Author Archives: edward.ahn

I lie floating on the waves of an emerald ocean, deep in introspection.  I am tranquil in my solitude. Then… “Beep, beep, beep…”  My weekday starts at six as the alarm clock interrupts my dream.  After a brief shower, I am on the train to New York City.  During the 50-minute trip to the City, I acquaint myself with the real world through the eyes of the Time: the international wars, politics, national reports, and sometimes science.  Whenever I find a science article – genetics, entomology, or environmental concerns, I peruse it repeatedly to satisfy my curiosity.  The announcement for my stop suddenly turns my day over to the next phase.  Despite the morning weariness, I opt for a walk; I take the same path everyday but it looks different day by day.  This is why I like to walk on theManhattan’s streets even though I usually drive a quarter of a mile to get seven-eleven’s hotdogs.

During my first semester at Baruch, I have been taking two science courses and two math classes.  One thing about those classes at Baruch that differs from my high school classes is atmosphere.  Although the complete absence of loquacity during the college class (except for the FRO seminar…) was initially discomforting, I learned the real novelty, practicality, and profoundness of sciences.  And, I detected a genuine fascination of math as well.  I am pretty sure thatNewtonundoubtedly had experienced a sense of triumph when he’d made his great discoveries.  Fortunately, I recently discovered both its practical power and its surprising beauty of science and enjoyed some of that excitement. 

I think I had a great and successful first semester experiencing diverse cultures and religions.  So, I don’t think I would do so differently from what I have been doing even if I could go back to the beginning of this semester.  I am very satisfied with what I have done.  How have I changed since I started at Baruch? Hmmm… One thing that I can think of is that my eating habits have changed.  I never ate fast foods for my health, but now pizzas, hamburgers, grilled chickens, and halal foods became my favorite.  Moreover, the taste of hamburgers after-class is better than at any other time, and absolutely, this is the highlight of my life at Baruch.

My favorite word annoyed my parents when I was small, and continues to puzzle my teachers today.  In fact, it has baffled the greatest minds of all time.  This word is responsible for the birth of every religion, and the entire discipline of science is based on this single syllable.  Authors, artists and scholars have attempted to explain this word, but each has given a different interpretation.  Although it is quite a basic word, complexity lies in its simplicity.  When used alone, it may pose a question that many find difficult to answer.  This word is also unique, as it is one of the few grammatonyms of the English language (a word that sounds like a letter of the alphabet).  It is also a popular word and has even appeared on many college applications.

My favorite word is “why.”  Throughout my life, I have always asked why things happen or even why I must clean my room.  “Why” represents a thirst for knowledge and has been an essential part of my education and my life.  Asking “why” has produced new ideas and explanations, whereas those who do not inquire “why” must be satisfied with superficial facts.  “Why” has given me reasons for working hard, for believing in myself, for applying to Baruch, and even for my very existence.  I shall never stop asking my favorite word, “why.”

It was lonely being the only “techie” in my high school.  Even amongst my friends I elicit blank looks whenever I begin to talk about getting together over the weekends to build catapults and staying after school just play chess and discuss ideas with AP calculus teacher.

“Dude, what’s the point of building catapult? Why don’t you study for the Physics test?” My friends are certainly correct: there is no point in building a catapult. But I find satisfaction in just being able to say “I made that, and it works. I bet I can hit that shrub over there with this rock in just one try,” and that I had actually planned and designed it. Over the years, I have found that not everyone is interested in working on ambitious projects.

I tried to convince my friends that science and engineering are art, that no one can sit down and magically put things together in an hour, that it is amazing how natural phenomena can be explained through mathematical expression, and that there is so much fun and camaraderie in hunkering down and working together as a group on any project. But so far I haven’t been able to convert them. Everyday I wish I had tried harder.

For this reason, I still have some concerns that make me feel somewhat afraid of my freshman year at college.  First, I wonder if I can fulfill my academic curiosity.  Newtonundoubtedly experienced a sense of triumph when he made his great discoveries.  Fortunately, I recently discovered both its practical power and its surprising beauty of calculus and enjoyed some of that excitement.  I truly pursue the virtue of profound and unremitting learning. And also, I expect to meet numerous friends who have similar interests as me.  Since I already had experienced how lonely it is to be ‘the only techie’ during my high school years, I would like to study with peers who also are math-and-science oriented scholars.  Lastly, I don’t want to miss extracurricular opportunities offered by Baruch because having a periodic and meaningful social life must be as crucial as studying hard, especially for a college student who attends a school located inManhattan, I guess.

So in looking forward to the next four years of my life, I hope my first year at college be more exciting. At Baruch, I want to turn to a friend and ask “What do you think about building a rail gun,” and then I want to be able to hear that friend reply with “Let’s go,” instead of “What’s the point?” And so I will reinforce Baruch’s long-standing tradition of physics, mathematics, and other sciences and add to my class’ enthusiasm through my appetite for ambitious projects.

-Edward Ahn