My first semester at OSU was actually mostly what I expected. We all have fears when going into a setting as new as college, but in the back of my mind I knew that this was a bump everyone has to get over at some point. I had the normal fears of not making any friends, failing all my classes, and falling into a pit of anxiety. Of course none of this really happened, and I currently in a comfortable spot. I will say that there are some things that I have definitely learned however, and I look forward to the new semester so that I may have a chance not to repeat certain mistakes. One realization that hit me hard is that you have to put in a lot more work into your academics. In high school, I got away with cramming the night before and still get away with good grades. In college however, you really need to know the material in and out in order to do well on exams. It’s frustrating to me how much one midterm can affect your grade, so I really need to step up with how much time I put into studying. As for social issues at college, I wasn’t aware of how much you need to put yourself out there in order to meet new people. Thankfully, I have high school friends that I’ve been able to lean on and meet new people through, but with my new classes next semester, I’m excited to try initiating conversations with new people. I also hope to maybe get involved with more events around campus, and become more aware of all the resources I could be taking advantage of. After this semester, I definitely know what to expect from college as a whole, and I hope to take these observations and work on creating a better me for the next one!

Kayla’s Story

Me and my older sister, Josie who currently attends OSU as a senior, when we were younger, our parents told us that if we could catch a bunny we could keep it. We really wanted a pet and so we took a bunch of lettuce and we made a little trail leading towards us. We were hiding in the bushes, all decked out in green. We had little headbands with leaves sticking out of them. We sat there with butterfly nets, which were way to small to catch them anyway. But yeah, we didn’t catch a bunny. Also, I can sing with my mouth closed. (Proceeds to sing Mary Had a Little Lamb with mouth closed).

Before this school year even began, I have imagined what my life here at OSU might look like. There are many things that I am excited about, but also many things that make me nervous. I think my main excitement and fear is one in the same: the sheer size and diversity of this school. I love experiencing variety among people and style of living, but I’m also worried about how I’m going to fit in among the diversity and finding people who share common values and interests. However, the first week has convinced me that I will eventually fully immerse myself in these new surroundings. So far I have been enjoying all of my classes, and I have gotten the opportunity to meet and befriend so many new people. As for the Humanities program, my one hope and expectation is that it will offer a new side of education for me, as opposed to the scientific and mathematical skills I will be learning in order to achieve my major. I can’t wait to see what the future holds. 🙂

[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 is a reflective description of the artifact that attempts to communicate its significance.  For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]