Leslie
Stelzer
Year in Review
August 2016-April 2017
This year, I took the initiative to leave my comfort zone and try some new things. Getting to experience life as a Student Orientation Leader really demonstrated to me all that this University has to offer- and also that my time here is temporary. It motivated me to try anything and everything before my time here comes to an end- which could be this time next year! (PANIC)
I'm about three weeks away from studying abroad in Madrid, and I think that this year has prepared me for life on my own in a special way. There have been ups and downs, but I think that this year I've had quite a few more ups. I've realized that the down times are temporary, and that all it takes is a few hours with good friends to turn your mood around. I've had friends away for an entire semester on co-op or study abroad, and I've seen that some relationships are worth the effort to keep things strong. I've discovered that friendship is a tricky thing- and that you don't need to limit yourself to just one group. I have my relax and talk about the deep stuff-friends, my hang out and joke around-friends, and my PAC/SOL/NSSLHA friends that help keep me involved, organized, and from going absolutely insane.
Something that sticks out to me from this past year is all of the small things I did with my friends. Whether it's joking around as I host trivia (which has turned out to be the best job ever), spur-of-the-moment movie nights, or just wandering around and kicking soccer balls with some friends, I think that these small moments are the ones that I will cherish the most post-graduation. Even when they are happening, you can't help but feel a little nostalgic for the beauty of picking up and doing something spontaneous. After watching a few of my friends graduate, I have learned to really appreciate and hold onto people while I still have them.
I've just been accepted as a Senior Class officer for next year, and I cannot believe that my final year of undergrad is approaching so quickly, but I am honored and excited to see what the next year brings. I'm planning to explore the city more in the next year, create some good memories before graduation, but most importantly, I'm hoping and planning to develop my plan for after graduation. Will I attend graduate school in Cincinnati? Can I swing that out-of-state tuition and take the next steps towards truly moving away? Only God knows, but I know that the process will be just as exciting and nerve-wracking as the outcome.
August 2015-April 2016
This year, I had the opportunity to learn a lot about myself. I think that this year I am truly feeling like a Bearcat. I don’t get nearly as homesick, and I’ve really begun to make Cincinnati my home. This school year, I gained many different experiences through my work as an LAC tutor, working in PAC, and different traveling opportunities that I’m thankful to have had. Working as a peer tutor on campus really allowed me to develop my communication and time management skills. It’s helped me to learn how to work in a professional setting, as well as how important it is to prioritize so that I can balance my work, school, and social life. PAC has given me many different opportunities this semester. I learned how to run an event, and in gaining a position as the social media chair, I gained a perspective for how marketing works. PAC has given me so many new friends that I would trust with my life, they’ve become my family. Every week, I look forward to the hard work that running events involves because it gives me another opportunity to make new memories with the people I love the most.
The most significant event from this year was my service trip to Puerto Rico. Not only was it my first time out of the continental United States, but it was the first time I’ve gotten to immerse myself in a culture that’s somewhat different than I’m used to. I got to practice my Spanish, work in nature, and wake up to some of the most beautiful sunrises I’ve ever seen, from the top of a mountain no less. I traveled to a children’s hospital, where none of the kids spoke English. I got a new perspective for the hardships that life-threatening diseases can have and how it can tear apart entire families. I was able to view a different social status and play with and put smiles on the faces of little children, which is one of my absolute favorite things to do!
In preparation for the year ahead, I am going to try to do more. A lot of times, I come home after work or class and keep to myself for the remainder of the night. Next year, I would like to be more active outside of work and the classroom. I don’t want to look back on my college experience and realize that I missed out on all of the opportunities that were available to me. I hope to loosen up, try some new things, and say yes to things that I never would have a year ago. Academically, I’m going to aim to hold onto my 4.0 GPA, even if that means staying in now and then to put more time into studying, which I slacked on this semester. My goal for next year is to travel to somewhere new and to register for a study abroad trip for my Spanish minor or certificate. Going on service trips has proved to me how strong my passion for travel is. I’m a type of person that’s rarely content to stay where I am, and I hope to do more and more traveling as I get older.
August 2014-April 2015
What I learned about myself in my transition to college was how to build a home. Throughout the year, I experienced bouts of homesickness. I realized that I missed my family, my dog, and the comfort of home, but that home wasn’t the same now that I have left. Moving to college allows you to build a home with what you’ve got. It is in your own hands to take the necessary steps to making your college experience great. You have to take some risks and get out of your comfort zone, but in the end, you are able to look back and realize that the home you made for yourself makes it all worth it.
This year taught me that I’m a leader, I have my own beliefs, I’m able to work with a wide range of personality types, and I can conquer anything that I put my mind to. It taught me that hard work always pays off, and that the best way to help yourself is to help others. I will take this newly gained confidence and wisdom into my future so that I may approach hard tasks with a better sense of how to go about it. I will be better prepared to take on different issues and solve them in a diverse range of ways. I’ll make decisions for myself when I need to, because sometimes you are allowed to be a little selfish. This year taught me what it means to be on your own, and that while you may be on your own, you’re never alone.
One of the most significant experiences that I went through this year was my spring break trip to the Carolina Tiger Rescue. I’m not sure what the hardest part was: the hard labor or the leadership position. Being a trip leader altered what I now know I am capable of. Organizing departure times, meals, and handling the money was a huge responsibility. Grocery shopping for 23 people with very different tastes was no easy task. I walked to the grocery store too many times to count, and I was usually on my own. My spring break trip was one of the biggest tests of my life. It forced me to be a leader, and allowed me to realize that I am capable of doing so much more than I had realized.
For next year, my self-advice is to take things one at a time. Looking at what’s ahead can be very intimidating. But if you take it one day at a time, or one task at a time, I’m confident that you can tackle task by task until you reach your destination. One task doesn’t seem like such a big deal, and after a while you’ll look back and realize how much you’ve accomplished. Don’t let the bulk of things stress you out. You’ve gotten this far, just imagine how far you’ll go! Next year, I hope to take more risks. 2014-15 taught me that I could handle more than I expected, and I plan to push that as far as I can. I may fall short, but I don’t want to live a careful life. As they say, it’s better to aim high and miss than to aim low and hit. I expect that through expanding my comfort zone, I will learn more and more about myself.