An Ode to Freshman Year

My first year here at Ohio State was everything I wanted it to be and more. When it came to academics, I was pushed to go outside of my comfort zone and take my learning to an entirely new level. In my animal science classes I learned about career possibilities that I didn’t know existed before and was able to have the opportunity to be truly hands-on with numerous species. In chemistry, I explored how to stretch my brain to not only learn, but apply that knowledge. I can tell that these classes have made me a much better student, ready to tackle whatever comes my way in the next years of schooling.

Outside of the classroom I grew as a person, friend, teammate, and leader. As a member of the Environmental and Natural Scholars, I was able to live in a community of people that were incredibly uplifting and like-minded. I was even graced with the opportunity to help form this program for the upcoming semesters. This taught me how to be an active member of a community and how to better communicate with others. I joined the Triathlon club, which not only kept me active but gave me a family that I never knew I would find again after high school sports ended. On this team are some of the best people I have met in college and I have learnt what true friendships are like. At OSU, I became part of a community that was more diverse than I had ever seen in my life. I learned how to value acceptance and equality because everyone is so beautifully different.

Personally, this year I was shown who I really am. I had to learn how to exist on my own, which lead to a path of self discovery unlike anything I knew. Through this new lifestyle I was shown what gets me motivated, how I cope with stress, what people I want to be surrounded with, and even eating habits. I believe that I now know who I am and who I want to be almost fully because of the experiences that I have had in this first year. I never would have dreamed that this year at OSU would be so revealing and formative.

I also couldn’t have asked for a better time. Moving out early was only so heart wrenching because I knew that I was cutting short what had been the best year of my life so far. As I sit back at home I found it so hard to pick just one day or time that I enjoyed the most. Then, it came to me that I loved every single day. Just waking up and walking to class in the sunshine, studying at the library with my favorite coffee and a sense of productivity, finishing a tri workout and laughing with a teammate, or listening to TBDBITL practice in Buckeye Grove. It was these little moments that made every day the best day ever.

Next year I hope to continue all of the positive energy that my first year was full of. I hope that with every sunrise comes discovery and general enjoyment, and that every day is once again the best day ever.

A day in German Village

For this post, I chose to stick with the German Village category of the Columbus To-Do list. The first part of this was going to dinner with my family at Schmidt’s Sausage Haus. I loved the atmosphere of the inside as well as the surroundings of the quaint restaurant. Everything was traditional and the service was exceptional. They even had a band playing German style music, and all the waiters and waitresses were dressed up in German attire. The actual food was amazing oof course, and one cannot forget to visit the fudge bakery just next door to the restaurant. Of course, we could not leave without taking pictures with the props set up outside to entertain people waiting in line. Overall, we left with happy hearts and content stomachs, and it was truly a great experience.

The next experience in the German Village was simply wandering the streets of the beautiful neighborhood. I went with my triathlon team, and for the variety of people there, there was something for everyone. There were countless little cafes for coffee lovers, a beautiful park for nature people, as well as my favorite, the little shops full of everything you could imagine. The whole area was incredibly peaceful and gave us all a great break from our busy everyday lives. This was definitely my favorite experience of the whole semester because I would go back again and again and could still find something new and great. The atmosphere is unlike anything else and no matter who you are, you will will almost certainly find something that you absolutely adore.

From this project, I learned that Columbus has everything you could ever want and more. All you have to do is go looking for it. Some of the best parts about Columbus are hidden in plain sight and it takes a trained eye to go and find them. This assignment helped me learn how to do that so I can enjoy my time here even more. It has led me to want to spend more days deep in the heart of it, just wandering until I find something new. For someone striving to complete the same set of lists, i would recommend keeping an open mind (because you never know what you may find), as well as learning to use the bus routes because they are your greatest resource. I would definitely recommend a trip to the German Village to a friend because it has everything you could imagine to offer and is unlike anything else in the city. Overall, I would (and probably will) go back to all of these places in a heartbeat.

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German village^

Schmidt’s Sausage Haus (feat. My sister, Anna)

ENR Scholars Alumni Interview

The ENR Scholar alumnus that I choose to interview was Alyssa Whitof, who graduated from tOSU with an animal science degree and is currently managing a lab that does research on protein stability. Alyssa was involved in many student organizations and participated in two studies abroad.

Alyssa offered a multitude of great advice for a person in my position aspiring to be what she is now. First off, she said not to overwhelm yourself. Do what you love and what you think will get you farther in life, but not to the point where you are too bogged down to have fun. As if we were the same person, she quoted one of my favorite quotes from the show Parks and Recreation by Nick Offerman that goes as follows, “Don’t half-ass two things, whole ass one thing”. For professional advice, she said to do research on the company before interviewing and that if I want to get involved with lab research I should get out there as soon as possible

I plan on applying Alyssa’s advice by focusing solely on the things I love to do that are not too much to handle all at once, Right now, I am involved in the Triathlon team and the Pre-Veterinary association, all things that help me to do what I love. I also plan on getting involved with a lab next semester, which will help me see if it is something I really want to pursue in the future.

Overall, my correspondence with Ms. Whitof was very enjoyable and I learned a lot from it.

 

Olentangy Trail Adventures

For the first semester of my freshman year, I have decided to explore the parks and nature aspects of Columbus. It seemed most fitting to me because, as a semi-serious runner and cyclist, parks and trails are something that i could potentially use every day. I am looking forward to finding beautiful places to get my runs in, like the Scioto mile, a gorgeous city trail that I cant wait to run, bike, or walk on. Hopefully this assignment gives me a good reason to go out of my comfort zone and explore new places that get me off off campus and into the real world. Columbus is a huge place with countless opportunities, and getting off campus to explore and exercise is just the first step in a long journey to being able to call this city my home. In the end I want to be able to use the resources I have (like the bus system) to confidently navigate the best resource at Ohio State; that is, Columbus.

The first experience that I had off of this list was an exploration of the Olentangy trail. Located just steps outside of my dorm, this trail is an extremely important resource to me. Whether biking, running, or simply admiring the scenery, the Olentangy Trail is a great place to be. Just a few of its best features include diverse foliage and wildlife, extremely well kept, even paths (perfect for cycling), a huge range, and ideal location. My only concern is if they plow or ice it or not in the winter once the snow and ice comes along with the freezing temps. Despite being in the middle of a very metropolitan landscape, this trail manages to make you feel as if you are far away from campus, the city, and civilization in general.

All in all, I absolutely adore this trail and all that it offers. From the river view to the fall leaves, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to a friend or bring a running buddy to enjoy the sights with me.

 

Year in Review

[ “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.]

G.O.A.L.S.

[ “G.O.A.L.S.” is a place where students write about how their planned, current, and future activities may fit into the Honors & Scholars G.O.A.L.S.: Global Awareness, Original Inquiry, Academic Enrichment, Leadership Development, and Service Engagement. 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.

  • Global Awareness: Students cultivate and develop their appreciation for diversity and each individual’s unique differences. For example, consider course work, study abroad, involvement in cultural organizations or activities, etc.
  • Original Inquiry: Honors & Scholars students understand the research process by engaging in experiences ranging from in-class scholarly endeavors to creative inquiry projects to independent experiences with top researchers across campus and in the global community. For example, consider research, creative productions or performances, advanced course work, etc.
  • Academic Enrichment: Honors & Scholars students pursue academic excellence through rigorous curricular experiences beyond the university norm both in and out of the classroom.
  • Leadership Development: Honors & Scholars students develop leadership skills that can be demonstrated in the classroom, in the community, in their co-curricular activities, and in their future roles in society.
  • Service Engagement: Honors & Scholars students commit to service to the community.]

Career

[“Career” is where you can collect information about your experiences and skills that will apply to your future career.  Like your resume, this is information that will evolve over time and should be continually updated.  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.]

Artifacts

[Artifacts are the items you consider to be representative of your academic interests and achievements. For each entry, include both an artifact and a detailed annotation.  An annotation includes both a description of the artifact and a reflection on why it is important to you, what you learned, and what it means for your next steps.  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.]

About Me

Pictured in Brussels, Belgium

Welcome to my life! I am Molly Welton, an animal science major on a pre-vet track, excited for the next 4, or actually 8, years of my life in the crazy experience that we call college. I am from Erie, Pennsylvania, and my life back home mainly consists of cross country, swimming, and doing all the water sports that living on a lake gives me the privilege to do. I am pretty outgoing, but always enjoy a night in with a big blanket and some hot chocolate. I try my best to live a well balanced life and love trying out every hobby and activity under the sun.

As for my academic life, I have found success in the classroom in high school and am ready to put in the hard work to keep it rolling into college. I have found that during school I learn best visually. I write out all of my notes and prefers to see the information presented in front of me. When it comes to certain subjects I find myself to be more interested in the sciences than math or history. I have a passion for learning (most of the time) and tend to be a highly self-motivated student when I put my mind to it.

Another topic that I have gained a passion for is sustainability. As a pre-vet major, I took interest in species conservation as a child and it has only grown since. Nature and all life in general has extreme value

My future plans include going to Veterinary school and completing my DVM, as well as traveling and studying abroad throughout my years as a college student and beyond. I hope to make some amazing connections during my time here at OSU and enjoy every step of the way.