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For my first installment of the "reminiscence 2008" series on this blog, I wanted to write about a particular quarter in my academic/personal life that really shaped the ultimate path I followed throughout college.
It all started in Spring of 2005 (my freshman year). I was enrolled in the first class that was to be the beginning of my "major" coursework for a Spanish degree. I was also simultaneously tutoring through Big Brothers Big Sisters at a Southwestern Columbus City school with hopes to improve my Spanish by conversing with young Latino children who needed language help. (Sidenote: I became involved with BBBS by participating in Morrison Tower's Spanish Living Learning Program, a great way to network with other dorm residents who are into the same things you are.) However, what I achieved from my experience in Big Bros Big Sisters was more than a tutorial in the Spanish language, but a motivation to pursue a second degree at OSU: Social Work.
Upon realizing that my "children are the future" philosophy would take hold as the dominating ideology in my life, driving all of my goals for the next 3 years, I needed to make some shifts in the classes I was taking (i.e. moving that Spanish major to a minor and meeting with an advisor through the college of Social Work). However! The gods of academia were set on creating chaos, because the earlier mentioned class that I was enrolled in was turning out to be one of the best I had ever taken. Spanish 250, with one: Alma Kuhlemann (a graduate student in the dept of Spanish and Portuguese) became a motivation to walk to campus every Monday and Wednesday. She was encouraging, vivacious, and genuinely invested in her students. In turn, I genuinely wanted to participate in class, and do the homework: meticulously examining metafiction texts by Spanish authors such as Carlos Fuentes (this was the first time I had ever read anything more modern than Don Quixote in a class). Even as early as my freshman year, I couldn't imagine only taking 5 more Spanish classes and being done with the process.
After meeting with an advisor in the SW department, I learned of an accelerated program (only for the most motivated of students) and I was settled. I would earn two degrees in 4 years, by participating in this program, and doing an intensive study abroad. By the end of the quarter my freshman year, I had made some major life decisions, and felt lucky to have made choices that made me happy, when so many of my peers were feeling the consequences of their indecisions. I later learned that had I visited the social work office even a quarter late, I may not have been eligible to graduate in such a short time frame.
This story isn't meant to sound self righteous. It's meant to provide a bit of encouragement. Getting involved in activities outside of class is (in my opinion) the best way to get to know yourself and to find your place in the world (not to mention: at Ohio State).
For me, that place was in reading and analyzing Spanish writers and poets on one end of campus, and learning about important public policy decisions that have affected the Social Welfare system of the USA on the other end. These decisions may not have been made, had I not gotten involved in my community and taken the initiative to meet with advisors. Thank you, 18 year old self.
Since June 8th, 2008 I have:
-Road tripped to Toronto Canada w/my father and our significant others, including a pit stop in Detroit, at which we visited their most amazing Art Institute.
-Road tripped again to Chicago/Champaign IL to help previously mentioned sig. other defray outrageous gasoline prices so that he could attend a bachelor party / to also visit a dear graduate student friend of ours in the very quaint college town of Champaign.
-Flown to Washington DC to visit two other friends that I will not see for at least a year (due to my upcoming departure to Spain).
-Drove up to Marblehead/Kelly's Island (in OH) for a beautiful outdoor wedding (I have an inordinate amount of weddings to attend this summer).
-Been freaking out about this VISA process which is turning out to be a highly annoying process and my advice to anyone moving abroad after college is to STAY ORGANIZED!
Soooo, the last month and a half has been busier than I anticipated it to be upon graduation. In addition to all of this I am still needing to take that pesky LSW exam, to sell all of my stuff, including my car, and to begin this whole "I'm moving away for a year" thing which includes making plans with everyone I know, lest they get offended by my negligence.
So now, an account of this summer has been given. My final couple of entries will reflect on some of my more significant college experiences and impressions.
While a lot of these memories and greatest college moments took place with friends I made outside of the classroom, and through traveling, concerts, bar nights, etc....there will always be that one professor that I will forever refer back to in conversation, or a paper that through the process of writing changed my life. I could literally write a book the size of Moby Dick just about my experiences in the classroom, and so from this point on begins my superlative list (if you will) of my life at Ohio State University.
On June 8th, 2008, I graduated from college with two degrees; a BS in Social Work and a BA in Spanish. Here's proof:
Well, not exactly proof unless I photocopied my diplomas and posted them, but this is me with my grandparents and mother shortly after 3 of the hottest hours of my life. The ceremony wasn't anything special. In fact, it was downright impersonal. No one calls your name, and I'm pretty sure I didn't even shake a hand, but as I mentioned previously, it was a time for closure (and tons of pictures!)
As of a week and a half later, I am back to the grind, of 30 hour weeks at the library, and babysitting for one of my former employer's children a few times a week. This summer is reserved for acquiring a visa (in which I have to travel to Chicago in person to receive), preparing to leave for Spain in 3 months, taking my LSW (Licensed Social Worker) exam, and traveling around the country to see the friends that I won't see for at least another 9 months. It's a hard life, right? :)
Over the next several entries I plan to do some reflecting of my undergraduate career. And it is worth reflecting over! I found it impossible this school year to take any extra time for myself to think about what has been the most important class, the most important instructor, the best place I lived, etc. It was impossible in part because my year was so incredibly busy! But now that I'm only technically busy 40 hours a week instead of 80, I think it's time.
Well....I got accepted to the program. So I am now officially one plane ticket, one visa and one summer away from living in Spain for 8 months. Coincidentally, tomorrow night, my best friend comes down to Columbus for the first time after studying in St. Petersburg Russia since September. I'm eager to see her, and eager to receive advice on what to pack for such an extended period of time.
Between exciting news, and preparing for the FOUR presentations due in the next 2 weeks, I haven't had much time to breathe. I am also taking the tremendous responsibility of conducting my first home visit alone with a client for my internship. I am going to be walking through a foot high stack of paperwork with her, without supervision, so it should be interesting.
Oh, yea, and I'm graduating...have I mentioned that yet? ;)
It's time to get back to Presentation #1.....the whole reason I'm even writing a blog entry right now is a baaaaad spout of procrastination. It's 1:30am and this thing is due tomorrow morning. So goes the life of the 'senioritis' ridden student.
It’s been hard recently to concentrate on anything but graduating. Just last night I went out with a few friends and the discussion inevitably turned to politics. I realized that even something I once followed religiously, has taken a backburner to my incessant fantasies about not having any schoolwork and being disengaged from academia. Yes, unfortunately, I am not a well informed citizen, and generally focus on nothing else but completing my last projects for class, and saving money.
While that paragraph sounds overwhelmingly negative, it's really just a relief to know that all of my hard work over the last 4 years has paid off. I had originally contemplated not attending my graduation ceremony, but it came to me that the ceremony is really a time for closure. I'm looking forward to sitting in those bleachers with 10,000 other graduates, waiting for the moment when we know...it's really over, time for the next chapter.
Speaking of next chapters...I haven't kept up on this blog with what mine will be! I have applied to a program to teach English in Spain for a year. It is a grant through the Spanish government that offers a stipend, health insurance, paid holidays and flexible hours. I should officially find out about my acceptance sometime next week, but I have been assured that with my Spanish/Education background, I should be a shoe-in. So…I’ve been making plans and getting ready to live in Europe for a year!
I had no idea I’d be looking into this when the year began, especially since I felt that my study abroad in Spain between my Sophomore and Junior years was sufficient in orienting me to the Spanish lifestyle. But I have several friends who completed the program, and loved it. The flexibility is unbeatable, and living on your own, making money in Spain, is much different than taking classes for six weeks. I'm looking forward to solidifying my Spanish language skills, and trying something new (teaching) !
My new home?
:)
In the College of Social Work here at OSU, every student is required to obtain an internship as part of their degree requirements. I began working with the Help Me Grow program through Children's Hospital at the beginning of Fall Quarter, and am just now wrapping up eight months of experience in the field. I didn't think that I'd start to feel such a sense of attachment to a job that I have only had to commit 16 hours a week to, but it has really begun to become part of my identity. I find myself making introductions to strangers, first as an employee of the hospital and second as a student. I guess that exemplifies how big of a role an internship can play in a student’s life.
My first quarter with the program began as a kind of shadowing experience. I took a lot of tours of the different centers at the hospital (at which my program is housed), I attended training sessions, I met with administrators, and I even had to write a paper for the seminar component of my internship about the organizational/financial structure of the program: which took a lot of research! I felt that I was constantly bombarded with information, and I wondered how I was ever going to learn to get past the background to actually start working with the clients.
The week I returned from winter break for my second quarter, I began to take on more responsibility as a practitioner. My supervisor would have me type up her case notes, I scheduled appointments with clients, sent faxes, and at the end of the quarter, actually began to tackle the intake process as she assigned me my very own clients.
It is now Spring Quarter and I actually carry a case load of five clients and one has just recently arrived from Mexico, which carries with it a whole other set of responsibilities. It has been great, being able to use my other degree (Spanish) to help this family navigate their way through the process of finding resources for their child. That is essentially what a Help Me Grow Service Coordinator does (my official title); helping families to link with resources and information in the community to help their child(ren) to develop normally and healthily.
I have done everything from driving to a resource center to pick up a stroller to advocating for a client in her landlord’s office to save her from eviction. It has been challenging, rewarding, and one of the greatest learning experiences I’ve had in college. And I still have seven weeks left!
I just thought, that at this point in the year, with midterms approaching and an inevitable wave of nostalgia hitting every graduating senior, that I’d elaborate on what an internship can look like. It has certainly provided me with a mental "toolbox" that I can use in the real world.
And after this first blog of this beautiful Spring Quarter, the countdown can begin:
Exactly 60 days till I am up on that stage! :)
As anyone living in Columbus knows, this weekend we were hit with the most massive amount of snow many of us have ever seen in our lives. I was supposed to attend the Vagina Monologues on Friday night, but did not want to risk my life trying to cross the street (as I had done walking home from class earlier in the afternoon). In fact, the only time I left my house all weekend was to take a walk to Cazuelas on Saturday night, which was absolutely PACKED. Other campus restaurants should take notes, Cazuela's employees braved the foot and a half of snow to dutifully serve their very appreciative, hungry, cabin fevered customers.
It was really eerie walking around the streets on Saturday night, there were virtually no cars, but many people were out walking. It was like a giant street fair with no vendors.
Anyway, by yesterday (Sunday) I had recovered, and spent a great amount of time shoveling my stairs and walkway. I have yet to attempt to dig my car out, I was hoping that the sun would assist in that process.
Here is my car, even after a significant amount of snow had already melted.
Mandatory Campus Living for Sophomores
Wow. After reading this article (see title link) and the overwhelmingly negative responses beneath it, I am slightly in shock that the University is planning to make a change to such an impacting policy. Living on campus was an interesting and beneficial experience, don't get me wrong, but an additional required year at such a large university seems a tad bit preposterous. I have many friends that attended private schools who lived in the dormitories for up to all four years of their education. It makes sense, if a university is located in a rural area, and can provide easily accessible housing close to classrooms. But with the range of cheaper options available for students to live off campus, and the lessons of responsibility that can be learned by doing so....well, again, I'm baffled.
I'm interested to see what the community's response to this decision will be. Providing housing for an additional 3,000 students (the entire population of some of those previously mentioned private schools) will raise a whole slew of issues regarding space,money, and general freedom of students.
I cannot believe that my first entry of February is so late in the month! I really didn’t know a person could be this busy.
I want to begin recapping this miserably cold month with an account of my fabulous Valentine’s Day. It was not romantic or filled with chocolate hearts, but instead: Hillary Clinton! I attended the Clinton rally held on campus at the last minute on a whim. She came to the French Field House across the street from the stadium with John Glenn at her side. I didn’t technically arrive on time, but as soon as my friend and I walked in the door we were greeted with loud applause just in time for Hillary to take the stage. It was kind of exhilarating being only 30 feet away from a woman I have admired since I was in high school. The last political rally I attended was for John Kerry in 2004 at Bowling Green State University. There were thousands upon thousands of people gathered in the streets for that event, and so, judging from my previous experience, I was not at all expecting to see the color of Hillary’s lipstick on this day.
But it gets better…..as her speech came to a close and everyone in attendance filed out of the building, I ended up against the barricade that surrounded the stage as she circled around giving autographs and shaking hands. I was merely content with watching her do this, but just when I stopped paying attention, she came right over to me and signed my Hillary for President poster! It was surreal in all respects. One minute I was contemplating staying at the library and working a few more hours to make some money, and the next minute, I’m standing face to face with the potential future president of the United States with a newly signed poster. Lesson of the day: seize any opportunity that comes your way, because in the end, you’ll remember what you took advantage of much more than that $25 extra dollars earned at your campus job.
Valentine's Day has never tasted so sweet. ; )
I am in the midst of scheduling for my final quarter at Ohio State. And let me say that... the task has taken on much more weight this week than it ever did in the past. As a student in an intimate program, I feel like virtually all of my classmates have a story about the dream or disaster professor that they took a class with. I myself know approximately half of the professors that I presently have to choose from, and the process is not always cut and dry. There's really not enough discussion about the tremendous effect that professors have on the classroom experience. I have taken classes that from the description, sounded like 10 weeks of dissertation inspiring material, but because the instructor was too busy or was not interested in the subject, turned into a 7th grade homeroom meeting.
That's not to say that on the other hand, classes that I initially thought I was going to despise, ended up being fascinating. Spanish 103.66 for example, my first spanish class in college, I entered thinking would be a total joke. Ten weeks later of role playing, games and general educational fun, I changed my mind and kept in touch with the professor my entire freshman year.
What this all translates to today is my decision making process in choosing classes. It's great to take a "laid back approach to academia" (as one instructor so appropriately verbalized her teaching style), but taking a laid back approach to engaging your students is unnecessary and generally cruel, considering the money we pay to be here.
I wish that sites like would more aggressively advertise and include more user reviews. Instead I'm left to my own devices: snooping through syllabi online and e-mailing 10 different people on their opinions of each professor in our department. But Hey. You gotta do what you gotta do.
I took the following picture a few days ago solely to display the tiny and overlooked detail in the top left corner of a similarly overlooked building: Stillman Hall (home to my very own Social Work department).
Truthfully, I hadn't even noticed it until I was playing tour guide with a friend from Bowling Green last year. He looked up at the sky, smiled, and naturally, I narrated the history of the building as if I had always admired the clever subtlety of my department's home.
You’ll find that. After four years of wandering in and out of buildings for various classes and leisurely strolls, I've discovered that every building on campus has something interesting and quirky to appreciate. In the Hagerty Hall coffee shop, one can watch the news or a soap opera in virtually any language. Taking 2nd place in my list of most frequented buildings, I've found myself distracted from midterm preparations on many occasions, only to focus my attention towards rapidly spoken specials on Japanese fish markets.
I've found while wandering, that each building is a home to someone. There is probably some student, in the very building that you spend a measly 5 hours a week for Soc 101, who spends 40 hours+ on a research project that will decide the future course of their academic career. I know for a fact that when I walk into Knowlton Hall (home to the school of architecture), I can just feel the tension. Architecture students spend more time in the studio than I do at my internship, 2 jobs and class combined.. Translation: never date an architect. If you haven’t had a chance to check out Knowlton Hall, do, because it is an amazing structure (and think about all the students that live there! It’s probably the biggest informal residence hall on campus!)
Last night I watched my friend Diego eat this:
The famous “Thurman Burger� featured at the Thurman Café in German Village is “nine dollars of heaven�, so he says. Normally I would have been thoroughly appalled at having to witness the half an hour task of consuming the largest burger I’d ever seen, but the atmosphere of this place was so fun that I couldn’t help but smile. Thurman Cafe, as one of my friends so appropriately put it is: “Columbus’ best kept secret�. And while I’ve lived here for three and a half years, I hadn’t so much as heard of it until last night. With a tiny bar holding only 10 or so tables, we had to wait over 45 minutes to get in, but upon entering, it was a red lit warm and welcoming area. We spent over two hours just enjoying our food, drinks and the friendly wait staff.
What led me here in the first place was a new year’s resolution of sorts to take advantage of my remaining time in Columbus as much as I could before I had to move on and start new with a different city. Finding hang-out gems such as Thurman Cafe is what I most have to look forward to this year. By one's senior year, feelings of general boredom sometimes creep into view, but I realized that initiative is all it takes to get out of a slum. I enjoy finding little gems such as this one. I visited the famously hipster bar: “Carabar� on Parsons Ave Weds night. It is in the Old Towne East area of Columbus and hosts a great selection of bands with NO COVER! I’m all about free live music. Anytime, anyplace, I’m down. It's a great place to hang out, as long as you can handle an abundance of skinny jeans and flannels. ; )
The first [full] week of winter quarter was overflowing with pleasant surprises. (This sentence has never seen the light of day before, so cherish it). Monday began with insanely, unseasonably warm weather (70 degrees folks.......in January). Normally I wouldn’t have had a chance to embrace it, seeing as all of my classes fall quarter were not only in the same building, but in the same room. Because of the nature of my program (many of the courses are two-part series), I was absolutely certain at the end of December that I was about to embark on “Fall Quarter Part Two�, only 3x as miserable when considering the 10 weeks of cold wet feet and frostbite I’d have to endure. However…my first class of the week: Stats (which shockingly did not bore me to tears) was in the Journalism Building. A seemingly meaningless location, moving a little further west on our campus actually did worlds for me: providing a fresh change of scenery from the white brick walls of Stillman Hall.
In fact, as a result of my geographic rejuvination, I got a bit nostalgic on Monday, thinking about all of my different classes over the years and how funny it was that I identified certain areas of campus with certain times in my life. I once read a scholarship question: “If you could choose any building on the Ohio State campus, which would you most identify with?� While I’m not totally certain of the answer to this question, (it's going to take some concentrated thought!) I think it’s engaging and worth considering. Size, scope, shape, the affiliated studies and people, the treasures they hold: all factors that diversify these walls in which we spend 4+ years of our lives. Ok, so what…this is what the warm air does to me! I continued my aimless dreamy wandering, ate my lunch in the sun, and just generally felt much happier about the next 10 weeks of my life.
My condition was further affirmed as I went through the introductions of my courses. In at least two of my classes (I still have two to attend); I found that the majority of our grade consists of an individually designed project. I grouped up with a few classmates with shared-interests, and I am happy to report that the outlines of our projects are looking good! From designing a “what if� chart detailing the implications of electing each respective presidential candidate and its subsequent effect on social policy --- to constructing a manual of information in order to increase cultural competency amongst social workers --- I am ready to work! (Second fragment to cherish.)
Well! It’s been exactly 12 days since I officially shut my laptop and sighed in relief after a very stressful finals week. Because I was enrolled in 5 classes this quarter, finals week took on a new meaning: torture. I have spent a week of these last 12 days in New Orleans (just returned at 3am last night), and the rest was spent working at the library, banking some hours at my internship, catching up with the people that thought I died 6 weeks ago due to my lack of contact with the outside world, and of course SLEEPING!!! I hope to, in my next few posts, give a pictorial overview of autumn quarter and maybe even of my holiday vacation in the south.
It was funny to answer the “where are you from� question with its honest response this week, because I consistently received the same bombardment of "ohhhh’s" and "woaaaah’s" followed by inevitable harassment. Evidence of the upcoming national championship game between OSU and LSU is everywhere on the streets of NOLA. I must admit, I do feel a tinge of loyalty to LSU because my heart is in New Orleans (where I grew up); but I’ll be watching that Monday night game in Columbus and going crazy for Ohio State, because let's face it: buckeye fever is hopelessly contagious.
 
Back to Columbus after being in Cleveland (and Pennsylvania for a few hours) since Wednesday. I ate two thanksgiving meals this year, one at my aunt and uncle’s house in the hills of Western Pennsylvania, and one at my boyfriend’s grandparent's in the suburbs of Cleveland, quite the contrast! I had decided I was going to accomplish all of my assignments over the weekend, and diligently brought my books with me. I thought that seriously, this time would be different than all those other breaks that my book bag sat by the door unopened. I thought that my intense work load (consisting of a 12-14 page paper, a 5 page paper, a 2-3 page extra credit assignment and miscellaneous other tasks) would be motivation in itself. WELL. If you’ve paid attention to my use of the conditional verb tense, you’ve already guessed that I accomplished absolutely nothing (besides an introduction for the five pager, ha). What did this mean? Last night I was up until 4am working on everything, slept 3 hours, and then went back at it again this morning. I sort of / kind of finished my 12 pager during my morning class, and luckily was able to spit a few pages out in an hour for the extra credit assignment before my 3rd class of the day. Don’t let anyone tell you 20 pages cannot be written in less than 12 hours, it can and it has been done. So right now, I am celebrating my accomplishments (and complete exhaustion) by lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling and drawing up a strict agenda for my coming assignments, that is 100% guaranteed to be tossed to the side and forgotten. Countdown to vacation? 7 excruciatingly painful days. My last words of advice....visit the OSU Writing Center at least one week ahead of when your assignments are due. Not only does it help you set a time-line for yourself, but it's a great free way to get honest and helpful feedback from awesome people that haven't (like you) read your paper 85 times.
Did I mention I work there? ; )
For all the exciting and wonderful things that happen in college that we get to write about here, there is one issue that rarely gets blogged on, which hit me close to home these past few days: what to do when you get sick? After a long day of congestion, followed by a sleepless night of vomiting, topped off with 2 days of misery, I decided that it would be important to document my carried out plan of action during these trying times. I called off two days of internship, two writing center hours, and a blood donation appt. to transform myself into a bed-ridden, jello-eating, movie-watching, slob. At 4 in the morning on Monday I decided to take matters into my own hands and looked up the Student Health Center website, which directed me to a 24 hour hotline in which I could speak to a live nurse. She gave me advice on what I could do to relieve my symptoms, and in the end I didn’t even need to see a doctor because a lot of my problems had been caused by an overdose on Sudafed (READ MEDICINE LABELS CAREFULLY). She told me what foods to avoid, what the time frame would be for my recovery, and a few other pieces of advice that helped me to get better quicker. I thought this free service was really helpful because I didn’t have to drive myself to an urgent care, I could instead receive quick and easy medical advice from the comfort of my bathroom floor (yuck). Anyway, getting sick can really suck, so make sure to hydrate yourself, get a flu shot (directions are on the student health center website) and bundle up, after this November heat wave subsides, it’s gonna get cold!
What do these three attention grabbers have in common? They all played important roles in week seven of fall quarter 2007. This quarter, more than any other, is always pretty political. Election Tuesday usually falls within these last few weeks of school, bombarding us with media encouragement to vote for certain candidates, and producing a much more politically driven campus. The week began on Sunday with a debate on pornography between Ron Jeremy (the most famous man in porn), and Rev. Craig Gross, founder of XXXchurch.com, a Christian ministry devoted to those struggling with pornography. I attended the debate expecting to reaffirm my beliefs in freedom of speech and expression, but came away with a much more critical view of Jeremy’s defense of the industry than I had anticipated. Both sides relied a little too heavily on the impressionability of the college student population, using shock valued statements to gain reactions from horror to sadness to intense vocal support. Rev. Gross took a fairly liberal stance on a traditionally conservative issue, and I enjoyed hearing such a fresh perspective from the opposition. Both sides were fairly articulate and educated, although at times I didn’t feel that they were even addressing the same issues, and they seemed to talk at the audience about each other and not to each other. I was unable to find a well-thought out review of the debate on the internet to direct those who were not able to see it, but keep your eyes peeled out for a more mainstream source to pick up coverage on this tour of debates.
The week progressed from there with another debate, this one held in my Social Work policy class in which I had to argue against same-sex marriage. The debate constituted a reasonable portion of my grade, so I had to find hard-core data to argue for a side of an issue (with which I couldn’t have disagreed more). I thought this was an interesting assignment, because it forced my classmates and me to examine the issue through the eyes of the opposition, and man was it hard. In the end, the professor (who also acted as the mediator) expressed that the debate was largely a moral issue and we entered into an open dialogue about the implications of this law being enacted. I wish I could have debated and/or wrote papers for every grade in college; I’d be a much happier and informed student.
Finally, the weekend capped off with a heartbreaking loss in football which, on this campus becomes an extremely political issue, because the rivalries between schools in the Big 10 usually inspire more passion in Ohio State students than presidential races ever could.
Happy Veteran’s Day observed!
Last week at my internship a coworker of mine told me that this year would be the hardest of my academic career, and that she definitely does not envy the position I am in right now. I found it humorous that an adult would look at my student status and feel any emotion but envy. After all, don’t we always hear adults nostalgically recalling their college years, and complaining of life in the “real world�? Many times I don’t think college students give themselves enough credit for all they do. Most of us carry over 15 credit hours of class, while simultaneously holding down jobs, volunteering, participating in clubs, exercising, having significant others and trying to soak in as many learning experiences as possible! Once in the real world, the pressure doesn’t exist to be involved in 5 campus organizations, on top of class, work, and the social life that is necessary to keep many of us sane. I could have taken offense to this comment by my adult co-worker, but instead, I found it encouraging that eventually I won’t feel so guilty about taking “the best years of my life� for granted. It is hard, and if anything, I feel a hint of pride, for making it over 1/6th of the way through this insane senior year. Thanks Belinda.
On a similar note about stress and ways to manage it better...while attempting to find information about the Ron Jeremy vs. Craig Gross debate on pornography this Sunday (should be interesting), I stumbled upon this little editorial from the OUAB (Ohio Union Activities Board) president. I thought it was funny and motivating, and is something we should all be able to relate to and learn from, as the second half of the quarter takes hold of us all!
Two weeks ago I began an activity that was uncharted territory in the life of Catherine Shaw....the office. Every Tuesday and Wednesday for the remainder of my senior year, I wake up at the crack of dawn, drive downtown to my agency (the Center for Child and Family Advocacy) and live the life of an intern. For me, this quarter, that means a lot of job shadowing, reading policies and participating in educational training sessions. In following quarters, I actually begin my own case load as a social worker, submit paperwork, contribute to staff meetings and begin to take on real responsibilities. While this may not sound particurally exciting to the average reader, substitute midterms, finals, papers and boring lectures for the aforementioned description...all for Ohio State credit. I'm down! : )
So while I've adjusted to getting to bed at midnight, (very well knowing there's no chance I'll have a pop quiz the next day) it has been an excercise in responsibility and a transition from traditional student life, to my future career. This process, with a little coaching from my supervisors, has led me to start seriously thinking about grad school (an option I was not entertaining until last week). I have begun the great search college search all over again.
I'm not sure where to start and I am thinking that I'll be living in my advisor's office this quarter. I had no idea senior year was going to involve so much paper work!
And now I'm off to a much-needed weekend, including a football game (sure to be a blow-out) and a roadtrip to Bowling Green to visit a friend. My weekends feel like full luxurious vacations these days.
I have had the most flexible summer of my life! It's been liberating in a sense, with no set work hours (the best thing about my job) and no set deadlines for reading, writing or traveling. I was able to travel to New York, Chicago and LA (in that order). New York to leisurely visit for the first time, Chicago to attend Lollapalooza: a festival with over 150,000 in attendance, and LA to embark on a cross country road trip to help a friend move. The flexibility allowed me to read about 5 books. I was also able to visit my hometown frequently and to spend time with family and friends that I’m not able to see throughout the year. All the while I worked part time at the library, and for 3 weeks I tutored English through the Office of Minority Affairs Bridge Program.
One important lesson that I learned without the pressure of classes and obligation, was how much I rely on form and structure in order to accomplish important tasks. While I gallivanted around the country and read a whole bunch, I didn’t get to keep up with my Buckeye Blogging or partake in as many professionally developing activities as I would have liked to. I realized today, that this summer was the last of my undergraduate career. My advice to any underclassman reading this is: take advantage of the opportunities your university has to offer, because four years is a LOT shorter than it sounds. Hopefully with the insanely busy school schedule ahead, I will be able to establish a better work ethic and to perfect the resume!
So anyway, enough rambling, school has begun! Today, I did not have any classes because for the remainding Tuesdays and Wednesdays of the year, I will be working at my internship through Children’s Hospital. I’ve been looking at it as a sort of practice run for “the real world�. I am also taking 5 classes (that will hopefully compliment this experience), working for the Writing Center, and of course, my beloved job at the Ackerman Road Library. Putting myself in the shoes of an objective reader, this all sounds incredibly boring, but my ultimate goal is to always have something to write about.
Good luck and happy academic new year!
It’s funny that from one month to the next, your plans can change entirely. I began my summer hoping to attend Bonnaroo and to take a trip down to New Orleans, I ended up with a few alternate plans. One of those took place last weekend. I spent four days in New York City for a bit of a break from the monotony of the library and the slow paced Ohio July. It was my first time in the nation’s fastest city, and it made Columbus feel like a farm-town. We arrived the day after a large steam pipe burst in Midtown Manhattan and actually stayed with a friend just a few blocks from the blast. The city was a little shaken up, but we managed to get around, to see a large portion of: Central Park, Brooklyn, MOMA (free on Friday evenings) and a Yankees game in the Bronx, all the while eating delicious food and torturing my lazy feet. I’d say it was a largely successful trip. I was exhausted by the time we returned home.
All in all, my favorite part of the city were all of the little neighborhoods that have flourished and developed their own characters over the years. We ate a delicious Malaysian meal in China town. We visited a quaint hasidic Jewish deli in Brooklyn. The night life was amazing in the East Village. All of these experiences had a unique and distinctive feel and I was greatful that I recieved such a diversified experience for only staying 4 nights.
I took a few shots, although as the designated camera girl, the subjects mainly consisted of crowded streets and my goofy friends.
By Day and by night
 
I recommend any Ohio State student to visit New York City. Only about an eight hour drive, or a $150.00 flight, (Airtran offers great cheap flights out of Akron) NYC is a true gem of the East Coast.
While many college students spend their summers outside life-guarding, babysitting, landscaping, or studying abroad, I spend my afternoons at the OSU Ackerman Rd. library 4-5 days a week working with books....inside. I have been employed at the library for almost two years and the routine is killing me, although I keep telling myself that I should be looking at this summer as a “break�, because once fall quarter sets in, it will be non-stop business.
To keep myself happy (and sane) I have done the following:
-Listened to books on my iPod.
This has actually been a very rewarding experience. Listening to books makes time go faster and leaves room for multi-tasking and productivity. Life of Pi was excellent and a totally light hearted and appropriate read for a long day at the library. Although enlightening and thought-provoking, I would recommend saving Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance for a visual reading experience, as it was extremely hard to follow when I ran into any break in my work routine.
-Listened to tons of music.
The soundtrack of my life this summer has consisted of the following bands/artists: Andrew Bird, Apostle of Hustle*, Arcade Fire, Band of Horses, M. Ward, Modest Mouse*, My Morning Jacket*, Regina Spektor*, The White Stripes. The starred artists are those that I will be seeing in the month of August at Lollapalooza and other venues.
-Daydreamed about upcoming trips, constantly creating lists containing points of interest to research (and occasionally engaging in said research on the job). My next blog entry will highlight a recent trip to New York City (as soon as I can upload some pictures) which has been the highlight of my July 2007.
It always amazes me every year how many of my friends (who have lived in Columbus for the past 3+ years) have never been to Comfest, and sometimes have never even heard of it. Growing up in New Orleans, I was accustomed to and fond of the constant festivals and parties in the streets. But every year, one thing I have to look forward to in Columbus is its Community Fest. This year was no exception. I ate overpriced Indian food, I soberly danced in broad daylight, I people watched, I walked till my feet hurt and I loved every minute of it.
The weekend before Comfest I was on the riverfront at the Latino Festival which was a diverse cultural experience featuring tons of Latin American music and food. At one point we were offered a free plate of raspberry walnut waffles, which we began to eagerly devour, only to discover the presence of fried crickets beneath the layers of deliciousness. It was an "educational" experience, but I'm not sure I will be able to permanently overcome the cultural barrier. :)
NYC? LA? Please. Columbus is where it's at this summer.
Today is a particularly special day for me, as it marks the one year anniversary of my arrival in Toledo, Spain for my 2006 six week study abroad. I can’t believe a year has passed. What’s more is that I can’t believe how little I expected out of the program, and how much I actually received. I’m not talking about something tangible. My trip to Spain was probably the best 6 weeks of my life. I am a better speaker, a better traveler, and an overall better person from the experience. I can say this all now because in the past year I have been able to truly connect with the people and places within the literature that I’ve studied. I’ve been able to keep in touch with the people I befriended in my program. And I’ve generally felt more satisfied with my education as a language major. The only problem with looking back after one year is the intense longing to return. I think travel is a funny thing because if you decidedly really like a place (see picture, it was taken in front of my hotel in San Sebastian, Spain)...
….then it’s hard to start planning new trips to places you haven’t been. I would like to visit other Spanish speaking countries, most notably Central/South America, but it's difficult when my Spanish journey was nothing short of perfect.
Studying abroad was far more freedom than I was anticipating. I felt that I was on my own. I had to negotiate with my host family, plan my own trips, and it was my responsibility to attend class in the midst of so many distractions. I found it even more liberating than my normal college experience. My parents and friends weren’t conveniently close, there was no obligation to attend my second cousin’s (once removed) wedding, or to keep my gas tank filled. I didn’t even have a cell phone in Spain!
In a way, when you study abroad, you begin a new life, and with this new life comes less ‘conventional responsibility’ (bills to pay, phones to answer, etc.) and more of a responsibility to adventure and self-discovery.
Anyway. That was my nostalgic personal reflection for the day. I will go on the record as saying that it has been my most important experience in college to date.
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