Author: David Betancur

There’s a chance that my participation in the Community Service Project may have influenced how I view help. For instance, I used to avoid getting help unless it was utmost necessary as I felt idiotic whenever I asked for it. I think the project has helped with that slowly changing. I have been emailing my professors about assignments and attaining some of their advice and wisdom on a matter not because I need it but because now I view help as something we could all use to become our best selves.

I have not yet joined a club, but I did attempt to join the Encounters Magazine editorial team in some way. I was hoping to help out either the creative directors, the market managers, or the photography editors. Most spots were full and already hectic since when I showed interest they had already begun working on the semester’s edition. However, I did get published in the magazine so I guess that’s a step towards working with the editorial team. If that doesn’t work out I might just join USG in some way or Baruch’s marketing club.

I also now view community service as a more serious issue. I am happy to say that it is more evident now, to me at least, that few people – even one person – can make a difference in their community just by choosing to what they think is right. I hope this mentality carries on throughout the next three years, after which I have no idea what I will be doing. No clue at all. So maybe holding on to this philosophy may be what is going to drive me and take me to where I will be.

 

The end.

 

My current role as a Baruch scholar is to learn. It is to learn and in turn take that knowledge and those experiences to incite some change in our communities, as little as it may be, as long as it is a positive change. This seems like a great start but I think we should begin to share our knowledge with this program with others in Baruch. For instance, there have been certain things that Neeram and I have learned by being in the Baruch scholars program and we shared this with friends in Baruch that aren’t in this program. Not all the freshmen have been taught at their FYS classes about all the school requirements in Baruch, at least not in the same depth that we have learned, as they are surprised when we talk to them about it. I think it is important for us to share the privilege of being in this program with others. Imagine being in their shoes, being new to college and having no guidance about applying to classes and such. As corny as this sounds, whenever we have the ability to help, we should. This is essentially what the culture of service in our program promotes. We have the power to strengthen and better our communities in many, many different ways. The culture of service and the requirements just push us to do what should already be done.

I think that any environment one grows up in will have a huge influence as to how they are, that influence can be either positive or negative. Personally, growing up so close to the city had a huge impact. The most obvious way is that by growing up in such a diverse and urbanized city in the north, I have grown to be very tolerant of people’s difference. At least I’d like to think so. Walking at the base of skyscrapers and imagining a bunch of wealthy people high up in those offices looking down at me has also really affected my goals and expectations for myself. I add this pressure on myself that if I don’t end up there, or somewhere near, then I failed. I don’t want to be looked down upon by some dudes in a building.

Family trips have also really affected who I am. Everywhere I have traveled, be it Florida or Italy, I have gone with my family. I have grown closer to them recently, as I look back and reflect on all they’ve done for and with me. It is because of this that I’m really driven to be such a close and loving parent. Not anytime soon though. Not soon at all. But when I do become one, I’ll be the best dad ever.

Finally, this semester, I hope to get a better grasp at what I want to ultimately do for a living.

Thank you for your time,  and best wishes.

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