On September 17th, I attended the Freshman Reception. Excited to attend my first workshop I eagerly waited in line which in retrospect seemed to be ridiculously long. I suppose all the freshmen were curious to see what the first workshop would be like. Nonetheless, upon entering the room we each received a folder that contained information about the classes in Tier I, II and III, classes required for particular minors/majors, declaring minors or majors and such. It was a little hectic considering it seemed like every freshman in Baruch decided to attend. It felt like the only thing the freshmen wanted was a signature from the instructors. This workshop may have been more informative and helpful if the number of students attending was reduced.
A few days later on September 24, I attended the Club Fair aspiring to find a club that I would deem interesting enough to join. Upon descending two flights of stairs, I found myself amidst a sea of people. It seemed that in order to gain admission to the gym where the club fair was being held, our id cards had to be swiped first. Since there was only one person who was swiping id cards, a funnel like situation occurred. Hoards of students gathered around one miniscule table desperately holding out their id cards for the person who was swiping to take. Who doesn’t like to be squished between multiple bodies, all whom are pushing forward hoping to be the next person to granted admittance? Eventually, the chaotic frenzy that took place outside had changed into a excited atmosphere with crowds of students flocking to different club tables. While exploring the gym, I learned about the Toastmasters Club which is a group that meets and works on their public speaking skills. The person from the club was very engaging and answered all the questions that were asked. I was very interested since it sounded like a club that would be beneficial for me to attend. In the back of the gym, there were clubs that showcased their dancing for spectators. Various clubs had different ways to attract students. The Mac Club gave out bags with the apple insignia, the movie makers club gave out red velvet cake to those who answered questions correctly while the other clubs gave out an assortment of candy and food. Overall, I found the club fair to be an exciting experience that gave me a chance to see what lies in Baruch.