Author Archives: mandy.zhen

My experience as a freshman in Baruch was definitely different compared to high school. The classes that I have been admitted in were challenging. People have always told me, college is different from high school. I never saw their logic. I’ve always thought, as long as you complete your assignments and pass your tests, you’ll do fine, just like high school. High school is school, college is school, is it not? Although this is true, each “function” differently. The minute I step foot into Baruch, I’ve established a goal of receiving a 3.5 GPA.  After the first couple of months, I questioned my ability to fulfill such goal. Unfortunately when I finally understood their logic, I was experiencing my first “all nighter”. Information that were given to me by my professors were too much to absorb. It would be reasonable to review the notes at home or whenever there is free time; this was easier said than done. In some classes, the professors would be able to motivate their students to study by organizing lesson plans that are not only informative but intriguing. These are the classes that motivate me to not only review the notes but also go an extra step and research. Unfortunately, there are classes that do not function the same way. Independence is key. The idea of studying off of textbooks or class readings sound easy, but just looking at them makes me loose interest. Thankfully, my mindset had changed just in time before the finals. I planned out my assignments reasonably to avoid staying up until 5 a.m. I am currently trying to be independent, “A for effort” no? If I could change anything about my freshman year, I would change my study habits. Studying last minute may work well in high school, but not in college. Rather than just passing the exams, being knowledgeable is essential as well. The knowledge that is obtained may be useful for other classes as well.

When I was seven, I thought life was like a fairytale. I kept telling myself that if I needed help, my fairy godmother would show up and resolve my problems by just saying Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo. I kept wishing upon a star hoping that one day peter pan would appear in front of my window and take me to Netherland. Most of all, I was convinced that one day I would find my Prince Charming. Not just any prince charming, but a Prince that would confront me with lollipops and candies. It wasn’t until my tenth birthday that I realized fairytale was not reality. I stopped expecting a magical woman to show up or an immortal boy to fly in my house. Regardless of my realization, I sustained the belief that my Candy Prince was still yet to be found. Fortunately for me, I think I might have found him.
It was a cold winter night when I saw him again. I was in the process of mailing out salvation boxes when my club president realized we were short in money. I volunteered to bring some home for safe keeping. Due to the weight of the boxes, I called up a friend for help. He said he was busy at the moment so I decided to call up a boy that I had just recently started to talk to in school. I didn’t expect him to leave his cozy house but he showed up 20 minutes later. He took the boxes and started walking. On our way back to my house, we started a conversation regarding to our likes and dislikes. He told me how much he loved skittles and offered me some. I wouldn’t say that was my complete fairytale story but doesn’t it sound like a prince coming to rescue the princess. More importantly, doesn’t he share similar characteristics to my ideal candy prince? What makes him a potential prince is his ability to ask me to be his princess. Of course, marriage is beyond the question. I was talking about his creativity of asking a girl to the prom. Every girl hopes that the way the guy would ask her to the prom would be memorable. I, for one hand, experienced something that was unforgettable.
One night in February, I heard a knock on my window. When I opened the shade I saw my candy prince. He was standing outside my house, next to his horse, to be exact it was his bike. Because my family was asleep, I was unable to invite him in. As a result, we talked for hours outside my house until 1 a.m. Finally, before he left, he asked me “would you go to the prom with me?” I was caught by surprised. Without hesitation, I said yes. YES. YES. YES. It felt like I was living a fairytale life again. After that day, I knew he was more than just a person I see in school; he was a potential candy prince.

My teacher from high school had once said “A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad”. I can assume that criminals would tell each other “don’t steal small, but steal big”. My intention of this quote is not to talk about the key to stealing but to express my main concerns regarding to my first year of college. College is where the painting of my future begins to be painted. Unlike high school, every year counts. The minute I stepped into Baruch, I gave myself 2 options: One is to do well by receiving at least a GPA of 3.3, and the other is to drop out. Of course, the option I have chosen is quite obvious. I am sure that I was ignorant like every other freshman. We believed that achieving the 3.3 average is simple. The first day of college caused me to rethink. The professors have already given me a glimpse of my college life.
My first concern is time management. Because professors are unaware about the work load we are responsible for, they continue to give out a great capacity of homework. Other than homework, we are also responsible for passing our exams. Homework is a “time consuming” activity that makes studying challenging. My second concern is adapting to the college environment. After spending 4 years in high school, transitioning from high school to college is difficult. The way the room numbers are label differ from how the rooms are organized in high school. My third concern is meeting new people. Baruch is a large building that holds over 1,000 people. This building consists of people of all ages. Due to the age gaps, I feel it is difficult to interact.
I expect to be more independent and mature. College provides obligations that are essential to fulfill. By doing so, I know that I continue to mature. Each and every day, I a given a challenge, fulfilling them allows me to feel a sense of achievement. Other than maturing, I expect to be more responsible. Ever since high school, I procrastinated and studied the day before the exam day. Cramming in college is unlike high school. The chance of passing in high school through cramming is 70%. Cramming in college can only guarantee a 40% chance of passing. As you can tell, the method that is used in high school can not be reused in college. This provides a greater challenge.