STEP Post-Project Reflection Prompts
As you may recall from your STEP Signature Project Proposal, your project was designed to foster transformational learning—that is, learning that challenged you personally and helped you gain broader and deeper understandings of yourself, others, and the world around you. Please address the following prompts to help you reflect on your experiences following the completion of your STEP Signature Project; please give careful and critical thought to your responses.
- Please provide a brief description of your STEP Signature Project.
Hello, my name is Drew Mayerson. I am an incoming Junior at OSU studying Finance with a minor in Jewish Studies. This summer I interned in London, United Kingdom for 8 weeks. My internship was with a company called Newland Chase, an award-winning immigration consulting firm.
- What about your understanding of yourself, your assumptions, or your view of the world changed/transformed while completing your STEP Signature Project?
The largest change that I experienced was within myself. I have always lived in Columbus and have always been near my incredible support system. This summer, however, I was alone and had to navigate working 40 hours a week for the first time, managing my critical health condition (type one diabetes) in a foreign country, and planning and coordinating significant travel across the European continent, in addition to managing the anxiety I begun to feel during the school year. As you can imagine, this was incredibly challenging. Throughout the course of this summer, I have described this process as breaking me down and then building me back up. I experienced deep vulnerability and struggle, but found a way to overcome my difficulties and emerge more capable, confident, and self-reliant.
- 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?
Above, in my answer to prompt three I discussed a breakdown of myself before a rebuild. I will discuss the areas in which I was challenged and how I responded to them. My first challenge was finding a way to work 40 hours per week in addition to coordinating all of the travel plans that I wanted to accomplish. Secondly, I had to manage my type one diabetes in a foreign country without traditional access to replacement equipment and with healthcare systems that I was unfamiliar and, frankly, relatively uncomfortable with. The final challenge that I had to overcome was dealing with the anxiety that I had felt begin to form throughout the duration of my second year at OSU.
In regard to my first challenge: finding a way to work 40 hours per week in addition to coordinating all of the travel plans that I wanted to accomplish, my relationship with my roommate was likely the most important relationship that I had. My roommate Jon and I had been friends before heading to London together but had not been all that close. Although we had our challenges acclimating to a life in which we spent 24 hours a day together in a very confined space, I can confidently say that we maximized our trip and met almost all of our traveling goals. While we did not love waking up for work each day, we motivated each other to stay disciplined in our internship.
Dealing with my health was very challenging. Having to manage my type one diabetes in a foreign country without traditional access to replacement equipment and with healthcare systems that I was unfamiliar and, frankly, relatively uncomfortable with proved to be significantly more challenging than I was expecting. Within my first 24 hours I began to be weary that I might be in for a hellish summer, diabetes wise. I managed to endure months of crazy blood glucose levels, countless equipment issues and logistical blunders, and keep myself out of the hospital. I spent a lot of time on the phone with my mother but it was clear to me that only I could keep myself safe. I buckled down, employed patience and strategy, and remained diligent in practice. The feeling of making it out of this situation safe has been euphoric.
As hard as it was to manage my diabetes, I found it even harder to deal with the anxiety that I had felt begin to form throughout the duration of my second year at OSU. This was especially challenging because I had never dealt with this before and did not have my traditional support system to rely on. After noticing this anxiety grow, culminating with my first anxiety attack, I decided that I wanted to see a therapist when I returned to Columbus. This was great but did not help me in the moment. I had begun researching meditation as a form of stress management months ago and decided to dive deeper into the world of mindfulness and meditation. I read books, listened to podcasts, and practiced using apps on my phone. I am proud to say that it has been incredibly beneficial for me and that I believe that, for the most part, I have cured my anxiety.
- 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.
This has been most impactful for me because it has taught me that there is no problem that I cannot solve. There were times where I was not sure how I was going to make it through this summer, but through trusting myself and my process I was able to overcome all of the obstacles in my path. I have never been more confident in myself. Academically, I believe that my meditation will help me to progress with my anxiety and remove that barrier for myself academically. Personally, I have learned a great deal about myself and the world and feel great about myself. Professionally, I have learned that being self-reliant is something that I want to pursue in the future, I do not want to be just a cog in a machine. We will see where that takes me.