College has been all about change. Before this year, I feared change and stepping out of my comfort zone.   Even after coming to Ohio State, change seemed scary and it still kind of is. So when I realized that I wasn’t happy with what I was doing in terms of school, I was left upset and confused. I was sure that by picking Biochemistry as my major, I would be content, and it would only make my goal of going to medical school that much easier. However, as the year progressed, I realized that I was hitting a wall of sorts. I liked biochemistry, but not enough to feel that it was what I was meant to be doing.

I always knew I wanted to be a psychiatrist or a psychologist, but I somehow never considered majoring in Psychology until I sat in my Introduction to Psychology class lectures. Psychology 1100 was only meant to be a GE, but the more I sat in that class, the more I was intrigued by it. Meanwhile, my major classes were starting to feel dull, and I was not doing as well as I hoped because I did not feel passionate about my major anymore. That is how I decided to seek help and talk to the people that knew me best, and to schedule appointments with my psychology professor and a psychology advisor. After doing this, the decision was made and I haven’t looked back.

Although this decision brought about this old fear of change, I learned that sometimes change is what you need to be happy and to find where you belong. Sometimes it is good to follow your heart and gut feeling, and now that I have made the change, I realize this more than ever. It feels good to admit that maybe I wasn’t right in picking Biochemistry, but making the change only opened up a new chapter for me, and I couldn’t be more excited.

Now, as I finish scheduling for the autumn semester, I look forward to the new classes that I will be taking as a Psychology major. This change allows me to keep both the medical school door open, but it also allows me to think back to my original thoughts about being a clinical psychologist. Wherever this new path takes me, I know that I have made the right decision, and I cannot wait to see the great things it will bring.

Before coming to Ohio State, football games were just another sporting event. I remember coming to OSU football games every fall due to both my parents being alumni, but I never understood what they meant until I experienced my first game day as a Buckeye. From the moment I arrived at the stadium, I could already feel the atmosphere of the student section. There was so much love and pride for our school radiating from everyone, and it seemed that even those that were not too interested in the sport itself were just as part of it as those that were. All the events that went on, from the cheerleaders to the best band in the land, left me in awe in a way that I had not experienced before. Even though I did not know the people sitting around me besides the friends that I went with, conversations flowed easily, and when it came time to sing Carmen Ohio after our win, we all wrapped our arms around each other and just sang without a hint of awkwardness. I felt grateful to have come across such a welcoming and accepting community, and I felt even more grateful to finally be a part of it.

The first football game proved to me that I could not have picked a better school. Watching everyone come together to show support for our team despite any differences we might have had showed me what Ohio State was all about, and it gave me the comfort that I needed to start off the semester on the right foot. As time goes on, I hope to be as kind and welcoming to new Buckeyes to show them what I was shown my first game. I know this ticket will stay with me for a long time, and it will serve as a reminder of the great school that is The Ohio State University.