Final Reflection

I can honestly say that my college experience would not be the same, thus far, without being a part of ENR. Through the program, I have met new best friends, roommates, and people to depend on.

The highlight of my ENR Scholars experience over the last two years was the second camping trip our first year. I felt that by this point, I had really bonded with a close group of friends. One of the things I remember most was laughing uncontrollably as our tent kept caving in on us from the strong winds. Most people probably don’t see this as a fun, memorable moment, but it was one of the best for me in the last two years.

Something I learned or gained from ENR was a TON about recycling. I thought I had been doing my part before the program, just because I liked the outdoors and saw myself as earth-friendly. I learned from ENR that there is a lot more I could be doing as an individual, and the steps I can take to do this.

My spring 17 project was being a TA for the first-year ENR scholars seminar. My job was to grade select assignments, as well as create a web page full of resources that related to their Earth Month projects. I really enjoyed this project; it made me see myself as having more responsibility, and possibly a role I would want to have for one of my major classes later on. It was also great to read about what the first-years were writing. As far as the assignments I graded, the students really seemed to have a lot of passion behind what they were doing, which was inspiring.

I think the most important thing I gained from this project was staying in touch with ENR in a few different ways. I would find myself on the seminar’s Carmen page just to see which assignments they were doing, which is something I wouldn’t have done otherwise. I also kept up more communication with Amanda and Esther, which was great. I liked doing the web page as well; I felt like I was making a concrete contribution to ENR that future years can use as a resource as well.

The advice I would give to incoming ENR scholars would be to stay involved. I know that I have said this earlier, but I still wasn’t as involved my two years as I would have liked. I think if I would have been more involved and put myself out there more often, I would have gotten to know more people on my floor and been compelled to stay in Morrill my second year. I kept in touch with many people, but ultimately regretted moving my second year. I think this ultimately comes back to being involved from the start. I was pretty shy when I came to college – and the only way to get around that is to practice putting yourself out there.

Overall, I have loved my experience with ENR. Without it, I would not have new best friends, great memories, or many of my future roommates.

2nd Year Project Proposal – SP 17

For my second-year project, I have decided to work on two different projects for each semester. For the fall semester, I was a member of the Mentor Council, and was a sapling mentor to six first-year ENR saplings. For my other second-year project, I have decided to be a teaching assistant for the first-year ENR course. Being a TA for the first-year seminar will include grading their assignments, helping to coordinate details of the class, helping connect students to resources they will need for their social change projects, etc. I will be assisting Esther, Amanda, and the first-year ENR students with anything that they need help with.

 

I believe that everyone involved will benefit from this project. Esther and Amanda will have another helping hand, which I’m sure will be great for them considering the class is so large. I will also try to find the best resources available to help the first-years complete their projects, which will directly benefit them. I believe that this project will also be a large benefit to myself, as I will stay much more involved with ENR than if I had chosen a different project. I will be able to stay connected with the first-years, and they will hopefully see me as a resource, and a friend as a result of this project. Being a TA for the seminar will also allow me to strengthen my communication, leadership, editing, and constructive criticism skills (for grading purposes).

 

As a result of this project, I would like to interact with the first-years more. I want to know more of them on a first-name basis, and I want them to feel comfortable coming to me with anything. I know that this role will be more of a behind the scenes one, but I hope that they will see that I am still involved in ENR, which will ultimately keep us connected on that level. So, at some point, in the future, they will still have that connection with me. I am also excited to hear about all of their projects. I’ve heard a little about some of them at this point, and I truly believe that there are some compassionate, determined first-years that are ready to make a change. I am grateful to be able to help them with their projects, first hand.

2nd Year Project – Final Reflection

This semester, I started my second-year project of being a saplings mentor. Technically, I haven’t completed the project, because it will continue throughout the second semester as well. Counting everything from pre-semester meetings, to class meetings, to casual meetings with my saplings, I would say that I have committed around 15 hours to this project. This is not counting the two day camping trip, as well.

To complete this project, I attended meetings before the semester started before welcome weekend. There were also a couple meetings last semester that prepared us to be mentors this semester. Along with these meetings, I also attended most of the first-year class meetings on Tuesday evenings. In addition to this, my co-mentor and I also spent time with our saplings outside of class periods. We went to dinner a couple of times, and also attended a couple different exhibits at Ohio State’s Urban Arts Space.

With this project in particular, the lines between “not finished” and “finished” is a little blurry. When can you be finished working on a person, really? I think that the saplings program was good to start off as a project, but I also believe that it will continue to go on past the end of next semester. This project has allowed me to connect with so many people that I would not have otherwise, and I appreciate it greatly for that. I have met some hilarious, generous, and unique first-years because of this project, and I am thankful I chose to do it. Our friendships have moved past the “I’m assigned to be your mentor” phase, which was super rewarding for me. I felt that I was actually helping my saplings adjust to college. This project also helped me feel a sense of seniority, even though I am just a second-year. Coming in as a freshman from senior year can make you feel a little small, especially at a school like Ohio State. So, it was nice to be able to give my advice and share experiences with someone who appreciated them.

 

If I could start over, I would have looked at everyone’s schedules and set out certain times to plan events at the very beginning of the semester. A couple of my saplings told me that they wanted to hang out with Chelsea and I more often, and I felt like I was letting them down because I didn’t have extra time outside of my schoolwork this semester. I feel like we would have done more together if we would have set aside time at the beginning, rather than rushing to squeeze things in at the last minute.

From this project, I have gained new friends. I have gotten to know more of the first years, and stay connected with a few of the second years. This was big for me, as I moved out of Morrill Tower this year to south campus. I also learned that my advice and experiences are valuable to people who have not lived the same experiences yet, even though I am still young, myself.

2nd-Year Project Check-In

For my second-year project, I am a co-mentor to a group of first-year student with Chelsea Cancino. We began meeting for mentor council before school started, and since then, I have met with my group several times. First, we participated in the ENR first year welcome events. This included a few ice-breakers with the larger group, along with minute-to-win-it games in smaller groups. I really enjoyed the more intimate session after the games; it really gave Chelsea and I a chance to get to know all of our saplings a bit better.

Beyond the first weekend, we have gotten dinner as a sapling family. We all chose to eat at Sloopy’s Diner, which was an awesome time. It was at this point that I noticed that our saplings were really starting to let their guards down and be more comfortable with us. We laughed, passed some puns back and forth, and even witnessed Serena spilling syrup all over the table. It felt like we were making true, deep-rooted connections with each of them. I especially enjoyed this aspect, mostly because I feel like the mentor program has grown so much since last year. It really feels like we are making a difference in our saplings’ first years. I felt this way on the camping trip, as well. It was nice being a mentor this year – mostly because I didn’t feel the pressure of being new and having to meet everyone that I did last year. It really gave me the chance to focus on each of my saplings, and talk to them each one on one more often.

Beyond our group meetings, I have also done interviews with three of our six saplings. These interviews have been my favorite part of my mentor council opportunities so far. Each one lasted for longer than we anticipated, and helped me feel more like a friend to my saplings than a mentor.

I haven’t really met with my saplings throughout the last few weeks, which I know shouldn’t be the case. Chelsea and I talked at tonight’s meeting about scheduling a time to go rock climbing, or to one of Columbus’s metro parks.

So far, I believe my project is meeting my expectations in the previous post. I am definitely more comfortable with my sapling family, and I feel that they know they can come to me with any concerns. They have given me some honest feedback about our group as well, and it has been positive. A few even told me that they can’t wait to do more events outside of ENR, as a sapling group. This made me remember why I signed up to be a mentor in the first place; I can’t wait to see how the rest of the semester goes!

2nd Year Project Proposal

For my second year project, I will be a part of Mentor Council. I will co-mentor six first year ENR Scholars, along with Chelsea Cancino, to form our sapling family. It is my hope that many people benefit from this project. I know that the mentor program helped me last year, so I hope that I will be able to assist my saplings in the same way, if not more. My saplings will benefit because of the fact that I have gone through freshman year, and have faced many of the struggles and challenges that they will come to have this year. It is one of my goals to make our group atmosphere as laid back and casual as possible this year, so they never feel afraid to ask a question. I will also benefit from this project. I will get to know a larger group of first-years than if I did not do mentor council. I will also get to know my saplings on a deeper level, hopefully building connections that will last beyond their two years in ENR.

I would like to work on this project because I feel like it will help me be more active as an ENR scholar. I want to stay as involved as possible, but sometimes it’s easy to use the excuse that I don’t have time to go to an event. Being a part of mentor council will assure that I have time blocked out throughout my week, so I can go to all of the events. I am also looking forward to the stronger connections that I will make with other second-years; especially since I am not living in Morrill this year. Mentor council is a great way for me to interact with the other mentors on a weekly basis.

From this project, I hope to gain more leadership skills. I’ve never held this position in a mentor program before, so I’m looking forward to being able to help others who are in the same position I was in last year. I also hope to develop personally, as I am a resource for someone else. I have been used to getting my questions answered about OSU from others, and I am excited to use my past experiences as knowledge to provide these answers to someone else for a change. I am looking forward to this project, along with my second year as an ENR scholar.IMG_7534

Year In Review

When I visited Ohio State on scholars visit day, I hadn’t even considered ENR as an option. I didn’t really know much about environmental issues, so I hadn’t really looked into it. At the end of the visit day, I marked ENR as my second choice scholars pick. Even though it wasn’t my first, I kept thinking about it when I left Ohio State that day. I had known at that point that I wanted to really know myself better, and that ENR would be one of the most helpful ways to do it. So, I wasn’t all that upset when I didn’t end up making it into my first choice scholars group. When the time came to move in, I already knew I was in the right place. Everyone was so welcoming, and I couldn’t wait to get started with events.

Before moving to Columbus, I had never even recycled at home. I know that recycling at Ohio State is a campus-wide thing, but that small step made me feel good. Since starting school, I have been trying to recycle at home too. We live in a small town that doesn’t actually collect recycling, so it’s been a challenge to get my family on board. It seems like it would be a win-win for everyone, saving the environment, but I haven’t gotten through to them yet about just how important small steps can be. Sometimes I wish they could be involved in ENR too, just to learn what I’ve learned.

Something else that is different about me now is my independence. I’ve always enjoyed being alone, but it feels like a different type now. I love to be around friends, but now the independence feels like it is more for me. I am content with it, and have a better sense of who I am. Something I’ve really gotten to understand this year is that it is okay to slow down and really appreciate what is around you; whether this is going for a walk alone, or staying in a record shop just a little longer. I used to think of being alone in a more negative way before ENR. Each time we talk about personality, I appreciate it a little more. Now, I see being an introvert as where I get my energy from, and have a much lighter view of it. I really appreciate this new meaning of the word that ENR has given me.

I think I’ve changed a lot, but there are also things that I would like to happen yet. There are a lot of skills that I would like to learn over summer. I also plan on spending as much time in nature as I can. I really believe that this will help me feel more at peace with myself than I did before. Most summers, I make a long list of plans and hobbies that end up falling through. I have a completely different outlook this summer; I want to try every new experience that I can, and do things that make me happy.

I believe that being in a new place has set up the perfect opportunity to make some changes in the way that I live. Before you get to college, and they tell you that you’ll begin to think differently, you don’t believe them. But now, it’s hard to believe that I ever thought the way that I did a year ago. It’s amazing what a new place and people can do.

I know it’s only been a year, but I feel like a different person. I have become more minimalistic, which was one of my goals. Living in a dorm and having a roommate has taught me to let go of things easier, and not to expect everything to be perfect all of the time. I’ve come to be more considerate and appreciative of other people’s time. I have also found that my fashion sense has changed. My mom made a comment that, a year ago, I would have made fun of her for wearing some of the things that I’ve told her I like now…she was probably right.

I’ve been working to really appreciate the world’s natural beauty. ENR took me to Chicago, then camping; these were both firsts. They might seem like simple travels to others, but these experiences changed my views and have encouraged me to explore other options.

To give back, I am trying to be a more positive, optimistic, confident being. I really believe that ENR is helping me with these things, with simple lessons like really taking in your surroundings before pulling out a phone to take pictures. I try to take in as much as I can at concerts, with nature, or with friends. Also, I am more conscious of my waste, footprint, and nature in general.

Scholars Earth Month showed me just how many simple ways there are for me to give back to my environment. It brought together everything that we discussed throughout the year, and put them to action. My choices were meaningful because even though they weren’t broadcasted for everyone to see, I knew what I was doing. I knew the positive impact that my choices were having, which felt great. I will continue with some of the changes I made during April, but not all of them. I will still unplug electronics, but unfortunately, Sidney does not have a public transportation system. If I could walk places, I would, but it isn’t really an option over the summer. I will continue with this once I am back in Columbus. This factor really makes me appreciate what big cities have to offer, and make me excited to be able to stay over summer in a couple years.

 

 

 

Earth Month Reflections: Week 4

When we first started talking about the Earth Month Challenge, I honestly wasn’t too thrilled about it. I didn’t want to have to change my routine, even though I also felt like it was something that I should be doing. Overall, my experiences have been mostly good with this challenge. As the weeks went on, they definitely got more difficult. But, I also thought it was really helpful to split the challenges up into four weeks.

During this challenge, I have learned that I waste a lot of unnecessary energy. Not just myself, I guess, but I have paid attention to how much others waste as well. During the first week, it was so simple to unplug one set of lights every night. This made me realize that we leave our lights in the common room plugged in every night too. I also started noticing when people would leave lamps on, leave the tv on, or leave the water running when they wouldn’t even be using it. I think I noticed these things before, but never thought to do anything about it. I figured that I wasn’t the one involved, and that that person would take care of it themselves. Another thing I learned from these challenges is how much we depend on things like lights and hot water. I would like to experience a time when we didn’t have these resources available to us. If everyone did this for a week, maybe they would see just how much we are wasting when it comes to these resources.

I will try to continue my first two weeks’ worth of challenges, but I don’t think I will be doing the last two anymore. Unplugging lights is a simple task that makes me feel good about saving energy, but I’d rather not take cold showers for the rest of my days. I’ll still think about my impact, and try to keep my showers as short as possible, but at least with some warm water. When it comes to taking the bus, I don’t think I do that a huge amount as it is. I probably won’t use CABS much for the rest of the year, and will only take COTA when I absolutely need to. I would like to try out Zagster sometime, though. Once again, I think these challenges were great to do for a week to make me see what I can do to reduce my footprint, but I don’t know if they are all things I could do every day.

Columbus To-Do List Part 2

For the Columbus To-Do List this semester, I chose to do option 2 and the OAC clinics. In my first post, I wrote about my experience at a belay clinic. For my other two experiences, I attended a kayak roll clinic, and an intro to qajaasaarneq. Out of these three clinics, my favorite was the kayak roll. Before this semester, I had only ever been to the OAC once or twice. So naturally, I didn’t have a lot (any) experience with most of the outdoor activities they offer there.

Experience Two

The kayak roll clinic taught us how to escape from a kayak that had flipped over. I had only ever been in a kayak one other time, so this clinic was sort of intimidating at first. It wasn’t bad just rowing around the pool, but it felt like I woRoll Clinic(1)uld be trapped once they put the skirt on. This prevents water from getting into the boat. I was afraid I would completely freak out the first time they flipped me over, but it went well. Kayaking is something I feel like I will do in the future, so it’s pretty great that I will know this life-saving skill. The clinic was a really fun time, and we even got to paddle board. I would definitely recommend this to a friend.

 

Experience Three

The Qajaasaarneq clinic was a good time. The ropes are definitely a lot harder to use than they look. The instructors told us that sea kayakers use Qajaasaarneq as a method for practicing. They have a lot of similar movements and muscle usage. They tried to teach us some of the rolling movements, but the clinic sort of turned into us just doing a bunch of flips. I was okay with this. It was fun to just be on the ropes, even if we were just messqajaasaarneq2ing around. I don’t know how often qajaasaarneq will be an activity that I do at the OAC, but it’s nice to know that I won’t make a (complete) fool of myself. I would recommend this activity to a friend. (p.s, this isn’t a pic of the clinic, just a random man.)

 

One of my favorite things I have gained from these experiences is that I feel more comfortable at the OAC. Coming in as a freshman, and not knowing what you’re doing, the OAC can be a pretty intimidating place. I was pretty scared to go do anything there, but wanted to take part in all they have to offer. Going in with friends for this assignment was just what I needed. I think this project will be a major stepping stone in my time here at Ohio State. Now that I have my foot in the door, I feel more confident to partake in any activity or clinic at the OAC. I truly believe that I will spend much more time there in the years to come, with this project to thank. I can’t wait to attend other clinics, and see what else the OAC has to offer!

Earth Month Reflections: Week 3

For my third week of the Earth Month Challenge, I decided to walk everywhere instead of taking the bus. I broke my challenge once, when I went to a concert in the Short North on Friday night. I think I could have walked the distance, but I was with a group of people and don’t think they would have wanted to walk. It was also raining at the time. Besides, this, the week went well. I’m pretty used to walking to the other side of campus on the weekends, so the challenge wasn’t a problem then. But, I do normally take the bus to the Union and back on Tuesdays and Thursdays. So, these days this week just meant getting up earlier to make it there on time. It wasn’t bad. Something I could have done differently was try to convince my concert group to walk; I didn’t ask because I figured they wouldn’t want to. Also, I shouldn’t look at the bus schedule when I’m trying to avoid them. I guess it is just a habit, but knowing when the bus was coming would tempt me to ride it; especially when it was snowing/raining this past week. Something I’ve learned this week is that I walk a lot more than I used to. Before coming to school here, it was rare if I walked a mile a day. It feels great knowing I walk much more each day now. Next week, I will only be taking cold showers. This will be… interesting. I have a feeling my showers will be significantly shorter than normal.

Earth Month Challenge Reflections – Week 2

The second week of the Earth Month Challenge went well. Like I said in the previous post, I thought the most challenging part would just be remembering to unplug all of my electronics. For the first couple days of the week, I would forget to unplug everything until after I was lying in bed for the night. I’d have to get up and go to the other room to unplug everything. This started to get a little annoying, so it helped me to remember to get it done before bed. This week made me realize how much I depend on my phone, as well. Since I unplugged my phone charger at night, I would wake up with a half battery in the morning. My phone was dead by the time I got done with class for a few days until it became more habitual to fully charge it during the day.

To help with this challenge, I could have set reminders on my phone to plug it in a couple hours before bed. I also could have put sticky notes by the light switch to remind me to unplug everything in my room before I went to bed. I wrote reminders in my planner, but that didn’t necessarily get my attention at the right time. I would look at it a couple times throughout the day, but then forget to do it by the time the day was over.

Next week, I am not riding the bus at all. This will be interesting, because I depend on it a good amount. I think the hardest part will be resisting to use it on the weekends, or if I go out with friends and have to just meet them wherever we’re going.