As a freshman at Baruch College, I, Frances Mitelman, am actually still trying to figure out who I really am. I do have a brief idea of who I am: I am a sister, daughter, granddaughter, niece, cousin, and a best friend. Also, as Lucy Stone said, “My name is my identity,” and my name “Frances” means “free,” and that’s how I also see myself: a free-spirited, strong, independent, caring, loving, active girl.
Well, even though I somewhat know who I am, I am still trying to find my identity, and college is definitely the place. I have just started college, and I do have a few of concerns for my freshman year at Baruch College.
My first concern is that I’ll automatically fail college even if I tried my hardest. The reason that I probably feel this way is that this is the pessimistic and paranoid side of me talking in order to push me to try hard and to do the best that I can here.
My second concern is “Freshman Fifteen.” I have heard stories of students that were fit and thin at the beginning of their freshman year at college, and, at the end of the year, they gained fifteen pounds; for instance, I had a computer teacher at high school who was telling me that her son was thin before he started college; however, when she saw him again, she was shocked to see how much chubbier he got. Considering that I do not want to be a victim of this, I need to make sure that I watch what I eat.
My third concern is that I wouldn’t take college seriously as I should. I think the reason I feel this way is that I remember when I was a Senior in high school, I become very lazy and nonchalant, and it didn’t affect my grades, but I do know that in general, this wasn’t me, and I could do better. I’m just hoping that this wouldn’t continue in college.
My Baruch college experience will definitely be different from my high school experience. In high school, teachers would usually call the parents to tell that their child was absent or is failing a class. Also, in high school, we would have Parent-Teacher Conferences, and mid-term report cards that informed the students and parents how the students are doing so far. In Baruch, there are no phone calls, no conferences, and no progress report cards. It is all up to the student to work hard and find out how they are doing in the class, which now brings me to answering the next question. In Baruch, students like me are becoming more adult and more responsible, which is definitely how I think my first year at Baruch will change me; for instance, now, teachers will only tell you once when something due. It’s up to students like me to write it down and remember when it’s due. I am willing to take on this responsibility.
