College/Major: College of Health and Human Services/ Hearing, Speech, and Language Science
Why did you pick Ohio University?
I chose Ohio University for several different reasons. For one, I had four cousins who had gone here, and loved it, but that didn’t completely sway my decision. When I would tour other colleges, I wouldn’t get that homey feeling of an actual “College Town” that I got when I came to OU. The scenery was beautiful and I preferred not being in a major city. Also, when I was thinking about what I wanted to study, Ohio University had a great program for students going into the HSLS major.
What is the best part about living in Athens?
I absolutely love living in Athens. I am from the greater Cleveland area and it is way too city for me. I like the small, quiet town atmosphere that Athens gives. My favorite part about the city is that downtown Athens is paved with bricks. You don’t really find that too often in a big city. Another part of the town that I enjoy is that everything is for the most part in walking distance. It is a big campus with over 16,000 students, but I have been here 2 years, and have realized it truly is a small world.
Where is your favorite spot on campus?
My favorite spot on campus would have to be West Green. I love the atmosphere that it has. It is also where I have lived for the past 2 years, so there could be a bias. It is also known as the “Athletic Green,” where the athletes live as well. It was so much fun to be a freshman and go watch the sporting events and actually know and live in the same dorms as some of the players. I loved to watch sports in high school and figured that would be the last time I personally knew the athletes I was watching, but I was wrong. Plus, it is an easy walk to all of the sporting events because it is right next to the Convocation Center, across the street from Peden Stadium, and also has the baseball fields behind us. There are only a few dorms on West Green, and it’s not as big as South Green, but I feel like it was a great place to start out the first 2 years of my college experience.
What has been your favorite class at OU and why?
My favorite class at Ohio University so far would have to be my Theatre 113 class. I had heard about this class, and knew there would be some acting that would have to be done, and didn't really think anything of it. Well, our teacher was a graduate student who was an actor himself and he was determined to make the entire class fearless of being in front of people and making a fool of yourself. By the end of the quarter our class was extremely close, and I still talk to many of my fellow peers today. I just thought it was a great learning experience overall and I made friends doing it at the same time.
What advice do you have to give a first year student?
The best advice that I would have to give to a first year student is to learn to adapt. College is such a great new experience, and literally everything is different. You will have to learn to adapt to a roommate, different food, being on your own for the first time, responsibility that you may not have had at home, new friends, and taking care of yourself. At first this may seem quite overwhelming, but no worries. You will learn so much and learn that college is a growing experience. Don’t be afraid of new things and challenges and give everything 100%.
