supposed to use calculus, although I don’t believe we really ever touched it. This came at quite the disappointment, because the reason my CCP credit didn’t cover physics was because it was algebra-based physics). What this month has taught me about myself was that I was very well prepared for my ENGR 1182 course, thanks to classes that I took in high school.  As of right now, we are working on different sketching strategies and will be using SolidWorks to draw 3D objects- I learned to draw all the sketches we are currently drawing my freshman year of high school in a CCP class, as well as learned to use Autodesk Inventor (A different CAD (Computer Aided Design) program), and had sharpened my skills in Inventor throughout high school, to the point where I was fairly advanced in the program. Although, this semester has definitely had its’ struggles, and the largest was scheduling issues. I ran into some trouble with a class, and when I reached out to my academic advisor, I received little to no help as well as rude replies. Thankfully, I got the situation figured out, and got the classes set up as I needed. In terms of what I have achieved, I have done very nicely in terms of my organization for my classes and keeping on track this semester, while keeping a job (for the two weeks that I was home). In all, I feel very ready and excited for this semester, so Go Bucks!

AU20 Semester Reflection

This has been possibly the craziest year of schooling for me. From choosing a college, to all of a sudden finishing my first semester of college, it has been quite a ride. To start, it was quite an adaptation, although not one I couldn’t handle. It is the first time that I have, “lived on my own,” surrounded by new faces and new people. Not to mention that this is the first ever semester that I have spent online. In fact, I only attended 2 in person classes this entire semester, on a campus that is a few hundred times the size of my high school. Thankfully, I believe that I have handled the transition extremely well. Currently, I am on track for a 3.7 to 4.0 GPA for this semester, something that I am very proud of. I have met many new friends, and gotten to know some great people this semester, and even gotten to watch more soccer than I have ever before. I really enjoy the freedom that I have gained with this semester. I have the time to choose if and when I want to do something, and where to go, what to eat, and simply just how to spend my time. I love all the available recreations facilities, restaurants, and stores that are just a short walk away. It may not have been the perfect or most ideal first semester of college, although I believe that it definitely was a memory filled semester. It did come with its’ struggles though, and perhaps one of the greatest struggles (excluding anything COVID related) was the class set ups, specifically my physics class. While I understand that it is an extreme challenge to modify the class to suffice for what the COVID situation demanded, it was possible one of the worst classes I have ever taken. This was not the professors or teacher’s assistant’s fault of course, because they did a fine job. It was simply the class structure and assignments that I feel were extremely poorly set up. I feel as if the class was taught in a different manner, with different forms of applications it would have been a lot better. Other than that, I definitely struggled with getting out more. Activities are a lot more limited with the COVID restrictions, and it made for a lot less to do outside of the dorm. I originally planned to participate in a lot of the ENR activities as well as play intermural sports (specifically soccer), although the majority of the events (including all intermural sports) were canceled. Although, I plan to do a lot more in this coming spring semester. One thing I achieved this semester was some super test scores in my classes. I would say I averaged around a 93%-95% across the board for midterms in all my classes, which felt really great. That alongside making new friends and learning a ton of new material really made for a good semester. The biggest goals I have for myself next semester are to continue my GPA streak (I am aiming for 3.8-4.0), as well as to be more active and stay in shape. Overall, I was very happy with this semester, and look forward to what is to come!

Alumni Interview Reflection

The ENR Scholars Alumni I chose to interview is Jake Shaw. Jake is from LaGrange Ohio, which is a small town near Cleveland. At OSU, he got his Bachelor’s in Molecular Genetics with a minor in Evolution and Ecology. Since graduation, he has worked for two biotech companies. The first he worked at was called bioWorld out of Dublin, Ohio. He worked as a research associate in the glycobiology division of the company. From there, he moved to a company called Discovery Life Sciences, which provides FFPE services to researchers. He is currently a project associate there, where he helps manage their projects and fulfill the requested services.

The interview that I had with Jake was extremely rich with valuable information and strategies for me to utilize in my time here at OSU. To start, I learned quite a bit about the benefits that come with not only ENR, but involvement with many of the other clubs. This year with COVID may have severely cut down on ENR’s involvement opportunities, but that does not mean that there won’t be any in the coming semesters. The events that I have been able to attend this semester have been phenomenal, and what I have learned from Jake gives them further promise of memories for a lifetime. Drawing from the interview, these ENR events not only provide for great interaction with people of similar interests but can be the place for lifelong friends to meet. The environmental interaction the students receive via ENR can be eye opening as well, helping with the student’s professional career as well as resumes. Jake also encouraged me to join other clubs and programs, one of which was known as STEP, a program that assisted with requesting for grants as well as financial assistance in college.

Another topic that Jake elaborated on was tips for being in college. One of the things that he praised was the decision to take a minor. Sometimes, the courses in the major become hard and stressful, and it is good to have another class that I can go to help take away from the core classes. One of the biggest tips he gave was to be sure to give myself breaks. He said to go for a walk, grab some food, and come back once my mind was relaxed and refreshed, because that would help me tons to stay focused and reduce stress.

In terms of the professional world, his first tip was to keep my search for a job broad. It can sometimes be difficult to find a position if the criteria are too specific. Essentially, don’t spend too much time looking for the, “perfect job.” He said to utilize the time to gain skills through other jobs until I find the one for me. If I can’t find the job that takes into all my interests, Jake suggested using my hobbies to help fill in the gaps. For interviews, the biggest point made is to keep confidence, and prepare as much as possible. Prepare questions for the job and prepare answers for questions they may ask about me. A suggestion that I found rather interesting was to have one thing prepared to break the tension for myself. The way Jake explained it can only be restated with itself: “I had planned on wearing dinosaur dress socks to my interview, but a very smart friend talked me out of it. Still whenever I was stressed before or during the interview, I thought of the idea of me wearing those socks to a professional interview and it was enough for me to relax and come across as a confident job candidate rather than stressed and scared.” The last piece of advice Jake gave was to keep my workspace clean- it’s an unsaid rule which pays of greatly in the end.

So, in all, there’s a lot for me to pull from this interview. In terms of my time at Ohio State, I will most definitely look into joining various clubs for not only my enjoyment, but for the knowledge and opportunities they have to offer. STEP sounds like a great program, so I may look into that more as the year goes on. I will also plan to utilize the break strategies that Jake suggested, whether it be a walk, or looking at a different class. I also look forward to more opportunities through ENR- I already love the program, and just cannot wait to meet more people and get closer to those in the program. I will also take a lot from Jake’s suggestions in the professional world. I will now make a broader search for a job just to gain the valuable experience that comes with it, as well as integrate a lot of my interests through hobbies. I plan to use the interview strategies as well, as I really liked the tension breaker strategy, and the preparation tips. I believe that the clean workspace is a tip that we all can draw from, because we are all guilty of being a bit messy at times. But in all, this interview with Mr. Shaw was ever so valuable to me, as I have gained tons of knowledge on how to utilize my time here at OSU. All I can say is I am extremely excited for the future and Go Bucks!

October 2020 Monthly Reflection

This month was another great month here at Ohio State. Even though the weather has been in decline, and midterm season has been in full swing, there has been plenty to take away from this month. One thing that I have learned about in class is the different effects of shape, amount, and orientation of blades on a fan in my Fundamentals of Engineering class (ENGR 1181.01). We are currently learning about aerospace engineering and using windmills to do so. There is a principle of diminishing returns when it comes to blades on the windmill- so what that means is that while more blades may produce more power, it doesn’t mean that adding more blades is worth it. There is an economic, efficiency and environmental concern for every extra component added, so once more blades are added, eventually the costs outweigh the benefit. Anything from material, to curvature, to the angle of the blade can affect the results, so it is very interesting to see how all these components come together. This month has also taught me more about myself, specifically that I really love to watch soccer. I have been watching soccer more than ever, in both the Champions League as well as the English Premiere League. I have been using it as a mental break, as well as just something I enjoy, and I never thought that I would be watching so much. Something that I have struggled with this month is my Physics 1250 class. With COVID-19 and other combined factors, the class is very poorly set up. The majority of students are struggling in the class, and although I am sitting right around an A, the class could just be doing so much better of a job to help the students out. In terms of my achievements, I have done very well on my first midterms, averaging around 90% on every midterm, which has been a huge help to my grades as well as my confidence. In all, October ha been a great and lesson rich month, and I can only look forward to what is to come in the next few years here at OSU!

September 2020 Monthly Reflection

This month at OSU has really been an information rich experience for me, especially since this is my first few weeks as a freshman. I have learned about various topics in the classes I am taking, but one of the most interesting things that I have learned about is the progress of bioethics within human subject research. From the Declaration of Helsinki, to the Belmont Report, it has been quite interesting to learn about how we have progressed ethically and morally as a race. Throughout my classes, I have learned that I do well at keeping myself organized, while also maintaining a large work load. A 17 credit hour work load is no joke, but I believe that I have done a really good job of keeping myself in line, organized, and responsible. Although, I have had my struggles. One of the struggles I have experienced in this first month is midterms. In comparison to high school, there were no large grades that your class grade deeply depended on- and now the midterms in college can be worth up tp 30% of your grade. So I have been slightly stressed about doing well on all my midterms, but it may be doing more good then I realize, because it gives me more motivation to not just study, but practice and learn more about the selective topic. I have had some victories as well in this month, one of which was acing my Math 1172 midterm. While it doesn’t exactly count as a midterm because I have a, “midterm” every two weeks in that class, it was still great to get a 100% on my first, “major” test. Another victory I have had this month was volunteering to mulch a playground with the Environmental and Natural Resource Scholars, it was a great project to be a part of, and we made the playground look beautiful. In all, September has been a great month.