I entered college all wide eyed and bushy tailed, and I don’t think that outlook has left me.  I’ve spent long nights and jam-packed days doing coursework, studying, eating Buckeye Donuts, planning with BMES, and meeting with friends, teachers, and mentors.  Even when I was busier than I could have imagined, I have an incredible support system who help me find joy and excitement through everything I am doing. My ability to adapt to new situations, experiences, and ideas has increased tenfold.  I am doing everything that eager freshman Megan wanted to be doing and then some. I’ve learned to manage my time better and I’ve been able to take a social dance class through OSU’s Dance Department and I’ve begun attending Salsa Club’s meetings- both of which I have absolutely loved!  OSU has provided me with the resources to both excel academically and also branch out to find other passions that I didn’t know existed within me. It’s been a transformational year but at my core I still hold the same values inside of me: I am driven, passionate, and always excited to learn.  I am so excited to use the summer to take courses so that I can best use my time at OSU when I return in the fall!

Over the course of my first semester here at The Ohio State University, I have grown in many positive ways as a person.  In my Scholars Seminar, we discussed the differences between a fixed and growth mindset.  We also spoke at length about how a mindset is flexible and completely changeable if the effort is put in to do so.  I was very interested by this as I love dissecting the way people think and react to situations.  So as I looked back on this semester, I realize I, like the rest of my peers, have approached life from both growth and fixed mindsets based on the situation.  I’ve encountered obstacles throughout the semester and I’ve seen within myself a change in my mentality, without ever using the terms growth and fixed mindset.  I struggled with chemistry after the first review portions of the course and started to fall into a fixed mindset, seeing the course as a completely uphill battle on Everest.  However, after struggling with motivating myself, I started to actively work to ensure that I was making an effort every day, even if it was small.  Then every day, I did more.  I realized that I was completely capable of comprehending the chemistry material I was being taught and that if I put in the effort, I would be capable of performing well.  As I changed my mindset for this course, I began to see other changes within my everyday life.  I was completing all my other assignments more efficiently, I was getting more sleep, and I was taking more personal time.  My first semester allowed me the time to fully transition into the college swing of things and find my rhythm within the large university I call home.

[ “Year in Review”  is where you should reflect on the past year and show how you have evolved as a person and as a student.  You may want to focus on your growth in a particular area (as a leader, scholar, researcher, etc.) or you may want to talk about your overall experience over the past year.  For more guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]