Who Are WE? We're PR3!

I have to say, college is so much tougher than the rumors made it out to be back in high school.  I thought having a schedule that ends at 12:30 three out of four days a week would be a piece of cake, but college still finds a way to steal away all my sleep.  This is one of the main reasons I haven’t gotten involved in any clubs: there is simply too much work that needs to be done.  I also want to say, all the hype people make up about how you must get involved if you want to make any friends is just bull.  Yes it might help you make a few more friends than you would already make in your block, but it’s not a necessity and I’m getting tired of people telling me that I must join a club or I’ll be friendless.

I’m not sure what clubs are out there, but the only one that I know of that I have some interest in is the bowling and pool club? Bowling and ping pong? I forget what it’s called but it has bowling, and that is one of my passions.  I gave it up 8 months ago but I dearly miss it, and I’m itching to get back.  I heard it’s not that active so if I can gather up a few friends, I might want to start a club exclusively for bowling since it’s not that popular but I believe it’s a sport that’s heavily underrated.

Somehow I’ve managed to make some awesome friends spending my time down at the handball courts.  Socializing while doing something that we all enjoy is a great way to break the ice and best of all, I just have to go downstairs during my free time between classes to find friends.  It wasn’t easy at first, but once you meet one friend, it just snowballs and everyone just seems more comfortable with each other.  I’m glad I met these cool new people in PR13 because it really showed me how nice people are at Baruch.  It’s nothing like high school where it’s a free for all and everyone’s only looking out for themselves.

Coming to College everyone wants to make a lot of new friends. On of the best ways is of course joining clubs. But for some people like me who don’t really have that much time to join clubs. Thats why i have not  gotten involved yet, but I want to start joining clubs maybe starting my sophomore year. I didn’t want to join this year because I don’t have time to go to meetings every week and most of the clubs doesn’t really interest me. The club that I am willing to join is accounting club since I am going to major in that field it should benefit me. Also I would like to join some Honor Clubs because it just looks good on my resume. I would not be interested in starting my own club because it is just too overwhelming. Since I am lazy and unorganized, even if I started one it would be a disaster.

Derek stole my topic, so this post might have some overlapping details. I’m pretty sure all of us are finding some of our classes at Baruch College pretty stressful. Calculus brings misery to those who don’t understand what’s going on in class, I am one of them. I’m pretty sure everyone tries to reduce stress in their own unique way! Whether it’s smoking, drinking, partying, listening to music, hanging with friends, or even dancing, we all manage to get rid of stress one way or another.

Since you know this post is going to be about handball, it’s my way to blow off steam when Calculus decides to perplex me with its sophisticated equations. Handball is known to reduce stress, I mean your hitting a ball with your hands, kind of like beating up someone and letting all your troubles go, huh? I’m not good at handball, Derek’s beast! He’s the one being modest. That is probably the one most visited place I been to in Baruch besides class and the bathroom. Handball is universal, so you guys and girls should come down to the racquetball courts and play with Andy, Derek, and me! It relieves stress like nothing else! Besides it’s exercise too, sitting down listening to the professors make us sluggish, handball will make you guys all energetic again!

In the first couple of weeks I was so concerned about joining something ASAP in order to settle in Baruch easier. What I came to realize is that its really no big deal. I guess it just takes time to find that one thing you want to commit to. I did, however, find that one thing. Myself and a few others from our “block” decided to join the USG. I want to take on a career in politics so it is almost a must to be involved with the USG. I am now part of the student service committee.

It’s great, only problem are the meetings. I do want to be involved and attend all meetings,but Wednesday’s at 5? Really? Wednesday is already my longest day. Now plus a 2 hour break and a meeting? I know I have to just suck it up. It will just take me a little bit longer to really commit to it. Despite not being too thrilled with the meeting time, it’s been great. The people I have met through the USG are wonderful people. I look forward to becoming more involved in the coming semesters.

I haven’t joined any clubs yet, even though in the beginning of the year I was killing myself with the thought that I immediately needed to. The problem is that no club that I’ve seen really interested me. Or maybe I’m just being too closed minded. I want to be in something that I am passionate about, but I haven’t found that thing yet. For now I just spend time around campus or go home.

In my free time on campus I’m usually found in the library. If I don’t have any homework to do at the moment, I usually find someone to chat with or something else to occupy my mind with. I’ve recently picked up a book by Kurt Vonnegut. Maybe catch up on some leisure reading. Today a group of us went to East, a Japanese restaurant, for some sushi. That’s probably going to be a new favorite. A popular place in our little “block” group for some quick food has been the little deli on 23rd. We call it “Uncle Sam’s” only because the guy behind the counter told us he wants to call it that someday. Quirky little insider.

I’m going for this new thing for myself: more time on my mind, less time on the computer. We’ll see what happens.

You guys might have notice that I’m often sweaty as hell when walking into class. I’m winded and look like I’m about to pass out. Well its because I was just playing handball. That’s pretty much how I always spend my free time, going down to B3 and hoping there’s an open court. I guess it doesn’t sound like much fun to everyone else, but it’s one of the only things I look forward to during the week. With the excessive amount of tests and homework, and then my job after school, handball is the one thing that keeps me sane.

I’m not a very talented person, and I’m not saying I’m great at this game either, but it is the one thing I’m decent at. My competitive said rarely comes out, but during a game, I go all out. I played on the team during high school and the game feels like one of the things that I’m still familiar with in this new environment. Its really comforting in its own way. So sorry if I tend to disappear on you guys… I mean if you wanna chill, you know where to find me!

BAruch offers many oppotunities to join groups and broaden social networks; I have not yet used any of these opportunities.  I do, however, plan on joining a club, or even maybe a few clubs at some time in the future. I think that my time schedule, between school and work, does not allow for participation in a club, even if I am really passionate about it.

A club that interests me is the USG. I was involved in my high school student government, but being involved didn’t require much effort, and didn’t produce many accomplishments in the school. I believe that the Baruch Student government is more established and actually does things throughout the school community. It seems like it would be a great place for me to meet people, make connections and establish myself in this college, outside of the classroom. While all this really tempts me, I am still pacing myself to take on more challenges. As mentioned, my school and work schedule is too extensive and I can’t risk performing worse in school or work. However, this is something that I want to join and will!

Just like another fish in the sea. Lost and generic as every other fish in the draft. There’s simply no other way , but to swim astray from the run in order to make it in the vast blue ocean. It is about standing out and “selling yourself.“ Making the best representation of all that you have to offer and pleasing those who run the work.

So this is how it goes, we need to find a way to effectively establish our credentials and showcase our qualities simultaneously.  Beginning with a resume we give a brief rundown of our intentions, accomplishments and qualifications. Here the employer may conclude on giving you a chance to further explore your personality in regards to the work environment through an interview. Thus, you must sell yourself! You just need to boost boost and BOOST about yourself.  Although, this is not to say be an arrogant fool, making claims with no back-ups. SUPPORT and BALANCE is key to an effective representation that leaves the overseer not overseeing your talent.

Presently I am a fry, swimming amidst the school of fish. Unestablished and personalities unmasked to the recruiters in the field. From this career exploration workshop, I come to reflect upon my necessities to make it. To make it into the vast blue ocean and into the working force. Building up my own credentials and shining my personality are the essential antecedents to a future. Alone? No, guidance is always available and reality is that opportunities are also filled with mock ups. Independence? Absolutely, I must exert the efforts to excellence on paper and in person. No one else can assist as much as embarking on this journey alone to self-discovery and self-confidence in all which we do.

The panel discussion on the East-West Identity: Journey & Transformations gave me an insight of my personal reality and identity. Charles Li states that those two aspects of an individual’s life is dynamic and changes according to our contacts and our environment. That perhaps, it is a reflection on our own actions that constitutes a sense of reality. So, I ponder upon the choices in my actions. To an extent, I would say my actions are a result of emotional state and not necessarily emotional rationale. I tend to react, identify myself and bring to reality my existence though the emotions that are at state. It may be called being true to yourself or doing as your heart feels. But, sometimes life demands circumstances that aren’t always crystal clear on what is rationale and what is emotional. Its those times when an individual takes takes his/her own road or journey of decisions to further identify his/her life.

Here we discover in life that people make what they become of in the future. They choose their own paths and go on their own explorations of identity. Through this process people are socially constructed along with their born identities. So, I concur with Katrin Hansing that to discover ourselves is to “see it as a process, be open to it and embrace it.” Our reality is essentially what we make of our identity and to establish that like Bruce Payne states is to be free of imagination and not to be bounded by society. To express freely our emotions and feel liberation.  Therefore, it is in our own hands to pick and explore the journeys in our lives that make us who we are and uncover our personal identities.

I am an outgoing person and very friendly. I like the way i think outside the box. And my brain seems to remember more random fact than useful ones. I always think about random things because I like to do so much. I love reading books, and video games. Watching the history channel and comedy central. I like to learn as much as possible while relaxing as much as possible. I am a very lazy person and hate school, but I love learning new facts and ideas. My habits and wants are opposites.

There is nothing more frightening than pain. I try my best not to get hurt, in the body, heart and mind. A good way that I empower myself is by helping others. A moment that I felt empowered was when I gave some spare change to an old Chinese woman who was picking up cans. The smile that she gave me made me feel invincible. Later that day, I took the AP Calculus test, and every time I felt uneasy or nervous, I would remember that smile.

My favorite quotation might have come from a bad source, but it helps me get through the hardest times. “There is always something interesting just around the corner” this was said by a character from the anime naruto. In junior high school, I was always a bit ‘emo’ I didn’t know what my purpose for living was. After hearing that quote, I felt that my purpose of living was to find as many interesting things in life as possible. Keep taking risks, and never give up.