We all know the feeling of achievement. We also all know the feeling of bitter defeat. The worst defeat I have ever experienced was not getting into the college of my dreams. It was an extensive application process that required several interviews with politicians and their associates, several thousand words worth of essays, and dozens of letters of recommendations. To not get in was the bell toll that instantly created my life’s path for me. I’m still trying to figure out if I can get used to this path, which I’ve always considered my safety net. I know several people who all shared the same negative opinions about Baruch, and honestly, I can see where they are coming from. I am working as hard as I possibly can to see Baruch in a light differently than they have seen it in, and I’m happy to say that it’s working. Yet learning to get to like or even love something I never intended to is something I’ve never faced before. But here I am. I guess that’s what college is all about- giving yourself time and space to form into the mold you create for yourself. After all, these are the most mentally formative years of our lives, right? So here’s to an optimistic future. As for my goals for the coming semester, activeness in E.C. affairs is my top priority; it shares the spot with getting straight A’s (as I’m sure all freshman have prioritized).
Journal #1
I am actually not a very “tech savvy” person, so it will be a bit difficult getting used to a online journal (which I’m pretty sure what a Blog is). I am a very private person and am thus a bit technophobic to a certain degree: a great icebreaker is when people ask why I put a post-it over the camera. For curious readers(?), viewers(?), passersby(?), it’s because of this article I read in the past: http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/19/school-accused-of-using-webcam-to-photograph-student-at-home/ Sorry, I don’t trust you Baruch.
As you can tell, I am very cautious and practical. Growing up, television was absent in a good part of my childhood so I do believe that attributes to my slow uptake of technological innovations. I can’t really think of particular experiences but I believe my family and being raised as an Asian-American in general taught me many things such as patience and tolerance. I have a really close relationship with my mom, and have inherited her interest in statistics; I hope to learn more about it and the many statistical software like SAS in college. I honestly can’t wait until I can pack my schedule with only math classes… I don’t really have any specific expectations as every great expectation I had always ended in a grand disappointment and disaster so I just hope to do well in the first semester and start getting into the stat classes. 
Journal #1
I am actually not a very “tech savvy” person, so it will be a bit difficult getting used to a online journal (which I’m pretty sure what a Blog is). I am a very private person and am thus a bit technophobic to a certain degree: a great icebreaker is when people ask how my new laptop doesn’t really look new and why I put a post-it over the camera. For curious readers(?), viewers(?), passersby(?), it’s because I am also very clumsy with technology and this article I read in the past: http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/19/school-accused-of-using-webcam-to-photograph-student-at-home/ Sorry, I don’t trust you Baruch.
As you can tell, I am very cautious and practical with a touch of weird. Growing up the television was absent in a good part of my childhood so I do believe that attributes to my slow uptake of technological innovation. I can’t really think of particular experiences but I believe my family and being raised as an Asian-American in general taught me many things such as patience and tolerance. I have a really close relationship with my mom, and have inherited her interest in statistics; I hope to learn more about it and the many statistical software like SAS in college. I honestly can’t wait until I can pack my schedule with only math classes… I don’t really have any specific expectations as every great expectation I held always ended in a grand disappointment so I just hope to do well in the first semester and start getting into the stat classes.
Journal #1: Where Have You Been and Where Are You Going?
When I was younger I attended grammar school at St. Stanislaus Kostka in Maspeth, Queens. It was a small Catholic grammar school where there was one class in each grade. Moving on from this environment I attended Monsignor McClancy Memorial High School, a Catholic high school in Easy Elhurst Queens. McClancy was a small all-boys school with a strong sense of community. Here I was incredibly involved. I played sports such as Track and Baseball on both the Junior Varsity and Varsity level. I also participated in clubs ranging from Student Government, where I was the President, to Campus Ministry, where we volunteered to help both around the school and in the community. I have to say, Student Council was where I had the largest impact. I was able to accomplish much for the school community including adding a Junior-Faculty Volleyball game, getting a school mascot, organizing a school concert, getting a new water fountain, and many more beneficial additions. My experience at McClancy definitely played a major role in making me who I am today. Between the people that I met, the friends I made, the teachers I had, and the strong moral values I was able to attain I definitely appreciate my choice choosing McClancy and couldn’t imagine high school any other way at any other school. Now as a college student, I expect to be able to pursue larger things on a larger scale. Instead of just helping to change things in a small community of 300-400 people, I want to be able to instill positive change to greater society. It is this passion to help and make a difference that drives me forward. This first semester I hope to maintain a good GPA and begin to get involved around campus. This is a great time to get acclamated and set a trend for the next few years of my life.
Journal #1: Where Have You Been and Where Are You Going?
When I was younger I attended grammar school at St. Stanislaus Kostka in Maspeth, Queens. It was a small Catholic grammar school where there was one class in each grade. Moving on from this environment I attended Monsignor McClancy Memorial High School, a Catholic high school in Easy Elhurst Queens. McClancy was a small all-boys school with a strong sense of community. Here I was incredibly involved. I played sports such as Track and Baseball on both the Junior Varsity and Varsity level. I also participated in clubs ranging from Student Government, where I was the President, to Campus Ministry, where we volunteered to help both around the school and in the community. I have to say, Student Council was where I had the largest impact. I was able to accomplish much for the school community including adding a Junior-Faculty Volleyball game, getting a school mascot, organizing a school concert, getting a new water fountain, and many more beneficial additions. My experience at McClancy definitely played a major role in making me who I am today. Between the people that I met, the friends I made, the teachers I had, and the strong moral values I was able to attain I definitely appreciate my choice choosing McClancy and couldn’t imagine high school any other way at any other school. Now as a college student, I expect to be able to pursue larger things on a larger scale. Instead of just helping to change things in a small community of 300-400 people, I want to be able to instill positive change to greater society. It is this passion to help and make a difference that drives me forward. This first semester I hope to maintain a good GPA and begin to get involved around campus. This is a great time to get acclamated and set a trend for the next few years of my life.
Where I Have Been and Where I Am Going
Hey guys!
So a bit about me- I was born in Flushing, Queens and started off my childhood there. I spent the first 8 years of my life in Queens and made some great friends there that I still have. After the 3rd grade, my family and I moved to Woodmere, on Long Island and that’s where I still live today. I went to an all-boys private school for high school where I learned a tremendous amount and made some of the best friends I could ever ask for. After I graduated high school, last year I set off to Israel to study abroad as a gap year. My time in Israel was probably the most pivotal time period in my life as I feel the experience I had immersing myself in the culture of where I come from and the adventures I went on with friends really shaped who I am today. Also, the friends that I made while in Israel, from all over the United States and Canada, will ultimately prove to be a tremendous asset for me in terms of guidance and companionship for the rest of my life. I was lucky enough to score a spot into the Baruch Scholar’s program at Baruch and since I started classes about a month ago I’m really starting to get the hang of things. I hope that through college I will be able to find what I want to pursue and to gain knowledge in all fields through my different courses. I also am looking forward to continue making new friends!
-David
Where I Have Been and Where I Am Going
Hey guys!
So a bit about me- I was born in Flushing, Queens and started off my childhood there. I spent the first 8 years of my life in Queens and made some great friends there that I still have. After the 3rd grade, my family and I moved to Woodmere, on Long Island and that’s where I still live today. I went to an all-boys private school for high school where I learned a tremendous amount and made some of the best friends I could ever ask for. After I graduated high school, last year I set off to Israel to study abroad as a gap year. My time in Israel was probably the most pivotal time period in my life as I feel the experience I had immersing myself in the culture of where I come from and the adventures I went on with friends really shaped who I am today. Also, the friends that I made while in Israel, from all over the United States and Canada, will ultimately prove to be a tremendous asset for me in terms of guidance and companionship for the rest of my life. I was lucky enough to score a spot into the Baruch Scholar’s program at Baruch and since I started classes about a month ago I’m really starting to get the hang of things. I hope that through college I will be able to find what I want to pursue and to gain knowledge in all fields through my different courses. I also am looking forward to continue making new friends!
-David
Journal 1: Where Have You Been and Where Are You Going?
Hello; my name is Karen. I’ve lived in the same house in the same neighborhood in New York City for all eighteen years of my life so far. While this is quite a lengthy span of time, I haven’t ventured much outside of Queens, which I hope will change a little bit in college. Because of the lack of adventuring I did outside as a kid, I believe I’m afraid of a lot more things than the optimal amount: menacingly sharp objects, bugs that have too many legs and are able to fly, shady alleyways at nighttime. (Note: that was definitely not an exhaustive list.) Though I’m sure some of these fears will never disappear, I guess I hope to somewhat alleviate the anxiety that they cause as I grow older and, hopefully, more mature. While I attend Baruch, I’d also like to improve on my participation, something I’ve always struggled with throughout my academic career, possibly join a club or two, and of course maintain the designated GPA. I think I’ll also have to be more cautious of my time management, since I now have a long commute between home and school. As of now, I feel that I still have to adjust to the demands of life at Baruch, but I think I’ll manage…
Journal 1: Where have you been and where are you going?
Where am I going? Seriously, where is my next class…because I cannot remember what room I’m supposed to be in. Aside from the geographical setback of being new to a school, there is not much else to worry about. For some reason I felt very acquainted with college. This made me realize that there are some very important actions, turned into habits, which I am just used to at this point.
In terms of education, I was raised to keep working until I got the best. Imagine a little girl digging through a worn backpack to show her mom the A she got in school. The mother sees this grade and replies, “But where is the A+?” That is how my household works to this day. Make a goal and work for it. Now my mother doesn’t have to care about my A because I do.
Another tremendously important ideal of mine is to not shy away from new experiences. Even if they are tantalizing, tortuous, and sometimes terrifying. Very much in tune with my cynical attitude is my belief that the older you get, the less people care about you. You grow up, assume more responsibility – and that makes you an adult. But it also means those who were responsible for you before, no longer have that role in your life. Well, the upside to this is that I’ve assumed this role for myself a while ago.
The downside is that the responsibilities never decrease. There is definitely a high standard for work here and an even higher emphasis on time management. At first I thought I had a minor culture shock from the school environment, but now I see that it is just something new that I have to adjust to, and from there I just keep on going.
Journal 1: Where have you been and where are you going?
Where am I going? Seriously, where is my next class…because I cannot remember what room I’m supposed to be in. Aside from the geographical setback of being new to a school, there is not much else to worry about. For some reason I felt very acquainted with college. This made me realize that there are some very important actions, turned into habits, which I am just used to at this point.
In terms of education, I was raised to keep working until I got the best. Imagine a little girl digging through a worn backpack to show her mom the A she got in school. The mother sees this grade and replies, “But where is the A+?” That is how my household works to this day. Make a goal and work for it. Now my mother doesn’t have to care about my A because I do.
Another tremendously important ideal of mine is to not shy away from new experiences. Even if they are tantalizing, tortuous, and sometimes terrifying. Very much in tune with my cynical attitude is my belief that the older you get, the less people care about you. You grow up, assume more responsibility – and that makes you an adult. But it also means those who were responsible for you before, no longer have that role in your life. Well, the upside to this is that I’ve assumed this role for myself a while ago.
The downside is that the responsibilities never decrease. There is definitely a high standard for work here and an even higher emphasis on time management. At first I thought I had a minor culture shock from the school environment, but now I see that it is just something new that I have to adjust to, and from there I just keep on going.