I can’t believe that my first year at UC is over! This sounds so cliché, but time really does FLY. It feels like yesterday that I was moving into my freshman dorm and now I am getting ready to move into an apartment! Although I was pretty nervous about leaving home and starting this new chapter in my life, I feel that I made the right decision coming to UC and that I have already been able to grow so much here.
Academically, this first year went by very smoothly. I was able to quickly adjust to my classes and find the time I needed to devote to studying. I ended the year by earning Dean’s List with a 4.0 GPA both semesters. Because of everything I was involved in this year, especially second semester, I really had to learn time management skills and how to prioritize all of my activities.
Luckily this year I was able to be a part of two honors experiences and at the same time get a lot of biomedical research experience. During the spring semester I was in the University Honor Program's Biomedical Research and Mentoring Program working in Dr. Mike Jankowski’s lab at Children’s Hospital. This summer I was chosen to participate in the SURF-Neuro program and am now working full time in Dr. Jankowski’s lab. Although I do really enjoy science and preforming different assays and experiments, my time in the lab has confirmed for me that I am on the right path by choosing to become a physician. To me, the most exciting part about research in my lab is doing surgery on the mice and taking parts for experiments. I now have a lot more respect for researchers, but I could not see myself doing research on a daily basis (I would much rather be behind the table with a scalpel :)).
Some of the biggest lessons that I have learned this year were not school or career related. I grew up in a small neighborhood and went to small Catholic schools my whole life. Before coming to UC you could say that my “fish bowl” was very small, but after only a year at this big public institution I think I can say that I have really broadened my horizons. Getting to know so many different kinds of people has really made me less judgmental and more open to a lot of different things. Although I did have some problems with one of my roommates, I was able to learn how to deal with different kinds of people and how to confront and address issues. Being in Clifton has forced me to be more aware of my surroundings and responsible for my safety and my belongings, which I am grateful for. This year was really the first time that I had ever been away from home for an extended period of time. Being back home this summer and reflecting on this year really makes it very clear to me how much more independent I have become. I learned how to do my own laundry, how to cook and clean for myself, and even learned little things like how to get myself up every morning on time and how to braid my own hair! Not only was I away from my family, but also my boyfriend of five years moved to Connecticut to play hockey for most of the year. Only being able to see him every few months was a struggle, but it also strengthened our relationship and made me so much more appreciative of the time I get with the people I love.
Going into sophomore year, the one piece of advice I would like to give myself is to do what makes me happy. All through high school I was always so concerned about doing things that would make me look good either on paper or to those around me. I was able to gain some perspective recently and I now think it is more important that I look good to myself and focus on doing things to make me an all around better person. This year I want to make sure that I have fun and that I am doing things I want to be doing. I can already see how fast my time in college goes by and I want to enjoy it! Next semester I want to continue to make school my number one priority and also make more time for going church and volunteering with different service groups. Hopefully I will be able to take all that I learned this first year and make my second year at UC even better!
Academically, this first year went by very smoothly. I was able to quickly adjust to my classes and find the time I needed to devote to studying. I ended the year by earning Dean’s List with a 4.0 GPA both semesters. Because of everything I was involved in this year, especially second semester, I really had to learn time management skills and how to prioritize all of my activities.
Luckily this year I was able to be a part of two honors experiences and at the same time get a lot of biomedical research experience. During the spring semester I was in the University Honor Program's Biomedical Research and Mentoring Program working in Dr. Mike Jankowski’s lab at Children’s Hospital. This summer I was chosen to participate in the SURF-Neuro program and am now working full time in Dr. Jankowski’s lab. Although I do really enjoy science and preforming different assays and experiments, my time in the lab has confirmed for me that I am on the right path by choosing to become a physician. To me, the most exciting part about research in my lab is doing surgery on the mice and taking parts for experiments. I now have a lot more respect for researchers, but I could not see myself doing research on a daily basis (I would much rather be behind the table with a scalpel :)).
Some of the biggest lessons that I have learned this year were not school or career related. I grew up in a small neighborhood and went to small Catholic schools my whole life. Before coming to UC you could say that my “fish bowl” was very small, but after only a year at this big public institution I think I can say that I have really broadened my horizons. Getting to know so many different kinds of people has really made me less judgmental and more open to a lot of different things. Although I did have some problems with one of my roommates, I was able to learn how to deal with different kinds of people and how to confront and address issues. Being in Clifton has forced me to be more aware of my surroundings and responsible for my safety and my belongings, which I am grateful for. This year was really the first time that I had ever been away from home for an extended period of time. Being back home this summer and reflecting on this year really makes it very clear to me how much more independent I have become. I learned how to do my own laundry, how to cook and clean for myself, and even learned little things like how to get myself up every morning on time and how to braid my own hair! Not only was I away from my family, but also my boyfriend of five years moved to Connecticut to play hockey for most of the year. Only being able to see him every few months was a struggle, but it also strengthened our relationship and made me so much more appreciative of the time I get with the people I love.
Going into sophomore year, the one piece of advice I would like to give myself is to do what makes me happy. All through high school I was always so concerned about doing things that would make me look good either on paper or to those around me. I was able to gain some perspective recently and I now think it is more important that I look good to myself and focus on doing things to make me an all around better person. This year I want to make sure that I have fun and that I am doing things I want to be doing. I can already see how fast my time in college goes by and I want to enjoy it! Next semester I want to continue to make school my number one priority and also make more time for going church and volunteering with different service groups. Hopefully I will be able to take all that I learned this first year and make my second year at UC even better!
Year-in-Review #2
My second year at UC is over and I made it through organic chemistry!! I actually thought getting an A in this class would be impossible, but I learned that if I dedicate myself and put in the time and effort, anything is possible. After four semesters at UC I still have a 4.0 GPA, and I am excited that I have completed all of my basic, core classes and am moving on to courses specific to my major and pre-med path.
This year I lived on campus in Morgens Hall with one of my roommates from last year, Katerina. I really liked our living situation this year, especially the fact that we had a kitchen! It’s really nice to be able to cook your own food and not have to depend on the Food Court or microwaveable meals. Our apartment was pretty awesome and we had an AMAZING 11th floor view of the med campus. I’m really going to miss being able to look out my window and watch the ambulances and helicopters come and go when I can’t fall asleep at night.
Most of this year was pretty smooth sailing, except for recently when I did face some challenges. At the end of the spring semester I applied for a volunteer internship that I thought would be a really great opportunity for me. However, the interview process for this position was a lot more intense then I had anticipated, and unfortunately they were unable to offer me a position. At first this rejection really messed with my head, and it even made me question myself and my abilities. However, after a little bit of freaking out and a lot of soul searching, I realized that I was overreacting and that this opportunity just wasn’t in God’s plan for me. However, I am grateful for the opportunity I had to interview for this position because now I am more aware of what I need to work on for medical school interviews in the future!
Despite this setback, I luckily have been able to keep busy this summer. I recently began volunteering at Children’s hospital and so far it has been a great experience! I am working on the Oncology and Hematology floor with some really sick kids, but it feels great to help them in any way I can. This summer I am also doing a six-week shadowing rotation at Riverhills Neuroscience Inc. So far I have been able to shadow a number of neurologists in their office as well as in the hospital, and I have never been more confident that I am on the right path in becoming a physician.
I feel pretty adjusted to life at UC, but this upcoming year is going to come with a few changes. I will be living off-campus in a new apartment complex and I am really excited about the increased freedom and independence that it will bring. I also accepted a position to be a MASS center SRS Leader for Applied Calculus and will continue to volunteer weekly at Children’s Hospital. Additionally, I will need to start preparing for the MCAT, which I will be taking next summer. On top of all of this, my boyfriend is moving home and attending UC this year, which will definitely be a change from our long distance relationship I am used to. Because of these changes and the additional responsibly I will have outside of school, my advice to myself for this year is to focus on the big picture. I know at some point this year I will become overwhelmed, but I want to challenge myself to take breaks from everything going on and have some “me time” every once and awhile. My main goal for this year is to do something or join some type of organization that has nothing to do with my major or my professional interests, just something fun that I will enjoy! I know that stepping out of my comfort zone and meeting new people in this way will really help my last full year at UC to be even better!
This year I lived on campus in Morgens Hall with one of my roommates from last year, Katerina. I really liked our living situation this year, especially the fact that we had a kitchen! It’s really nice to be able to cook your own food and not have to depend on the Food Court or microwaveable meals. Our apartment was pretty awesome and we had an AMAZING 11th floor view of the med campus. I’m really going to miss being able to look out my window and watch the ambulances and helicopters come and go when I can’t fall asleep at night.
Most of this year was pretty smooth sailing, except for recently when I did face some challenges. At the end of the spring semester I applied for a volunteer internship that I thought would be a really great opportunity for me. However, the interview process for this position was a lot more intense then I had anticipated, and unfortunately they were unable to offer me a position. At first this rejection really messed with my head, and it even made me question myself and my abilities. However, after a little bit of freaking out and a lot of soul searching, I realized that I was overreacting and that this opportunity just wasn’t in God’s plan for me. However, I am grateful for the opportunity I had to interview for this position because now I am more aware of what I need to work on for medical school interviews in the future!
Despite this setback, I luckily have been able to keep busy this summer. I recently began volunteering at Children’s hospital and so far it has been a great experience! I am working on the Oncology and Hematology floor with some really sick kids, but it feels great to help them in any way I can. This summer I am also doing a six-week shadowing rotation at Riverhills Neuroscience Inc. So far I have been able to shadow a number of neurologists in their office as well as in the hospital, and I have never been more confident that I am on the right path in becoming a physician.
I feel pretty adjusted to life at UC, but this upcoming year is going to come with a few changes. I will be living off-campus in a new apartment complex and I am really excited about the increased freedom and independence that it will bring. I also accepted a position to be a MASS center SRS Leader for Applied Calculus and will continue to volunteer weekly at Children’s Hospital. Additionally, I will need to start preparing for the MCAT, which I will be taking next summer. On top of all of this, my boyfriend is moving home and attending UC this year, which will definitely be a change from our long distance relationship I am used to. Because of these changes and the additional responsibly I will have outside of school, my advice to myself for this year is to focus on the big picture. I know at some point this year I will become overwhelmed, but I want to challenge myself to take breaks from everything going on and have some “me time” every once and awhile. My main goal for this year is to do something or join some type of organization that has nothing to do with my major or my professional interests, just something fun that I will enjoy! I know that stepping out of my comfort zone and meeting new people in this way will really help my last full year at UC to be even better!
2016-2017 Year-in-Review
WOW, my third year at UC was by far the hardest and most busy year yet. During the fall semester I started working as a MASS center tutor and SRS leader for the Learning Assistance Center and I also volunteered weekly at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Spring semester was even crazier for me as I began studying for the MCAT. I took a Kaplan MCAT prep class in February-March and balancing my schoolwork and the homework/studying for that class was honestly one of the hardest things I’ve ever done! Although at a lot of points throughout the semester I wanted to give up and didn’t think that I could do it, I made it!!! After finally getting through this past semester I feel like I can do anything and I’m hoping my last semester at UC will be a breeze in comparison.
Despite how challenging this year was, one of my favorite experiences was the Introduction to Biochemistry course I took with Dr. Lieberman on the medical campus. Yes, it was extremely challenging and required a lot of time and effort to get an A, but I learned that I really love biochemistry and that when you’re interested in something, putting in a lot of work doesn’t really feel like work. It may seem odd, but the most important thing this class taught me is the importance of finding your passion in life. I want my career to be challenging and require effort, but also to be rewarding and something I truly enjoy doing; like studying for biochemistry!
One thing that I know really helped me this year was being involved at my church. I have been attending Crossroads since last March; however, I was so excited that a new location was opening up in Clifton. Not only is Crossroads Uptown close and convenient, but it has also been a great place of community for me. During the fall semester I joined a running group that met Saturday mornings and we ran together through Clifton. Also, during spring break this year I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to travel to Nicaragua on a GO Trip with a group of UC students at Crossroads. We partnered with Amigos for Christ and worked on building sanitary “modern” bathrooms and schools in Chinendega, Nicaragua. I say this like it’s no big deal now, but honestly I was so nervous and reluctant to go on a trip like this. Not only did I not know anyone going, but I also had never been out of the country on my own before. I am so thankful for the growth I experienced on this trip and for all of the relationships I made with the people in Nicaragua and with those in my GO group.
My thoughts about who I am and what I want to do have definitely evolved throughout this year. Honestly, a few times this year I found myself doubting my abilities to succeed on the path that I am on. This caused me to question a lot of what I was doing and how I viewed my life. The biggest thing that I took away from this was that doing something that I enjoy and that I am passionate about is more important than checking boxes and following the strict, predetermined plan I have for my life. I am also learning to accept and find comfort in the fact that ultimately God has a plan for me to succeed. Moving forward I am trying to be more open to different opportunities and exploring all things that I am passionate about, not just those that help my academics or career goals. I am currently looking for a job in an area of the health/medical field that I have not yet experienced, specifically physical therapy and music and wellness. I also look forward to having more free time this year to continue to serve and pursue different hobbies and time with friends.
Despite how challenging this year was, one of my favorite experiences was the Introduction to Biochemistry course I took with Dr. Lieberman on the medical campus. Yes, it was extremely challenging and required a lot of time and effort to get an A, but I learned that I really love biochemistry and that when you’re interested in something, putting in a lot of work doesn’t really feel like work. It may seem odd, but the most important thing this class taught me is the importance of finding your passion in life. I want my career to be challenging and require effort, but also to be rewarding and something I truly enjoy doing; like studying for biochemistry!
One thing that I know really helped me this year was being involved at my church. I have been attending Crossroads since last March; however, I was so excited that a new location was opening up in Clifton. Not only is Crossroads Uptown close and convenient, but it has also been a great place of community for me. During the fall semester I joined a running group that met Saturday mornings and we ran together through Clifton. Also, during spring break this year I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to travel to Nicaragua on a GO Trip with a group of UC students at Crossroads. We partnered with Amigos for Christ and worked on building sanitary “modern” bathrooms and schools in Chinendega, Nicaragua. I say this like it’s no big deal now, but honestly I was so nervous and reluctant to go on a trip like this. Not only did I not know anyone going, but I also had never been out of the country on my own before. I am so thankful for the growth I experienced on this trip and for all of the relationships I made with the people in Nicaragua and with those in my GO group.
My thoughts about who I am and what I want to do have definitely evolved throughout this year. Honestly, a few times this year I found myself doubting my abilities to succeed on the path that I am on. This caused me to question a lot of what I was doing and how I viewed my life. The biggest thing that I took away from this was that doing something that I enjoy and that I am passionate about is more important than checking boxes and following the strict, predetermined plan I have for my life. I am also learning to accept and find comfort in the fact that ultimately God has a plan for me to succeed. Moving forward I am trying to be more open to different opportunities and exploring all things that I am passionate about, not just those that help my academics or career goals. I am currently looking for a job in an area of the health/medical field that I have not yet experienced, specifically physical therapy and music and wellness. I also look forward to having more free time this year to continue to serve and pursue different hobbies and time with friends.