Artifacts

My First Semester at OSU

As my first semester at the Ohio State University is reaching its end, I look back and just see how far I have come since I first stepped foot on campus back in August. It has certainly been a journey of continual adjustment and adapting, but surprisingly, it did not take long for me to start referring to OSU as home, because the students and faculty members here have been so welcoming to new buckeyes since the first day. Thinking back, most of my fears about college seemed to have resolved themselves over the course of time. Though I am not fully sure about what I want to be in the future, I am starting to accept the fact that this feeling of uncertainty is a mutual sentiment that many other students share, and that it is natural to feel unsure. Admittedly the academics have proved to be a challenge, and I am still learning how to ask for help; but I know it is a matter of new mindset I have to adopt and work towards. Although the abundance of support available on campus can be overwhelming to a point where I do not even know where to start at time, I am still grateful for those opportunities.

I did not have a lot of strong anticipations for the Humanities Scholars program at first, but I do feel that I got more out of my first semester experience than I expected. Humanities Scholars has introduced me to a group of people who all come from diverse backgrounds, and each person contributes their own uniqueness to the program’s dynamics. My first semester experience has propelled me to have a deeper appreciation for Humanities in general, and made me realize that it’s the people who mold the community into what it is. Therefore, I hope that in my next semester, I will be able to get to know more of the Humanities Scholars better and actively participate in more activities that are offered to the program exclusively.

Humans of OSU

Nealofar

“I was born in Cincinnati; my mom came to the states from Iran when she was around twelve, and my dad came when he was about thirty-they had an arranged marriage. I have a younger brother who is sixteen and in high school…and I have a pet dog! My grandparents-I’m very blessed to have all four of them-are all U.S. citizens, and they’ll be coming to visit from Iran next summer. I’m really excited about this, because I haven’t seen them in ten years.”

“My family is really, really important to me and really close. I make a lot of phone calls to both of my parents every day. Like multiple calls. I probably call each of them two times a day, which is a little odd for some people. And my dad visits the campus a lot. They’re just very important to me and a part of who I am! The Iranian culture itself is very rich-as far as our literature, our language, and our cultures-and it’s something I’m really proud of that has had a big impact on my life. I went home this weekend, and I brought some Persian food back with me, because you just gotta have some. And this college transition has made me appreciate it even more, because I’ll have my hot tea from home with me here which I can’t go without, you know? I joined the Iranian Culture Association which has helped me connect with other Iranians at OSU. It’s really cool to be able to speak the language, learn, share, and celebrate different holidays with other. [The culture] is just a big part of who I am.”