Sydney Trem is a history and geography major from Aurora, Ohio.
What do you enjoy most about studying history?
I really like looking at how we got to where we are now. To me, history is a fun game of connect the dots. There are so many things from the past that I never would have thought would have such a great effect on how we experience life in the present. I love learning about these things and seeing how we got to today.
Why did you choose to be a history major?
I have always been really interested in learning about the past. I loved all my history classes in high school and wanted to become a history teacher. Though my future trajectory has since changed, my history major has provided me with so much insight and so many valuable skills.
What are the favorite history courses you have taken at Ohio State and why?
This is such a tough question! I absolutely loved History 3640 (Medieval Women) with Professor Butler. Going into this class, I knew virtually nothing about the Medieval period. I honestly did not expect this time period to be so interesting, but Professor Butler did a great job of making the class very exciting and engaging. This class also sparked an obsession of St. Catherine of Siena, who was a very fun person to research.
I would also recommend History 3700 (American Environmental History) or 3706 (US Business and the Environment) to anyone! Professor Elmore is one of the best professors I've ever had. It is so eye opening to see how our relationship with the environment shapes history and look at how we got to our current environmental state. Through these classes, we've had the opportunity to listen to speakers from Bayer and Kroger which provided a lot of insight into how companies view certain environmental issues. American Environmental History is what pushed me to add a geography major focused on environment and society. If you like Coca-Cola, take one of these classes.
I'm currently in History 4705 (Seminar on Latin American Environmental History) with Professor Eaglin and this class has been really amazing. We have read so many incredible works of environmental history and had really eye-opening discussions about the environmental effects caused by capitalism and imperialism. Professor Eaglin is incredible, and I would recommend this class to any history majors looking for a seminar!
If you could take the place of a historical figure (either dead or alive) for one day, who would you choose and why?
I would like to be someone from the Lost Colony of Roanoke. Where did they go? Who knows. This was my Halloween costume this year and I think it's a really interesting historical mystery. My family vacationed at the Outer Banks this summer, and we saw an outdoor theater performance about the Lost Colony, and I thought it was really interesting.
What’s one thing you wish every Buckeye knew about the past?
In terms of OSU history, I would want every Buckeye to know that the initial plan was to have 6-8 towers like Morrill and Lincoln. Imagine how crazy that would be! In general, though, I wish that there was more value put on history. People usually associate history with memorizing names and dates, but it is so much more than that.
What do you like best about being a student at Ohio State?
I love the amazing communities that I've joined at Ohio State. There are so many opportunities and I still feel like there's so much I haven't done. During my time at Ohio State, I've studied abroad in Italy, been part of an amazing scholar's community, and gotten involved in student orgs. I've had so many opportunities to meet so many amazing people. I know it's cliché, but I love that OSU has the big school feel with the ability to make it small.