STEP Post Reflection

For my STEP project, I chose to complete a study abroad program in Copenhagen, Denmark through DIS. I took a class called the Cognitive Neuroscience of Consciousness, which was mainly about different theories of consciousness and how they relate to the brain and society as a whole.

I am a neuroscience major because I love learning about how one’s brain works physically and how different neurons physically interact with each other during different events or with different diseases. However, this neuroscience class had little to do with the physical brain and more about the abstract mind. It took me a little by surprise at the beginning of the course because I was so used to learning about concrete ideas of neuroscience, but this class was the complete opposite. I enjoyed learning about a different aspect of neuroscience, and I think that this class will help me be more open-minded and knowledgeable during my other classes at Ohio State. This program has also transformed how I think about neuroscience because I received the education from people who do not have the same background as me. I think it is super important to learn from people who have had different experiences from me because they can add a unique perspective on neuroscience and the world as a whole. My mindset and thoughts about neuroscience has been transformed for the better and has allowed me to become more knowledgeable about the topic. 

One relationship that has led to my thoughts changing about neuroscience is the professor that I had for this course. She was a fantastic teacher, and she taught me so much about neuroscience but also about life in general. She was born in Italy, but later moved to Copenhagen for college; I think her unique experience of living in so many different countries and learning so many languages positively impacted my learning because she was able to give examples from Denmark and Italy which allowed us to gain a more global perspective on this subject. I am extremely glad that I had such a kind and accepting woman as my professor, and I will always remember her positive impact on me. 

While on this study abroad program, my class and I had the opportunity to take a week long study tour to Florence, Italy. This trip was the highlight of the program, and I had the best time learning about the history of the city and how consciousness ties into Italian culture. There were a few hiccups while on this trip, so I definitely learned how to be flexible with changing plans and learn how to make the most out of my short time there. I specifically remember one activity which was the 4 hour food tour of Italy. It was amazing to travel throughout the city with my classmates and try many culturally-significant Italian dishes, but it was also cool to tie in neuroscience into this activity. We discussed how each person had a unique experience with the food, and a lot of this could tie back to one’s past experiences. For example, I tried a dessert that tasted very similar to my late grandma’s pie, so eating that dessert triggered a certain emotional response within me that was very different then other people’s. Traveling to Italy was definitely an amazing experience, and I hope that I will get to go back to that beautiful country one day in the future. 

I also think that this project has allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and meet a ton of new people that I would normally never get the opportunity to meet. I went over to Copenhagen all alone, and I knew absolutely nobody else in the program so it was a bit nerve wracking in the beginning. I am usually a pretty outgoing person, but being in a foreign country with no one familiar can make anyone uncomfortable for a little while. In the end, I made quite a few new friends from other schools across the US and even a few that I have never met that attend OSU. This experience was a one-of-a-kind, and I believe that I was truly changed after attending this program. 

This trip has been life-altering in many ways, but I think it will particularly be useful in my future life as a physician. As a doctor, I need to be able to empathize with people who have different backgrounds and cultures from me; I also need to be able to be flexible when something goes wrong or the plan changes drastically. I also know that I will be taking care of people who it may be hard to communicate with due to a language barrier, and this experience has made me learn how to communicate in other ways. This program has taught me these skills, but it has also shown me that I can do things that may be hard or uncomfortable at first. I know that the path to becoming a doctor will be very difficult with lots of bumps in the road, but I have learned that I can handle a lot that is thrown at me and it will all be worth it in the end. Photo Photo (1)

1.

My STEP signature project was a summer study abroad semester. It was a 6-week program located in Florence, Italy. I was able to take two classes for a total of six credits through ISI Florence. This experience was not only educational but also personally fulfilling. I was able to take courses that were in a different environment than I would get at Ohio State while also living a different lifestyle than I would in the United States. Being able to learn and travel was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever participated in. On weekends I was able to travel to other places within Italy, as well as outside of Italy. The two classes I took also allowed me to take field trips within class time and learn things from a person who is native to the area in which I was studying. Overall, this experience was extremely rewarding and I was very lucky to have participated in STEP to make it even better. 

2.

Going into this project I was a little bit nervous about adjusting to a new environment. Having not been my first time in Italy, I had an idea of what I was getting into, but traveling for 1 week with your family is much different than almost moving to another country for 2 months. In Florence, I was sharing an apartment with 6 other girls from all different schools. When I went into this project I didn’t know of anyone else going and that changed the way I went about this trip. It allowed me to be more open and experience things I may not have had if I came into the project knowing someone. It was a little scary at times, but once I got adjusted it felt right. I had previously studied Italian for 5 years prior to this trip so it was important to understand the lifestyle and cultural differences between those in Europe versus those in the United States.  

It sounds so cliche to say that a short trip like this could change a person, but it is truly an eye-opener to experience living in a completely different manner. My view of the world now is slightly different from how I had viewed it before and is also different from how my friends from abroad may view it as well. Understanding the Italian language and culture was definitely a big help when going on this trip. I was able to exercise my skills and also help others which was extremely rewarding. I enjoyed being able to communicate well with the people I was surrounded with during my time abroad. I thought that I would have a hard time adjusting to my surroundings while abroad because it’s hard to adjust to new environments, especially when doing it by yourself. In the beginning, it was hard to put myself out there and try to make meaningful relationships with those around me but that was quick to change. I was able to make friends with those who lived there but also people who were studying just like me. I ended up starting to make friends everywhere I went because I was able to open up to the people I was meeting. Once I realized everyone is in the same boat it was much easier to open up and make connections. 

3.

I was able to build many relationships in such a short period of time. First, my classes led me to make meaningful relationships with my other peers as well as my professors. While taking two classes I was able to connect with my professors working in such a small environment. Our classes only had about nine to twelve students making it easy to build connections. Throughout the six-week course, we went on many excursions to places all around Florence, businesses, markets, cooking classes, and more. Some of my most memorable moments from this trip were made within the classes and the trips we took within them. I was able to learn a lot about topics that I wouldn’t have specialized in at Ohio State. This program gave me the opportunity to branch out of my comfort zone and try other classes. I took a marketing class that I thoroughly enjoyed because not only was it engaging but I could use a lot of the information in my real life. My other was a history class about Florence. In this class, we would take a field trip every day to a place that was meaningful to our lesson. It was nice to be able to experience the things we were learning while I was just walking around the city. It was amazing to understand and experience the history of someone who was living there, even if it was for a short period of time.

Some events that were the most memorable were the little meaningful moments I got to spend with my friends. I was able to make an amazing group of friends who changed the entire experience abroad for me. They allowed me to feel at home in another country. Although we were not all from Ohio State it just enhanced the experience even more. Being able to make friends in such a short period of time was amazing. I had the opportunity to explore Florence and more with these girls. I can now say that they will be friends that will be in my life forever. Small trips like going to Piazzale Michelangelo or getting gelato were things that made this trip memorable but also educational. The history of the rich food and slow food movement were things we were able to explore in Florence and the importance of different cuisines in Italian culture. 

A few moments that were the most meaningful were visiting all the museums and different places around Italy. The first few days were surreal due to the fact that we were able to just walk around and explore this city. It was all about getting lost in the environment and slowly we started to know our whereabouts. It was truly rewarding to know that I grew as an individual and although it may sound stupid at times, that I was able to learn my way around a brand new city without any direction or mapping. It is a tough city to get around with all its famous small narrow streets. Passing famous landmarks likeThe Duomo and all the famous squares made it easy to learn our way around. It was also amazing to see that we were living among such rich history. When it came to traveling outside of Italy we visited places near and far. We went to the countryside, to southern Italy, to the coast, and more. All of these places were beautiful and so easy to plan, but without this trip and the flexibility of my schedule, I would have never been able to experience this. 

4.

This experience was a transformational experience for not only my academics but also for me personally. I was able to live in another country for an extended period of time by myself, which I never thought I would be comfortable doing. Although I wasn’t alone for the entire trip, I was able to push myself and be comfortable going into this alone knowing I would find my way. It was a significant trip because I felt that I was able to exercise a skill that I thought I had lost. Due to covid-19, I was unable to travel with my high school Italian class to Italy. Until taking this trip, I thought I would never be able to use what I had learned. It was rewarding to know that something I had put so much time and effort into was going to be so useful for me down the road.

Academically, I was able to adjust to a different environment and participate in classes that were out of the norm for me. I didn’t know how I would feel taking a marketing class but with the right people and the right connections, it all fell into place. I would come home every day and say I learned the coolest thing today in my class. Although the classes were three and a half hours, I never felt tired of the material or bored. Im happy to say that everything we were learning was fun and engaging. It is good to be aware that not every class is going to end up like that, but knowing that I was able to have fun while putting in much effort to do well was extremely rewarding.

For my STEP Signature Project, I studied abroad in Valencia, Spain from May 27-July 1. In Valencia, I had the opportunity to take two Spanish courses: Spanish Cinema and Spanish Culture at the Universitat de Valéncia, and live with a host family. Both of these components played major roles in my constant immersion in the language and culture from a local perspective.

Living and learning in Spain for 5 weeks greatly impacted my global understanding and personal growth. This was the first time that I traveled to Europe and to a country that spoke a different language than English, so I did not know what to expect. Through participating in traditions, trying new foods, listening to new music, and living a local everyday life, not only did I leave with significantly stronger Spanish skills, but also a bigger appreciation for the world and for all that life has to offer. Every single day I learned multiple new things and became a better version of myself.

Living with a host family definitely had the greatest impact on my transformation. Every day that I was home we had lunch together at 2 and dinner around 9, we shared jokes and memories and cultural differences, and I met a lot of their other family members. They were extremely patient with mySpanish, always speaking clearly to me and providing context as needed, and really wanted me to learn. When I got sick, they took care of me, they always wanted to hear how my day went, how my classes were going, and how my weekends away were. In such a short amount of time, they became very special people in my life that I learned a lot from, and felt fully supported by, and I am going to miss them a lot. One of the most special experiences I had was at the very end of my program when my actual family visited and was able to meet my host family. My actual family doesn’t speak any Spanish and my host family doesn’t speak English, but with me translating back and forth we were all able to have a wonderful conversation over coffee and cookies. This experience showed me not only the power of language but also how little moments can have such an impact on people.

Seeing and participating in Spanish and Valencian traditions also had a big impact on me. During my first full week in Valencia, I encountered a lot of celebrations in the streets for Corpus Christi, one of the major celebrations in Valencia. It is a week-long celebration of the Catholic church, and consists of dancing in the streets, lots of flowers, and demonstrations with large religious floats. One night when I was walking home from dinner with my friends, we were brought to a stop when we saw hundreds of people lining the streets and watching a parade of people proudly walking in traditional outfits and carrying religious relics. This experience really opened my eyes to the impact of religion on the lives of people in Spain and how it not only provides peace and culture, but also brings people together. Religion is important in the US too, but this felt like a whole different level.

Another Spanish tradition I experienced was La Noche de San Juan. In coastal cities in Spain on the night of the summer solstice, everyone goes to the beach around sunset with their friends and families. People bring grills and have dinner together, listen to music, dance, sit around bonfires, and set off fireworks. Then people write a list of things from this year they want to leave behind and throw it in the fire, and it is also very common to jump over the fire for good luck. At midnight, everyone runs into the ocean and jumps over 12 waves, making one wish with every jump. I attended this celebration with my friends, and we participated in the list-making, danced with local friends, and jumped over the waves at midnight. This was by far the most incredible large-scale event I have ever seen. I have never felt so connected to a new culture and so many people in my life. This experience taught me to have so much more appreciation for the little things in life, and that life is not always that serious. Stress should never control your life and there is always a way to let go of the past and embrace what is ahead.

In addition to major events, everyday life had a huge impact on my transformation as I learned so many little things. I learned that water and electricity is very expensive in Spain, so quick showers and minimal laundry is important, and things like AC and dryers are not very commonly used. It is instead common practice to dry clothes on the balcony and leave doors and windows open 24/7, without screens, to allow for lots of natural air. Door handles are in the middle and not to the side, they do not put ice in water and coffee, you seat yourself at restaurants, and tipping is way less common. In Valencia specifically, public transportation is cheap and very safe, and other dialects such as Valenciano and Catalan are commonly spoken. They usually do not eat breakfast, vegetables are not common, and they have a mostly carb and meat diet but their meals are lighter, and the workday is more flexible. These are just a dozen of hundreds of small things I became accustomed to along the way. All of these made me have a huge appreciation for what it means to enjoy life.

In the US there is always so much stress, tight structure, and everything is super modernized. Living in Spain taught me the importance of taking the time to nurture relationships, opportunities, food, time, and resources. It also showed me the importance of real-world experience in fully learning a language, as it is more than just vocabulary and grammar rules. I left Spain so grateful for the life I had there and for the life, I have in the US, the people that I met, and every experience and memory I encountered. I am more well-rounded, confident in my Spanish abilities, and appreciative of the world.  As I continue my time at Ohio State and hopefully go on to become a Physician Assistant, I will have a more worldly view and a stronger ability to communicate and connect with more people from more backgrounds.

My STEP signature project was a study abroad program that was a course in health sciences and instruction was taught in Copenhagen, Denmark and Berlin, Germany. The course lasted 3 weeks and time was split between in person lectures and real world application.
May views on myself and what I want from life were altered through this experience. Before this trip I had a very outlined way that I wanted my life to look school, post grad, career, marriage, kids. It was very scheduled out and honestly looking at American culture that is what is expected of you, a scheduled out work centered life. The way I planned my life was formulated that everything I did in the present would elevate me or my status in the next chapter in my life, which self enhancement is important but not when you are doing it just so only your distant future is better and not hour current day self.
But now, that is not what I want, and what brought me to that conclusion was the interactions I had with so many different types of people from all around the world. Being from America, a lot of people from Europe were just curious about what our way of life is and many were shocked when I proudly pulled out my year to year scheduled plan for life. The biggest question I was posed is: why are you so rushed for the next thing in life? That truly got me thinking and I realized that I was so hyper focused on the next goal, the next task that I do not fully enjoy the now moment no matter how mundane it might be. What about the now, why have I been neglecting the now so much.
Another experience that led to this discovery was the Danish concept of hygge. In its definition hygge is anything with the purpose of the item or activity to just be for coziness and comfortable contentment. To many Danes this is not a interior design or an aspect in a blanket they seek out. Instead, it is a way of lifestyle. To slow down and enjoy life, to seek a life of coziness. Many of this is found though time with family, self help practices, and even vacation. Hygge is not about progressing it is about taking a steep back and enjoying life.
Finally, an interaction that showed me how much I am rushing life was a conversation with one of our instructors. She is an ENT doctor, and she heavily emphasized her life as not being centered around her career and the advancement of her career but of all the opportunities and experiences she has had throughout it all. Before going to medical school, she traveled abroad with the Danish military, working in first aid and volunteering in places that needed more help. She never focused on rushing life but instead valued the opportunities in between career advancement to both do good and also create personal experiences. She was adamant that traveling, and working or volunteering while traveling, gave her the true passion to seek out medical school, and it was never school that led her straight to that path.
This transformation is significant in my life because it truly reflects in a change of viewing my life. Why be so rushed? The answer is that I shouldn’t. Time is precious and I have spent a lot of it wishing it to waste away so I can get to the next thing that I then will wish away as well. It is a big concept but one that does not change my trajectory in life just the path that I achieve it and the mindset that I hold. Even in the stress that I will have with life as I follow my career ambitions there should be pockets of time for hygge and for me and for my current happiness.

STEP Reflection  

July 28th, 2023

1) My STEP Signature Project was a study abroad project, myself and 4 other students in the Modern Greek program from Ohio State travelled to Athens to participate in THYESPA. THYESPA is a 6-week summer program for the Modern Greek language. We would attend language classes four days a week and on Thursdays we could go on excursions around Athens, we went to the National Archaeological Museum, the Acropolis and Acropolis Museum, the Ancient Agora, the Byzantine Museum, as well as three excursions outside of Athens, that being Delphi and Arachova, Mycenae, Nafplio, and Epidravos, and finally Cape Sounion.  

2) I think one of the major transformations I experienced on my trip abroad was myself. One way in which I think I truly changed during this trip was independence wise. Going abroad, and for such a long period of time, forced me to move away from my friends and family and forced me to be truly independent for the first time in my adult life. I was truly on my own taking care of myself and making decisions, true at home I can do the same thing, but I am still very close to friends and family, whilst abroad I was completely on my own. Thus, due to experiencing some true independence on my trip abroad, I feel as if I have gained new skills in communication/social skills, problem solving, and learning what it means to be truly independent.  

One of the main ways in which I saw myself change due to this forced independence was in social situations. I found myself becoming more engaged and engaging when it came to communicating with others, whether it be with the other Ohio State students on the trip or with those new students and people I met through the program and through activities/traveling we did in Greece. I found it becoming increasingly easier to communicate with people and I was able to engage with individuals I knew from home and those that I had met for the first time in a way that I had not been able to do before. I think the experience of being around a lot of people I did not know or did not know very well and being pushed out of my comfort zone really helped transform me into someone who is more confident and helped me gain better social skills, learning to communicate and work with people on a better level than I did before. I can see the effects of that transformation now that I am back home as well, I find it easier to communicate and engage with people than I found it before.  

3) I find that one of the main events that pushed this kind of transformation of myself was the fact that I was now living in an apartment in a foreign country with two people that I knew, but barely for two months. At home I was used to living in my family home or with friends, people who are easy and comfortable for me, but in this new situation I had to learn how to go out of my comfort zone and adapt so I could engage socially with my roommates.  

In addition to that, in the class room all of us from Ohio State were put into different level Greek language classes so that forced all five of us to learn to communicate with all these different kinds of people from around the world, some being easier to communicate with than others. We all had to kind of step out a little bit and engage with others.  

Traveling around Greece also helped me in my own transformative experience. I got to travel all around the country, the mainland and 10 different islands and I got to explore and live in Greek culture and meet so many new people and learn from them. One of the instances of this that stands out to me was when my roommate and I went on a day cruise to some of the nearby islands and we met two different groups of people. We met an older Isreali couple and then a group of Australians our own age. Both of these instances really put me outside of my comfort zone when it came to communicating and engaging with others, but it was incredibly valuable to my own development and transformation in this program. Engaging with these two groups of people stood out because of the kinds of converations I had with these groups and the prolonged amount of time we spent together and I would say this is one of the key points in my personal development in this trip. 

Another instance worth mentioning would be when a bunch of people we knew from OSU came to Greece and we all met up and I got to meet and engage with a bunch of people I knew before and had never met before in a new way and I think this really got me to open up and played a key role in my social journey abroad.  

4) Studying abroad and getting to meet and communicate with a bunch of different people was valuable to me and my transformation because it allowed me to open up more and make some lifelong friends that I would have not made outside of this opportunity. It also allowed me a glimpse into other peoples lives and cultures aside from those that I knew in America, giving me a better global perspective and chances for more global networking. This experience is good for me in my personal life and in the professional/academic sphere. I can bring these opportunities and experiences back to my life at home and use the lessons learned from these to be a more well rounded individual. In terms of social skills, this is very important in my personal and academic/professional life because I can see a drastic difference in myself in terms of social skills from before and after this experience. The ability to communicate and engage with people in a better fashion than I was able to before is incredibily important to me when it comes to creating and maintaining existing or new personal relationships as well as communicating myself in a professional setting, like at work, or in the classroom which was something I struggled with before. I would say so far I have noticed myself being way more confident when it comes to talking and being seen in the workplace and in the classroom as compared to before this experience. These lessons learned now will continue to help me in the future as I grow and continue to enhance my social and professional skills.  

Throughout the course of my STEP Signature Project I was able to study Shakespeare in a deep and meaningful way. We were able to participate in seminars regarding the instruments and costumes used in shows which were authentic to the ones used in the first shows at The Globe Theatre in 1599. Additionally, we were able to look at playbills, props, directors notes, etc. of previous shows at The Globe through the archives. I was also able to get in depth teaching and discussion on the language of Shakespeare, scene work, movement, and voice in regards to the specific architecture of The Globe Theatre, and learn about all of the work that it takes to be a Globe actor. Additionally, outside of class we were able to participate in a day trip to Oxford, see multiple theater shows, and immerse ourselves in the overall culture of England. 

At fifteen I tried my first ever Shakespeare intensive, and to put it plainly, I hated it. I had been doing theater for years and had finally decided I was ready to try Shakespeare, but when I started the class I couldn’t understand the prose or iambic pentameter, and was made to feel inferior because I couldn’t comprehend the dialogue without help. After that I made the assumption that I would never get Shakespeare and I just wasn’t at the level to be able to handle it. When I signed up for this program I was excited but very hesitant, expecting a similar experience to the one I had previously had and seeing Shakespeare as unachievable. However, throughout my classes at The Globe Theatre and the professors who showed the students such care and passion through their teaching, I came out of my education abroad program feeling rewarded and having changed my entire perspective on Shakespeare. Additionally, I feel like I’ve expanded the influences I pull from. Additionally, throughout this process I have truly learned the craft that it takes to be a Globe actor, and how different Shakespeare’s performance is compared to musical performance. I went into this program knowing that acting with Shakespeare would have some differences than other shows, but I underestimated just what went into being a Globe actor and how many elements go into acting with Shakespeare specifically on The Globe Stage. There is the architecture of the Globe Theater, which requires a specific use of voice, movement, and acting style. There is also the language of Shakespeare that is sometimes tricky to understand, and so it is important for the actor to make Shakespeare accessible for all audience members no matter what age.  

Furthermore, before embarking on my STEP Signature Project I tried to have no preconceived opinions or expectations about the country I was traveling to, however I did have concerns and worries about dining. I was born with extensive food allergies, so in the United States it has always been difficult for me to find options at restaurants or even in grocery stores. When I knew I would be traveling to a new country I had no idea what to expect. However I was amazed and overwhelmed by my experience in London, and at England’s overall accommodation to food. Every restaurant I walked into had at least four options I was able to eat, and everyone I interacted with about my allergies had genuine care and concern about me having it be a safe meal and a good experience. It was truly an incredible experience and has not only changed my view on my theater profession and career, but also of London through the kindness and genuine care I experienced there. I truly feel like I have grown coming out of this program, and it has completely changed my view on England, Shakespeare, and acting on an overall scale. I learned that to be a Globe actor is to act as a character that has been performed for hundreds of years, but you should focus on bringing your own distinct qualities and personality to the character rather than obsessing over perfection. You the actor are the reason this iteration of the character will be unique. 

The relationships that completely changed my view on Shakespeare was from the professors who taught us at The Globe Theater. Throughout my time there we had around six professors. Our four main professors we saw around two days a week, and their subjects consisted of scene rehearsal, voice, movement, and literature and text. Additionally we had a few guest professors, who popped in to teach us about various things such as the history of The Globe, the historical jig dance, and the instruments used in the shows. Our professor Michael was really a big influence on my acting, and I attribute his teaching style, kindness, and care for his students as some of the main reasons why I have regained my passion and love for acting. Michael would always tell us that acting was like a sculpture. You try all different things to find what works, and everything that doesn’t gets shaved off as pieces of marble from the sculpture. I loved that he wasn’t focused on perfection, he saw each of his students as their own actors with their own talents and there wasn’t one right way to do a scene or play a character. Additionally, a big thing that stuck with me was when Michael asked us to think about the fact that Shakespeare’s shows have been performed for hundreds of years. Why are they still being performed if people have seen them so many times? The one thing that makes the role and show special is the actors. You are your own actor and person, and no one will ever be able to perfectly copy your style which is what makes you so special. This advice truly spoke to me as a perfectionist who in the past has definitely tried to imitate other actors, thinking that was “the right way to act,” but at the end of the day it is the actor that makes the role special.

Furthermore, our literature and text professor Hanh also was a main reason why my view on Shakespeare has changed. I now find that I can understand and comprehend the text. I’ll never forget how she started off our first class by asking us all if we understood Shakespeare, and to my surprise many of my classmates were just as confused reading it for the first time as I was. Hanh then reassured us that doing research to understand the text does not make us bad actors or any less capable of doing Shakespeare. She had been studying Shakespeare’s text for years and said she still does research on certain lines and words. She then started us on an in-depth discussion of Midsummer Night’s Dream where we discussed the gender roles that occurred between the women and men in the show, the depth of female friendships, the normalization of violence against women in the Elizabethean era, and the depth of location in the show. These conversations were very meaningful and important to me, and allowed me to see the show and characters in completely new lights. Being able to have these discussions was incredible because of the different backgrounds of everyone in the program, and it allowed us to incorporate the places we’d come from, express our opinions about the language, and share our unique experiences with Shakespeare.

We had many standout movement and voice classes that really changed my perspective on Globe Theater acting, but I best remember the special Sam Wanamaker PlayHouse seminar. During this session our professor allowed us to completely play in the space, changing how we addressed the audience and picking different places on stage to find who we could see, who we could connect with, and to figure out how we could best connect the audience. In all of my previous experience with theater I was taught never to address the audience, and it became a very permanent thing that you should never address the audience because it could take away the magic of the show. However, at the Globe Theater they want you to address the audience; they want you to bring the audience into the world of the show by connecting with them through eye contact, lines, movement, and more. Our movement professor especially taught us about how to use our bodies to address everyone when we’re on the Globe stage, as it has an audience on almost all sides from the top of the Globe to the very bottom. There are even ‘groundlings’ who are audience members that crowd around the very edge of the stage. As actors we need to use our body to address them all and not forget about anyone. For example if we look down the entire show at the groundlings, the people sitting in the top tier balcony will only see the top of your head instead of experiencing your acting. Furthermore, our professor for voice had us find the sweet spots on the Globe stage where our voice was very prominent and heard, as the Globe stage is an open top so there is consideration to weather, outside sounds, and noise when performing with voice. Lastly, one of the most influential moments for me was getting the opportunity to see Midsummer Night’s Dream live on the globe stage. My friend and I had gone super early to the show and were right up against the stage as groundlings holding onto the edge of the stage for support. It was incredible to see the actors perform right above us and even interact with us. Since we were performing scenes from the show for our final, it was incredible to see the character I would be playing and how this actor had chosen to portray her. 

The experiences I had with food and people in England I can not rave enough about. The first night I was incredibly nervous as my friends and I had all decided to go out to eat. We sat down at the restaurant and I expected an experience very similar to the ones I constantly experience in the States. However, I was thrilled when I looked at the menu and saw multiple options on the menu I could eat. Every item had its allergens listed and when I talked to the waiter she was incredibly kind about my allergies, assuring me that she would check with the kitchen about cross contamination and that we would make something work. As my program in London continued, every place I went I was met with kindness. Whether it was in regards to food and my allergies, or even outside it like when I was lost, everyone in England seemed to convey genuine care, concern, and politeness. I tried so many foods I never thought I would be able to try due to my allergies, such as gnocchi, pad thai, meringues, and my personal favorite, pain au chocolat. If I were to recommend any place to eat it would definitely be Borough Market and Circolo Popolare. They had so many options to try, and Borough Market is super close to The Globe Theater. 

The transformation I experienced throughout my education abroad program has completely changed my life, in not only a personal manner but also professionally and academically. This program has truly reignited my love for theater. I never realized how deeply affected I was by some of the acting teachers I had in high school who were not very supportive or caring. However, as I entered this program I found professors who truly cared for me and wanted me to be the best actor I could be. They supported me and allowed me to try different things in my pursuit of acting instead of bringing me down, and this support affected my rehearsals, acting, and class so much. I realized that before this program, I was dreading coming to class but in this program and with the support I received I loved coming to class and acting with all my classmates. I believe personally for this program it has taught me so much about the passion I have for theater, and how I cannot let professors whose teaching styles don’t work for me affect my love for theater because there will always be other professors and people who want to support you.

In terms of academic goals I have always wanted to give Shakespeare a real try, as my past experiences with Shakespeare have left me seeing Shakespeare as something only certain people can understand and achieve. Throughout this program my professors have given me advice and assistance with Elizabethan dialogue, given us time as actors to play with our scenes, experiment with what choices did or didn’t work, and have given us the opportunity to see two Shakespeare shows right on the Globe stage. All that has really changed my view and experience with Shakespeare. Furthermore, it was reassuring to listen to my classmates talk about their experiences with Shakespeare, as many of them had had similar experiences to me where they felt isolated or like Shakespeare wasn’t for them. Yet when talking about the overall experience at the end of the program, we all came out of it saying how grateful we were for the experience and how we now have such an appreciation for Shakespeare. I definitely am interested in pursuing some Shakespeare classes at Ohio State that I might not have tried before, so I feel like it has definitely exceeded my academic expectations and has given me a lot to think about. 

Lastly, it has completely made me reevaluate my professional goals to incorporate Shakespeare into my acting style. I never really thought I would bring a ton of influence from Shakespeare into my acting style, specifically because it is a very unique style of acting using the language of the text. However I realized that you can take so much from Shakespeare and apply it to modern day theater, and in the future I want to incorporate Shakespeare more into my acting style and career. I want to bring in the movement, voice, and acting techniques I have learned into my current acting style and how I prepare for roles. Before this program I would’ve never auditioned for a Shakespeare show, but now I would audition for one and feel confident in my performance. Additionally, I specifically want to take all the good advice I have received from my professors from this program into my confidence in my career in theater. Overall, I fell in love with this program, England, and Shakespeare, and I would recommend the program to anyone who’s interested.

1. Please provide a brief description of your STEP Signature Project. Write two or three sentences describing the main activities your STEP Signature Project entailed.

For my STEP signature project, I chose to spend 8 weeks in the summer studying abroad in London England. I took two courses in the summer, one titled “London: A Walking History” and the other one titled “The London Stage in Text and Performance.”

2. What about your understanding of yourself, your assumptions, or your view of the world changed/transformed while completing your STEP Signature Project? Write one or two paragraphs to describe the change or transformation that took place.

One thing that changed while I was abroad was my understanding of myself and how I carried myself. I would definitely describe myself as an introvert, and there have been many times where this can get in the way of my life and the experiences I had. However, being in London and getting the confidence to explore the city also gave me confidence to be myself. I felt I was able to step out of my shell more and this was a big thing for me. And when I did get a low social battery, I was able to give myself time to relax or explore by myself so that I could be at my best when hanging around with others. Since I was in charge of so much of my schedule, I learned how to create a balance that would make me successful.

Another thing that changed was my view of London overall. I was expecting a rainy, slow-paced city when really it was one of the most vibrant places I have been. It was much more diverse than I assumed and had a lot of history that is not told in our history books. Through the history course and theater course, I also learned a lot about the politics of London that I had never been exposed to before. For some reason, when I think of England, I just assumed the politics were great and everyone was happy. However, I learned that it is similar to the United States in the way that the country is split and there are opposing views and controversial politicians.

3. What events, interactions, relationships, or activities during your STEP Signature Project led to the change/transformation that you discussed in #2, and how did those affect you? Write three or four paragraphs describing the key aspects of your experiences completing your STEP Signature Project that led to this change/transformation.

One of the components of my summer that led to the changes discussed in the second questions were the people in my program. I know I would have loved London no matter what, but having a good group of friends to explore the city with made it so much better. It is crazy to me that I made lifelong memories with people who were strangers to me just a couple months ago. I was able to be more outgoing and confident since I knew I had these people in my circle who created a fun and safe environment for me to be myself in. I don’t think I have ever clicked with a group of people as fast as I did and formed such strong bonds in such little time.

A second component that led to the changes I discussed is the freedom I had while abroad. I was terrified of the idea of being alone in a new city in a new country with all of the new people and did not know if it was something I was going to be able to navigate. And even though I met people and had a lot of support through my program, the ability and freedom I had to go exploring on my own played a huge part in the growth of my independence while abroad. If I saw something cool online in London that I wanted to see or if I heard of a new part to explore, I was able to just get up and go. By the end of the program I could take the tube to any part of the city by myself and was confident on finding my way.

The third component that I believe led to the changes are the courses I took. As mentioned before, I took two courses during my time abroad that included “The London Stage in Text and Performance” and “London: A Walking History.” I believe these courses were so impactful to me because they were not traditional theater or history courses. In the theater course, we saw both well-known plays as well as small productions that I had never heard of. We were able to discuss the pieces and dive deeper into the meaning of them, something I had never done with theater before. I have always gone to the theater for entertainment purposes, but I did not realize that studying the works and looking closely at the details can be just as interesting. The history course I took had a professor whose goal was to show us parts of London we would most likely not come across on our own. He brought us down every sketchy alleyway and had us get lost in the city so we could see the true hidden history of London. It gave me a new perspective and I was able to see the city through the eyes of people who used to walk it.

4. Why is this change/transformation significant or valuable for your life? Write one or two paragraphs discussing why this change or development matters and/or relates to your academic, personal, and/or professional goals and future plans.

I always thought it was corny when people would say their study abroad experience was life changing, but it honestly was extremely significant to my growth as a person. It is important to note that London is pretty similar to other big cities in the United States, so I did not experience as much culture shock or have extremely new experiences as other people may have while abroad. However, it was being with all new people in a new city and in a new country that gave me the growth. I believe if I stayed in my shell this past summer and stuck to my summer job at home, I would not be the same person I am today. I am much more confident in my goals and my career path and am even considering applying for graduate school in England. I always thought I was too low-key of a person to live in a city, but in reality, I loved every second of it. This experience also made me excited for my future plans, and showed the possibilities that life after college can bring.

For my STEP project I studied abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark and took a three week long course called Cognitive Neuroscience of Consciousness. This course explored consciousness through a philosophical perspective and neurological perspective. From guest lectures to our one week study tour to Florence the activities in and out of the classroom helped better my understanding of consciousness.

One major assumption that changed while abroad was my view on learning styles. Before studying abroad the majority of my learning experiences came from the traditional classroom setting with lectures and exams. Especially my entire college experience has been strictly in classrooms with hundreds of other students and taking notes as the professor lectures. The class I took abroad was set up completely differently and I am very grateful I was able to experience a different style of teaching. I was pleasantly surprised by how much knowledge I could retain by participating in every activity and discussion. Many of our activities in class required us to engage with the environment and people around us and was the most hands-on learning experience I have ever had. I never knew how much I could learn from the people around me and by being fully engaged with my surroundings. The course prompted a lot of discussion and reflection from every activity and in turn I think shaped a much more in depth and thoughtful understanding of each topic.

I also learned a lot about myself by taking this course and how I learn best. I really enjoyed the smaller class size and definitely think it positively impacted my understanding. I have alway been a little hesitant and nervous to share in class and participate in discussions, but this classroom was so welcoming. I also felt like since we were doing so many activities out of the classroom that when we were in the classroom there was so much to discuss and share about our individual experience. This made me look forward to sharing in class. I learned that the more I engage in each activity the more I get out of it and enjoyed what we were doing. I also learned that I prefer a more hands-on learning experience and smaller classroom which is something I never thought about before going abroad.

I would say the main thing that shaped my perception of learning and my time abroad was the relationships I formed. Going into the program I had one friend from Ohio State who was also going; however, we ended up not being in the same section class. At first I was sad because I had been looking forward to taking this class with her, but it pushed me to be more outgoing in class and form so many new friendships. I made a few really close friends who truly made my experience so amazing and I am so grateful for them. Even our entire class was super close and did activities together outside of our class time. One night in Florence, our entire class went to the top of a hill that overlooked the city and ate pizza and watched the sunset together. I have never bonded so well with an entire class before and I truly think the relationships I made with my peers greatly contributed to how much I learned while there. I never expected to make such good friends in only three weeks. I also think my relationships with my peers made a huge impact on my participation and engagement in the course. I felt so much more comfortable sharing and discussing topics in such a welcoming environment.

One activity I wanted to talk about that I enjoyed was when we were assigned partners and had to blindfold one another and walk around Copenhagen. I was blindfolded first and my partner had to lead me anywhere she wanted for fifteen minutes. At first I was so hesitant and nervous about tripping. I was walking so slow and felt so uncomfortable. By the end of the fifteen minutes I had adjusted pretty well and was comfortable walking blindfolded. I also learned to trust my partner when there was a bump in the road or someone passing by. Once we got back from our walk we discussed our experiences as a class. It was so helpful to go out and do something then come back and discuss with everyone. So many people were raising their hands and had different things to say. Everyone went different places and reacted differently to being blindfolded. We also discussed different scenarios such as how it would be different if we were only blindfolded for five minutes opposed to fifteen. There were so many directions the conversation went. Activities like this helped change my perspective of learning. I learned so much from listening to my peers’ experiences. It was also much easier to be engaged when I personally did the activity and had my own perspective to share and reflect on.

Another activity I wanted to reflect on was a chalk drawing we did while in Florence. We had a large piece of paper and piece of chalk and had to close our eyes and draw what we were hearing around us. The instructor leading the drawing gave a demonstration for us before we tried. At first, I did not think I would enjoy this activity and was a little hesitant. I am not very artistic and do not like to draw. I felt uncomfortable with my eyes closed and the silence of the room. Less than a minute into the activity I quickly adjusted and allowed myself to be consumed by the sounds all around me. I was surprised by the variety of sounds I heard. For me my darkest lines represented the squeaking of tires on the road, whereas my shorter, lighter lines represented the sounds of footsteps and even the sound of a zipper on someone’s jacket. I also used the texture of my lines to illustrate what I was seeing. For more distant, softer sounds I turned the chalk on its side to create a more faded line. I also used my finger to blend the chalk to show softer sounds and wavy lines to show rounder sounds such as laughter. Although I greatly enjoyed participating and creating my drawing, my favorite part of this activity was when we opened our eyes and got to see other people’s drawings. I found it fascinating how different each person’s depiction was; even the people sitting right next me used the space on their page differently and the quantity and shape of lines were different as well. This made me wonder how we could all be in the same exact room and hearing the same sounds, but create such a variety of illustrations. This later led to a discussion about different philosophies of consciousness, but was prompted by this activity.

There were many more activities similar to the two I mentioned that helped me to engage with my senses and people around me. I am so grateful to my professor. She was so amazing and planned a lot of these activities herself. I think they were all beneficial to my learning and shaped my positive experience abroad. They were all fun and interesting, but also correlated well to consciousness and the course material.

This experience led me to learn way more about myself as a person than I ever would have expected. I learned how important it is to be outgoing and engage with my peers in order to get the most out of a course. This is important to the rest of my years in school and also any job I have after that. Building strong relationships with peers or colleagues is so important to have a productive and inclusive work or learning environment. This course helped me to realize that and I will be sure to go into my courses next year with this positive attitude. Learning more about how I learn is also crucial to my life. After college I hope to go to medical school, so understanding how I learn best is very important. I enjoyed a smaller class size which is something to consider when applying to schools in the future. I also think the activities in this course such as the chalk drawing have helped me to be more aware of my surroundings and in touch with my senses. The more engaged I am with the world around me the more I will be able to learn from others.