I had a great second year. Academically it was very challenging, but I am almost through it. I have made a lot more friends and expanded my social circle a lot. I’ve started a position in a research lab, continued to volunteer at a dementia residence, and shadowed a few physicians over the course of this year. I am very grateful for the position I’m in today, and wouldn’t be here without the support from my friends and family. I am continuing to develop good study skills as a lot of my classes were a challenge, but I enjoy challenges. I have continued to explore other hobbies such as fishing, and I have also recently started playing the acoustic guitar and learning about music. I think that learning a new skill such as an instrument has made me smarter in other areas and has been super fun. I am continuing to grow as a person and look forward to what comes next.
Month: April 2022
Vision Statement
I’m going to dedicate a lot of the rest of my time on campus to planning for my future career plans. I am currently still on the pre-medical track and plan on reviewing for the MCAT for next year this summer. I am also going to start exploring other options in the health care field, including becoming a PA or NP. I have a few shadowing opportunities lined up for this summer and next summer I plan on living in Columbus to continue to dedicate time to my professional development. Another thing I need to plan is the possibility of taking a gap year for either clinical experience or to do a service project. I’ve been thinking about joining the Peace Corps or Americorps for a long time and I think taking a gap year could be a good opportunity to do so. I still have a long road ahead of me, but I am excited to keep going and am ready for what’s next.
Class Review: Micro 4100
I just finished Micro 4100 this semester as the first core class for my microbiology major. I was a little nervous going into it in fear that I wouldn’t like a class that entails information in my entire major. Luckily, I loved it. My instructor for both lecture and lab were terrific, and I really liked the subject matter, as I thought I would. Apart from enjoying the class I also got a good grade, which very important to me. My passion for microbiology and to learn hasn’t burned out, so I am very motivated to move forward with it. This class was a great start for me in my major and I look forward to 4110 next semester.
Fishing
This past year my passion for the outdoors and nature has led me to start my fishing journey. Along with my friends, I have been going on countless trips to freshwater streams all across Ohio. Shown in the picture is a smallmouth bass out of the Little Miami River. Being outside and in nature has always been very important to me my whole life. I think it’s very important to be connected with our Earth and I love bringing people outside with me. My passion for nature has definitely driven me into a science field academically and I can’t wait for this summer so I can go fish even more.
Starting Research
This semester I joined the Carrie Sims Lab at the Wexner Medical Center as an undergraduate assistant. The focus of the lab is aimed at researching ways of improving outcomes in hemorrhagic shock and sepsis. Specifically, the lab is investigating the role of sirtuin proteins in the inflammation response. This semester I have mainly been genotyping mice to see what sirtuin genes the mice have to be later tested. This is my first wet-lab position, and I have really been enjoying it. My supervisor is a fourth-year surgery resident and it’s been great getting to know more about life in the healthcare field. I look forward to continuing to help out the lab as long as I am at OSU.
Service Reflection
In the fall I joined a club called Buckeyes Against Alzheimer’s. This club is dedicated to raising money and awareness about dementia as well as volunteering at dementia-specialized residences on the weekends. This year I have been volunteering there a lot, which mainly entails spending time with the residents as they eat their breakfast and doing arts and crafts. I really enjoy getting to know every resident and hearing stories from their pasts. I had always known on paper what dementia does to a person and their memory, but it is truly different when you actually experience getting to know someone with the disease. I’m very happy to have found this club on campus and am very grateful for the opportunity to volunteer with the residents, as I get to help them out with their days and I get to learn and develop a relationship with every resident I meet, which is very important to me. I have learned a lot from volunteering and I plan to continue during my time at OSU.