Author Archives: gregory.bloom

Wow, is it already the end of the first semester? I still remember applying to colleges and in the blink of an eye my first semester at Baruch College is already over! I’ll never forget my first college semester for the rest of my life. I went from being some Long Island kid to this hot shot traveling to the greatest city in the world for school and it has changed my life.

The Good – Baruch  is located in an upbeat area full of energy and excitement. Anything can go down at anytime and it’s just a great place to be. The food has to be one of my favorite parts!! If it’s a food category, it’s in New York City. Although I have only had 2 teachers, I have loved them both. My English professor teaches with heart and he has such passion for what he does. His passion rubs off on me as a students and it honestly helps me to succeed. My math professor is a young man who sometimes has a hard time explaining curriculum, but he has no problem going over things twice or even three times. He cares about his students and wants each and everyone to succeed.

The Bad – Although there are so many spectacular things about this college it definitely has its down side. There is such a lack of school spirit it’s a damn shame. College is supposed to be a place where you can have a conversation with anyone at anytime, at least that’s what I think. When you enter the college it’s just so quite. Most kids walk alone and tend to stay away from contact with others. That is such a shame because everyone at this college is so unique I wish I could have a conversation with everyone. Don’t get me wrong, I have met a solid group of friends at Baruch, but I just wish the whole school in general had more enthusiasm. Another thing I hate is the travel. Coming from Long Island is no easy task, especially in the crappy weather. Between taking the LIRR and the walk from Penn Station, it takes nearly 4 hours to travel to and from school for one day.

Overall, Baruch College is just ok if you ask me. It has its good and it has its bad. Personally, I am going to look into other colleges to transfer to after next semester. I am looking for the college experience and Baruch simply cant give it to me. It’s a great highly ranked school, but id rather be happy somewhere else for the next 3 years then not love the college that I go to.

The study tips from the SACC were very informative. One tip that really pertains to me would have to be “eliminate all distracters.” For me it’s a little bit difficult to take an exam with people around me in the quiet because I get really nervous. If I was to take a test in my room, without cheating of course, I would easily score in the high 90′s on every test. But when I enter the classroom full of students, the pressure drops down on me immediately. I constantly contradict myself on questions, which is another SACC tip: “never be afraid to use common sense in determining your answer.” Sometimes the answer just seems so obvious, so I believe it has to be incorrect. But of course, that answer is always right. I have to learn how to go with my gut sometimes when it comes to test taking and not contradict myself constantly.

The Academic Success Tips are all useful tips that can help me achieve greatness at Baruch College. Both step 1: setting goals, and step 2: time management, are very helpful. Setting goals is beyond important in college. This helps you understand what you are trying to accomplish in a more organized manner. Whether it be a small goal like finishing my English paper on Friday night or a bigger goal like attaining a 90+ average in my math class, goals are goals, and they are only going to help me accomplish everything I want to accomplish in college. Time management is also extremely important. Study time, class time, project time, test time, there is so much going on in college, not to mention everyday life. With all of these activities it’s critical that I take the time to do what I have to do. I must prioritize and make a schedule of everything that needs to be done starting with the most important first. These tips are a great way to help me throughout my college years in attaining success.

Who do I think I am? Man that’s a tough question. I would have to say that I am a funny, intelligent, sometimes shy and sometimes outgoing guy. I definitely would say that I am friendly, in that I always talk to new people frequently to make new friends. I’m pretty athletic: I play basketball, football and occasionally baseball. I would say that I tend to be the leader of group events. Every time there is a gathering of people I seem to take charge and want to lead. My first concern at Baruch College would have to be the transition. This is because it is so different from high school and everything is the opposite. My second concern would have to be the workload. I wonder if I am going to be able to handle doing all of the work outside of class. At first I thought that college wasn’t going to be that way, it’s only in the movies, but I am quickly experiencing that it is realistic, and that you have to spend a lot of time out of the classroom doing work to make it in college. My third concern is being alone. Of course I have made some friends at Baruch already, but there are always those times of loneliness when you don’t know one person surrounding you. I’m sure in the future that feeling will become less and less, but for now, I have to continue putting myself out there and find new friends. What do I think will make my Baruch College experience different from my high school experience? That would have to be…EVERYTHING. Between the commuting, the school, the work, the food and the people. There really is not one thing that is similar between the two at all. I think that my first year of college isn’t going to change me that greatly. I’m still going to be me. Ill have to work harder then ever before but I’ll still have a fun time while I attend Baruch. Of course I’m going to meet new people and possibly join some clubs, but I don’t think that I am going to change from who I am right now in my first year of college.

Although this class is at 9:30 in the morning and I have to leave my house at 7:30a.m. just to get there on time, I do feel like it will be worth it in the long run. This class is a great way to meet fellow freshmen and make some new friends. I have already met a couple that are in other classes of mine, so that’s a positive. The field trips are also something that I’m looking forward to in this class. I can not wait to get out of the classroom and explore NYC. Furthermore, I feel that the writing sessions and the presentations in this class are going to help me in my future at Baruch College. Practice makes perfect, and there is definitely going to be a lot practice of both of those in this class!