First blog!
So, our first workshop was on September 17, 2009 and it fell under the category of ‘Academic Enrichment’. If I remember correctly, we were supposed to receive information on school policy, how to choose our classes for next semester and the guidelines Baruch students must follow in order to meet their desired major’s qualifications. Kali, Madhavi and I were in the elevator on our way to the workshop and when it got to our floor, we could barely step out due to the mass of students crowding up the large hallway leading to the escalators and another section of the building where the workshop was supposed to be held. The crowd barely made any movement upwards and soon we became restless – we wondered what was going on, what would happen at the workshop, and whether we would get out in time to grab some Popeye’s (our guilty pleasure). Madhavi and I left to the restroom at one point but even by the time we came back, the crowd still hadn’t made any progress and we were then separated from Kali =(. After another long period of waiting, a lady came out from a different hallway and yelled that if we were there for the Academic Enrichment workshop, to follow her. So, about half of the mass turned around to follow the lady. She led us into the hallway she came from and began to look for an empty classroom to put us in. Soon the mass was divided up into various classrooms and we were all still pretty confused as to what was going on. Then, another lady came out to announce that the school hadn’t expected such a huge turnout for the event and apologized for the inconvenience. (Overall, although they may not have been expecting a huge turnout based on previous workshop turnouts in past years, I think administration should have been more prepared for the possibility of a lot of students. Everyone wants to get the workshops done as soon as possible, so faculty should be geared up for huge turnouts all the time! Just a thought.)
Unfortunately, we didn’t receive the information packets we were supposed to get and there weren’t any cookies as promised, but someone from the testing office came to answer student questions. After, everyone got up at once to hand pieces of paper to the lady upfront who, unfortunately for her, was left to sign everyone’s paper (in place of our planner) as proof that we did indeed attend the workshop. Then Kali, Madhavi and I reunited and went to Popeye’s. Yay!