To begin with, I don’t think I truly can answer this very well. I am a Freshman in my second month in Baruch, and still trying to understand my role as an individual, even more so as a member of a community. However, I will attempt to speculate as to how I can fit into my surroundings and help out.
As a Baruch Scholar, I am amongst peers who were at a similar academic standing to mine in high school. I see them in classes and after, and am growing to be a part of a network of people who can work together. In this community, I fit in as a friend, as somebody who can share information about classes, and somebody to talk to. We compliment each other when we notice each other shining in class. I see my classmates and smile or nod to them in the hallway. I don’t need to have a conversation with them. I can, but we both know that we’ve got this bond. That knowing nod which shares a camaraderie- the community of Baruch Scholars.
As a Baruch student, I initially had a desire to not be the Baruch Scholar who answers all the questions and is a know-it-all. But I’m learning- this is college. Here, there are no judgements. We are all on the same team- we want to succeed. And the professors are there to ensure there’s an equal sharing of the spotlight, so I don’t have to worry about that. In terms of the community, sharing information and such, I experienced a dilemma before my first test. A student in one of my classes seemed to be interested in getting my notes to review for the exam, but I had a suspicion that it wouldn’t be a supplement to his notes, rather a replacement. In essence, I didn’t want to be working hard and just giving that effort away. I’ve experienced similar situations in high school. I decided to make a rule for myself- I do not give out notes. I share, but not everything. It’s a fine line, but it’s my integrity, and I care about that.
In terms of living in New York, I recognize that there are a lot of volunteer opportunities and abilities to become a productive member of society by doing something extra. This will be an opportunity I will take in the Spring volunteer program. From there I hope to see whether this is something I can or will do for the coming years. It is always important to help those in need, but the effort necessary to do so is honestly something I don’t always want to go through. It’s difficult for me to be a person who giving feels natural. I hope to work on this.