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  Adapting
to Ohio State
Two students’ perspectives
How to adapt to Ohio State and to
the Midwest: A student’s testimony
By Carlos Castillo
Adjusting to a new environment isdifficult. For example, OSU
can be a world of contrasts between your expectations and
reality. Classes are not always easy, but can be tedious;
making good friends can be challenging and discouraging; being
away from home can be sometimes depressing; bearing with the
cold is difficult… feeling happy is not that easy.
Therefore, here are some things I wish I had known two years
ago:
| Remember home, but do
not cling to it. Learn how to deal with homesickness.
Do not be afraid of talking to people and making phone
calls. This will get you far with friendships, job opportunities
and career goals.
Eat well and stay healthy. Do not let winter depress
you; instead, use your free time to get more work done
and play indoor sports.
Do not isolate yourself in your room: join clubs, play
sports, go to events, or simply take a walk around campus.
Keep up your hard work, but don’t overwhelm yourself.
Begin by doing well with 12-15 credits, and then set
your pace.
Smile and be polite.
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Sooner than later, you will start thinking of your OSU experience
as the one that changed your life for good. Ohio State provides
a wide variety of opportunities to have a solid education,
to experience the world in one place, and to take advantage
of its rich resources. My experience at Ohio State has been
challenging, but worthwhile.
Carlos Castillo is a senior student pursuing a major in
Industrial and Systems Engineering and a minor in Business.
Coming from the Rio Grande Valley
in southern Texas
By Oscar Santos
Coming from the Rio Grande Valley in southern Texas, I can
say that life at Ohio State University was a culture shock.
My entire life, I grew accustomed to being surrounded by people
of my own ethnicity, but that changed very quickly the day
I got here. Like many Hispanics, I thought about the possibility
of encountering discrimination, but on the contrary, the absence
of it helped out a great deal in abating the nervousness.
My suitemates at Lincoln Tower were very accepting and interested
in the culture I brought, especially
as a Spanish speaker. A few of them even insisted that I teach
them a little.
The biggest help in my adaptation process came from former
HOTS (Hispanic Organization for Texas Students) presidents
Doraly Salazar and Stephen Venegas and CAMP counselor Samary
Cecchetti. I think I can speak for all non-Ohio CAMP and freshmen
HOTS members when I say that these three did all they could
to make us feel right at home, especially in Columbus’
20-degree cold and snow.
One piece of advice to freshmen is that they join at least
one organization (not necessarily a fraternity) where they
can feel comfortable and meet new people. At the same time,
remember your responsibility to attend class and to maintain
your study habits.
Oscar Santos is a junior student majoring in Actuarial
Science, with a minor in General Business. Oscar is also the
Vice-president of HOTS (Hispanic Organization for Texas Students).
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