Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Beaverton and graduated from Sunset High School but I spent most of my high school years at the International School of Beaverton. It was a highly diverse place to grow up so I got to try a lot of different things from a lot of different places, like learning to use the abacus and doing tae kwon do for practically my whole time there. Beaverton seems to be close enough to so many outdoor things, too, so I was quite lucky to be able to experience a lot of Oregon.
Why OSU?
OSU seemed like a naturally good choice. My grandparents and both parents spent the majority of their college lives at Oregon State. I’m a science major and it has quality programs and seems like a great feeder into the dental program at OHSU, my future plan. I considered other schools like Montana, where snowboarding would be close, but OSU just seemed to entice me.
How close are you to graduating, and what do you plan to do after that?
I am a junior and am on a four-year path so I plan on graduating after spring term of 2018. Following that I plan on going to a dental school on the West Coast, and I am hoping to stay in my home town and go to OHSU. If I don’t get in my first year, I plan to stay at OSU for the majority of another year, doing dental-related internships as well as completing a second major. I would like to spend some time traveling as well if I can get the funds to explore.
What has been your favorite class at OSU, and what did you learn in it?
This is a relatively difficult question because I learn so much from all of my classes and they all seem to interconnect with one another, although I think I have been most influenced by my organic chemistry class. Not only by the content in itself, which is quite fascinating and beautiful to me, but by the connections I have been able to make between the small scale of chemistry and relationships between people. It is all comparable and truly deserving of the word beautiful.
What’s the most important thing you’ve learned outside the classroom?
Relationships. According to Erickson’s 8 stages of life, the 20s are all about intimacy. Living with five different people (four currently) and meeting an incredible number of other people, I have learned just how important intimate relationships are to my happiness. Realizing that school and grades are important, I have put far too much of my effort into academics so I could get into dental school. However, more recently I have embraced the importance of human connections. So I have been spending more time with friends making memories than before. This balance is the most important thing I am learning, period, deciding what is important in the long run.
What’s your favorite place to hang out on campus?
Dixon Recreation Center. If I am on campus, it is either for school or to go to the gym. The gym is my stress relief and the way I can direct my feelings, since I don’t have sports as an outlet anymore.
What’s your favorite place to hang out in Corvallis?
I really like seeing views. So going to the river or going to some of the hills up north is really nice. I am in search of new places to visit when I have spare time.
What kind of support do you get from scholarships?
I haven’t received many scholarships for school with my 3.6 GPA. I did get a College of Science scholarship, which helped me this year a good deal. The way I pay for college is mostly through working in the summer and during freshman year. One thing I regret is not applying for more scholarships.
This story adapted from Life@OSU. Jordan Anderson is currently attending OSU's School of Pharmacy.
