On a beautiful autumn day on Ohio State’s campus, the colorful leaves and the warmth of the sun add to the atmosphere of Autumn Quarter. On a day like this, the Oval is overflowing with people laying out and throwing footballs with their friends.
With the start of a new school year, students are returning to campus, meeting new people and getting reacquainting with old friends. While upperclassmen have a handle on the “ins and outs” of college life, first-year students are discovering a new adventure.
With the majority of my years in college in the bag, it doesn’t seem like I’m experiencing my third Autumn Quarter. As I walk through campus, I remember my first year and the experiences that I have encountered.
My first class was Theatre 100 in Hitchcock Hall. Even though I am a theatre major, I was still like many first-years: perhaps a little apprehensive, but eager enough to grab a seat in the front row. My involvement in student organizations, such as the Undergraduate Student Government and University Ambassadors, has cultivated many friendships. It takes me an hour just to walk from on side of campus to another. What can I say, I’m a friendly person.
Since my first Autumn Quarter, I have learned a lot about myself and the university community. I’ve tackled numerous tasks and looking back, Autumn Quarter was started them all.
The sunshine and the crisp air sweeping up the leaves, as I listen to “Carmen Ohio” on my iPod, gives me the sensation that I am where I belong. For incoming students, I hope you take the advice I give you.
The next four years of your life will seem like seconds. While at OSU, take every opportunity and tradition OSU offers. Create yourself. Go to the the sporting events. Have a conversation with a new person every day. Stress out about classes and then laugh about it when it’s all done. Above everything else, leave your mark so you can look back at your time at OSU and say, “I am a Buckeye.”
