Month: November 2017

It 100% shames me to admit that every single weekday my classmates and I spend our money on food. Every day we go get something to eat in between classes, it’s honestly sad how little self-control we have when it comes to buying food. It’s like we just can’t help ourselves, as long as we have the money we have to get something to eat.

As you might expect we’ve eaten at a few places and it’s safe to say we are pretty much experts at getting food around Baruch.

If you need coffee obviously Starbucks is a great choice. There are three locations super close to the school, one is literally a part of the building, you don’t even have to spend any extra time in the cold you can just get it right before you swipe in. We used to go there almost ritually at one point, probably super unhealthy but you only live once.

Now, when it comes to food there are so many options. You can go to the dollar pizza place if you’re looking for something quick and filling. There’s also Subway, McDonalds, and Popeyes all within a 5-10 minute walk from the school. Of course I can’t forget to mention the Halal food trucks, one of us ate from them twice a day every day for like two months, but I won’t name any names. *coughJoycough*

The last place I’ll mention is a personal favorite of mine, Yaya. We went there to buy Pocky and rice balls. That one is a little further away but I definitely recommend it, just make sure to pay attention when you’re unwrapping the rice balls. There’s clear instructions on the plastic, otherwise you’ll struggle with the seaweed.

So in this picture was me going to the West Indian Culture Club. I thought it was a great experience since I am West Indian. They played music and talked about what it means to be West Indian. It was great but then my friend dragged me to BSU, which is Black Student Union. For me, it was inspirational. They had a very educated conversation about whether we refer to ourselves as Black or African-American. It made me wonder whether or not my ethnicity or how i define my race. It also took a turn to Afro-Latinos and how they are defined in the Black community. Just the fact that there was a discussion about identity and what it means in modern-day america is a step into fixing a huge problem that there is no discussion in politics about black culture. It is every Thursday from 12:30-2:20 and is a club I will definitely continue to go back to.

One of my favorite places to go to eat around the campus is Eataly. It’s down past Fifth Avenue and 23rd street. It’s mostly known for its Nutella store where their Nutella crepes are phenomenal. But what I always get from the Nutella store is their gelato even though the store’s known for it’s Nutella products. There is also an organic market inside Eataly where you can get artisanal and hand-made products. There’s also a wine store and bar that everyone that has been there raves about but I personally don’t really know because I’m still underage. The entire place is almost always full of people but it’s worth waiting in the long lines. It’s a little touristy but even as a local New Yorker, I go there all the time. Despite this, the place is going and spending your time and money. I always recommend this place to everyone that asks about good Italian food or dessert.

I recently attended a LinkedIn seminar provided by STARR Career and Development Center. We watched a slideshow about LinkedIn and how important it really to to our careers. I learned about how to update my LinkedIn account and what aspects of LinkedIn are more important than others. For example, it needs to have everything that you put in your resume and your picture should be a professional one, not just a random photo of you. I also learned that LinkedIn can help me network. I tend to be shy and not want to talk to new people but LinkedIn gives me the opportunity to network with prospective employers or even just people who can help me further my career later in life.

I have to admit that before this workshop I took LinkedIn very lightly and didn’t really think it mattered taht much. But this seminar proved me wrong. I really appreciate that Baruch and STARR have workshops and seminars like these to help first-year students like me who have no clue what steps to take in order to get ahead in their life.

There are many fascinating museums and galleries in New York City. I recently went to the Museum of Natural History with some friends. I found this experience to be very interesting and was able to learn a lot from going there, especially since history is one of my favorite subjects. I visited several of the exhibits there including the mummy exhibit, the bird exhibit, the reptiles and amphibians exhibit, the hall of mammals, and the hall of primates. However, my personal favorite was the hall of earth and planetary science since I think astronomy is very interesting. In addition, I also saw the statue of Teddy Roosevelt on his horse.
I have been to this museum several times and even to the one in Washington D.C. when I was younger and I always had a good time there. Although, this time when I went I was able to appreciate it more and learn from the exhibits. I would recommend that anyone who has never been to this museum to go because it will be worthwile. I really enjoyed this visit and I plan on going back to this museum as well as others throughout the city.

I recently attended a Starr Career Development Workshop this Thursday with a few friends. The workshop focused on what makes a good profile on LinkedIn. For those unaware LinkedIn is the Facebook of the professional world. It’s a social networking website that helps you maintain your current connections, make new connections, and find a job. Lots of employers use the platform to find potential candidates to fill positions in their companies. Having a credible LinkedIn account where many people can back what you claim and can vouch for you goes a long way. Before the workshop I knew of LinkedIn and its purpose but I never really went on website or took time to learn its mechanics so that made this workshop very helpful for me.

At the workshop we learned major tips and common practices that will lead you towards a successful LinkedIn profile that you help you in your prospective career. Your profile is basically your online resume but you can be a bit more personal unlike a paper resume. To be successful you need to highlight what you do best and present yourself in a professional light. Don’t ramble on and one with paragraphs, keep it to the point. One cool feature that I learned about is groups. There are groups for everything and it could be a quick way to connect with people you have similar things with. For example, there is a group that allows us Baruch students to connect with Baruch alumni who have went through what we have went through and have experienced the same things as you. I also learned that there is no specific way a profile should be. I mean this in the sense that depending on your career path you might want to structure your profile differently to highlight different things. Two people can have profiles that are structured completely different, that can still be good because it caters to what their career is.

Take advantage of these workshops that teach you vital information that will help with your career in the long run.

Edward Fernandez 2017

On Thursday, November 16, I went to a Marketing Fair Expo organized by STARR, the career development center in Baruch. Going in, I had no expectations the goal was to go in take my pictures and stay for a little, but when I began to look around I became more and more intrigued to stay. I obtained useful information that many companies are looking for from anyone applying. The marketing expo contained many employers for so many different companies, all eager to advice us on the simple skills and qualifications most, if not all, companies look for when hiring. Simple skills and a certain personality; for example, a very excitable, happy and passionate person that will bring joy to the work place is the kind person that a company strives to look for. Simple skills such as computer skills, basic knowledge of certain programs, communication, the ability to work in a team, strong work values, analytical and problem-solving skills and leadership.
Because of the long lines and wait time, I didn’t get much of a chance to speak to as many professionals as I would I have hoped but to the few that I have, I must say it was very mind opening and useful! I didn’t really see much of a need to make as many connections at that moment since I am only a freshman but with having such an amazing career development center here at Baruch, I’m sure I will have tons more chances to reach out to these businesses professionals and I’m very thankful for the fact that STARR not only organizes ways for students to meet employers and make connections, but they also help with resumes, internships and pretty much sets you on the right path to hopefully ensure you to get a job right out of college. I for one, will hopefully use every STARR has to offer to its utter most advantage.

Last week, our FRO class attended the starr career development center workshop. Although I was unable to attend, I heard about the experience from my fellow peers. The starr career development center has many opportunities and services to offer. I learned that they offer resume workshops and mock interviews. I find this very helpful for the future, because now I know where to go for professional advice. It was mentioned in the workshop that not everyone has a set path in their life. No one has their life figured out from the get go. An individual can go through as many as ten careers in their lifetime. It’s very important to experiment through internships and jobs. Through internships and jobs one can learn what career they like or don’t like. For example, someone can think they’re interested in law can intern in a law office and find out that law is something that cannot become their profession simply because they are not interested. There are many factors that people consider when applying to a job. Money may seem like a very important factor, however there is much more to weigh in. I realized that I cannot just reply on salary to keep a job. It’s important to think about how much I enjoy the job and how I feel in the work environment. I can’t keep a job simply because it pays a lot if I hate it. I think a lot of the advice that was given during the starr career workshop was very helpful, I know that it’s important to start thinking about my career now. It’s also important for me to attend a career and internship fair so I can weigh my options for the future. College is a very big step forward in my life, and I’m glad I go to Baruch because it is full of many opportunities.

On Thursday, November 16th, my friend and I went to a meeting that explains how to set up LinkedIn and the importance of LinkedIn. As the meeting, a volunteer explained how LinkedIn works. He explained that LinkedIn worked sort of like Facebook. Basically, you create a profile of yourself and you make friends on LinkedIn but they are more like creditors. Basically, these people make you more credible and when you have at least 500 words, you are deemed credible. LinkedIn is basically a way for employers and future employees to narrow their search for the most able person to do the job or find a job. LinkedIn is the new resume. Instead of searching for different resumes, you type in the specific requirements you want and qualified people show up. That is why it was very important to be very specific on your skill set. Also it is a great way of making connections. You have the opportunity to make connections with people that are in the field of work you want to be in or people who have similar justifications as you. It is a great networking opportunity that anybody can participate in. What this meeting has taught me is that in today’s society, technology has the advantage of making life easier for people. LinkedIn is a way to de-stressify the networking process. Just imagine a world where everyone you need to talk to in one space and anybody who wants to find you has the ability to. A place where the recognition of your experience and work of appreciated and looked for. Where all your opportunities lie on a click of a button This is LinkedIn and why should I not have one? It makes me look more professional and more open to the jobs I want. LinkedIn has changed the way that hiring is looked at and I will definitely be riding the LinkedIn train for a better future.