Category Archives: Who Do You Think You Are?

My name is Natalie Alfarhan. I am half Polish, from my mother’s side, and half Arabic, from my father’s side. I really love to travel and have been to many countries, including Denmark my senior year of high school with my class. I am not really a fan of writing about myself because I have always believed that the best way to get to know someone is to spend time with them or just talking to them. In general, I am a friendly and outgoing person. When it comes to friends I consider myself a very loyal friend, if someone has been there for me through some of my hard times as well as good times I will be there for them as well. Every summer, and most breaks, I spend with my family and friends in Poland. I consider my cousin Marta my best friend and we are practically attached at the hip. I was captain of my High School Softball varsity team and played until a bad injury last April that has stopped me from playing any more sports.  I am attaching a picture of my softball team, and a picture of my graduated class.

Some of my concerns for freshman year at Baruch are doing good in all my classes, improving my study habits, and keeping up with the course work while working part time.

Baruch is extremely different from my High School. My High School, the Baccalaureate School for Global Education (BSGE) was a 6 year middle and high school. It is extremely small there are less than 500 students in all 6 grades, and my graduating class was 62 students. My grade was extremely close and everyone in the whole building, staff and students were like a big family. Coming to Baruch is an extreme change because walking through the halls at BSGE everyone knew your name, mostly everyone was friends, and now walking through Baruch there are so many unfamiliar faces that I have yet to meet.

I believe that my first year at Baruch will help me grow as a person. Although I learned a great deal of academic as well as personal responsibility at my high school, I think I can learn even more at Baruch. College can really change a person because it is like a next step or phase in your life where you are a young adult and more responsibility is piled up on to you.

My name is Josh Levin and I consider myself to be an individual and free spirit above all. I’m an only child and used to doing things on my own and am comfortable asserting myself and doing what I feel like. I didn’t go straight to college from high school, instead deciding to take time off and travel. I worked all sorts of jobs and spent a lot of time in unusual and unique situations. I think at my heart that I am a one of a kind person who has had a variety of differing life experiences that make it hard for me to fit in any one category.

My main concerns about freshman year are managing my time adequately, passing precalculus (which is by far the most challenging subject for me), and making sure I apply myself fully and put in the type of effort that I know is representative of my ability.

College life at Baruch is clearly a different ballgame from high school. There is an independence and treatment as adults that I appreciate. I think that professors also speak to students in a more respectful manner, treating them as fellow adults rather than little kids. This fosters academic knowledge and encourages achievement on a serious, in depth level. There is more abstract knowledge and deep examination of issues as opposed to a basic, simple memorization of concepts. Again, I feel that this allows students to feel more connected and interested in the work they are doing.

I believe the first year at College will allow me to grow and develop as a learner. Between balancing school, work, and a personal life…I fully expect to have the responsibilites of an adult and learn how to acheive my academic goals and stay focused.

I really don’t like writing about myself because I never know what to say. I don’t analyze myself or my actions, I just do them. “I am who I am” some famous guy once said and that is exactly how I look at this question. I do what is natural to me without looking back and doubting it. There are no words I can think of to describe myself because I never look at life that way. I’m only going to live once so I’m making the best of it, no looking back.

Who do you think you are? Describe yourself in 3 words. What do you want to do in the future? Oh how I hate these types of questions! I honestly don’t understand why we get asked them so often…perhaps it’s only to get us to start thinking about them? I hope so, because isn’t this the point in our lives where we’re just starting to figure out the answers? I mean come on…we’re only 18. How are we supposed to know what we want to do with the rest of our lives or who we really are? Nonetheless, although I haven’t really figured out who exactly I am yet… I can say this much: My names Hannah McFadden and I was born and raised in Queens, NYC. I’m half Irish and half Egyptian…strange mix, I know. When I tell people I’m very athletic they usually don’t believe me – that is until they see me play. I’ve played on a number of competitive sports teams: basketball, soccer, track-and-field, swimming, softball, tennis, dance, gymnastic…you name it, I’ve played it. But, basketball is my favorite; I was captain of my high school’s team and I also played on a travel team, and until the beginning of my junior year I wanted to play in college. I’m extremely outgoing and love to go out and have a good time; yet, I still value education and thus, am a serious student.  With that being said, I have a couple concerns about my freshman year at Baruch.

First off, I’m extremely concerned about maintaining a high GPA, especially because I intend to transfer out of Baruch by the end of the year. I never wanted to come here in the first place, but ended up doing so because of financial reasons. Private schools are too expensive and give terrible aid! Wish I had known that last year- would have defiantly applied to SUNYs. Secondly, I am worried that I might not manage my time well. I need to stay focus and remind myself that going to a party when I have an essay to write isn’t such a good idea…shouldn’t be too hard though- I’m doing well so far. And last but not least, I’m concerned about adjusting to Baruch. College is very different from high school, especially my tiny high school. I went to the International Baccalaureate School for Global Education (BSGE) in Astoria, Queens, where my graduating class consisted of only 63 students (compared to the usual 1,000+ in most NYC H.S). Given that, coming to Baruch where I bump into new people all the time is a big change for me…not exactly a bad one though. Furthermore, college is all about being independent. Teachers are not long stuck up on whether or not you do your homework- most could care less. It’s all on you.

As for how I think my first year at Baruch will change me…I just don’t think it will that much. In high school, I was a member of many different clubs and organizations, which in retrospect I think really shaped me as an individual. However- since I want to transfer, I decided not to get up in all that time consuming stuff, and instead just focus on my school work. I do however think that I’ll learn to be more responsible and my work ethic will probably improve.

I am Vinita Johnson, a book lover, a nerd, passionate (about certain issues), inquisitive, and skeptical of trying new things. I am very content with the privileges that I have been offered, and I hope to use every resource to the best of my ability. I love to sing, I am almost always humming some song in my head at one time or another. Music is my therapy; every time I am frustrated, dissapointed, or excited, I listen to music to help me with whatever I am going through.

I hope that in my freshman year, I earn a very high GPA and maintain my GPA throughout my entire college career. I am also worried that I will fall behind in classes because no one is there to make sure you did your homework or reading. I also hope that that I will be actively involved with clubs, and various activities on campus because it is very easy at a commuter school to go to class, do your own thing, and go your own way. I hope that somehow, the activities I am part of will expand my horizons, help me meet new people, and make a difference on campus (as cliche as that sounds).

College is a lot different than high school because you get a lot more freedom in regards to how you spent your time, and money. High school is a lot more structured, whereas college enables you to freely move at your own pace. I have to be extremely careful at how I budget my time, use my resources, and spend my money.

I think that college will definitely change me for the better. I think that I will be a more responsible, and independent person. College will enable me to go above and beyond my expectations. I also think that college is going to help me depend and rely on myself for everything that I need. I know that college will help me become more aware of my surroundings, and be a more well-rounded individual. College will also enable me to think for myself and be my own person instead of deriving my identity from those around me.

Whattup. My name is Philip Kubiak. But who am I really? The truth is that I can’t answer that question with 100% confidence at this point. College is a time of finding out more about yourself than you ever have before, and one of my major concerns is whether I will find something that interests me here at Baruch, as in something I would consider pursuing as a career. Everybody has expectations for college, I’m not the only one who hopes Baruch doesn’t fall short in the long run. Another thing that concerns me thats more down to Earth is whether I will have enough dough in my pocket to party in NYC. Baruch is similar to high school so far, it reminds me of when I moved to a new town three years ago. This first year of college will definitely change me. I guess I hope I will be more major oriented at the end of the year.

Hello. My name is Sergey Yelizarov. I came to Baruch out of New Jersey. i enjoy just hanging out and doing the small things, and not any one thing makes me up. Coming to school in NY is a completely new experience for me. I had many concerns upon arriving to Baruch. My concerns were small and inconcernable, but still somewhat concerning. How I would amke new friends, how I would have to do my commute and get around, managing my money, and transitioning overall had my a little concerned. However, that has all slowly disappeared since arriving at Baruch. So far, I am growing to like Baruch so much more than my high school. The freedom and opportunities I can enjoy here surpass the closed, suffocating environment I had grown accustomed to in my small town. It is a refreshing new experience. I think college will certainly be a big eye-opener, but it will be a change for the better. It will hopefully mold me into a smarter and more successful person.

Who am I? Well, my name is Brendan Lukas, but that only describes what people call me. The myriad of nicknames I’ve acquired like Bren-Bren and BeLukas can identify me, but they don’t show who I am. People tell me I’m a nice kid, a great DJ, that I’m easy-going, or even that I’m one of the funniest guys they know. Looking in the mirror, I believe I’m all of these things and none of them at the same time. I’m constantly thinking outside the box and have some pretty different views on things. Simply put, I’m a fun-loving, deep-thinking, apolitical DJ who is obsessed with Kanye West. One of my greatest concerns about my freshman year at Baruch was being able to budget my money because I can’t help buying food from almost every food cart I run into. Another concern was adapting to dorm life in a single room because I’d finally be independent and away from the luxuries of my own home. Finally, I was concerned I’d be mugged walking back to the dorm at 3 a.m. So far, the freedoms in attendance and larger class sizes make Baruch feel less restricted than my days at Kings Park High School. The ability to come and go and wander the city in between classes spurs my spirit of adventure and is far from the closed campus of my high school. I believe my first year at college, in New York City specifically, will make me a more worldy and responsible person. After only about one month at Baruch, I have already made friends from Italy, England, Cuba, Germany, Brazil, Ukraine, France, Korea, China, and all over the United States.

Well to start off, my name is Philip Wang, but I prefer to be called Phil. I was born and raised in Queens, New York and attended F.H. La Guardia High School, which specialized in the arts. I love being athletic and have a solid foundation in swimming since I’ve swam competitively on several teams. I also have a passion for playing handball. Jogging or simply taking a walk helps me think and feel relaxed.

I started playing handball in high school to meet new people and gradually i developed a love for the sport. It became sort of an addiction for me, that grew out of control during the beginning of my high school career, i would always be late to class because i played in between periods. I gradually took control of it later on, as it was affecting my grades, but i was still dedicated to it. The handball scene quickly disappeared in my school after my sophomore year and then was senior year and i was the pratically the only regular left. I kept at it and people started to come out again, but it was too late. I tried to start a club for it as well, but there just werent enough people interested. I didnt join PSAL in highschool because La Guardia simply lacked many boys teams, such as swimming, handball, football.

I consider myself to be sort of an open minded individual, I try not to limit myself  with what i have. i try to adapt to the situation, i’m very open to change. I also try to be empathetic whenever i can, since i went through some family problems of my own during high school. I don’t regret the decisions I made since it really shaped who i became and i was able to make myself a better person. I’m also very optimistic, i try maintain a positive outlook on things . I try and stay motivated and motivate others if they seem to be down or struggling.

hmmm… 3 concerns about my freshman year at baruch…

I am concerned about maintaining my grades since i didn’t do very well in high school, college is a fresh start for me, its my second chance and i want to take advantage of this opportunity.

My second concern is adjusting to college life. I had it easy in high school, but now its a whole new game, this is real life. In highschool, it was the same routine everyday, now the classes are scattered throughout the day and teachers don’t care if you are in class or not. It is really up to me to show up to class and put in the effort. Its a responsibility.

My third concern is time management. I want to be able to comfortably balance my social life, academics, sports, family and work. Being a freshman at a new college, i’m still discovering many new opportunities and it conflicts with my schedule.

In high school, i was depressed. The social scene there did not work for me, as i started to realize who i really was. I didn’t have many close friends in school as I did outside of school. I just couldn’t relate to my peers in school. My social life was pretty much outside of school. It was tough, going through 8 hours a day with practically no one to talk to. Don’t get me wrong, i wasn’t completely antisocial, I did socialize with people just not much in school.

At Baruch its a whole different atmosphere, i feel comfortable here. I feel like its what my high school experience should have been like. There are alot more people with the same interests as me and that i can relate too. There are also many clubs and sports teams available for me to participate in. It’s definitely a plus.

I feel i have already changed as a person, just going through the first few weeks of college. I am still adjusting but i believe college will make me an overall better person.

Why have I been asked this question so many times this past month? I don’t know who I am yet, isn’t that the stage we’re at in life now? All confused and stuff? Anyways, with regards to college, I guess I’m also here to learn about the world, become an intellectual and what not, but I do have a goal. I’ve had it for years now and I think that’s the thing that’s been pushing me this entire time. I’m not getting a degree to make money (although my anthropology professor assumes we are all foreigners here for one purpose- to get a degree and start making money!). Is it really unusual for someone to get a degree so they can start doing what they love? In my case, it’s saving lives, literally. But that won’t be happening for a while. So what I should be focusing on right now and worrying about are my flaws, the ones that would hinder me from ultimately acheiving my goal. When I get into the routine of something, I usually forget how important it is and view it as something mundane that tends to eventually bore me- homework. You know how many things I can find to do that I know are unimportant but that nevertheless assist me in delaying homework time? I decided this year that’s going to change (I actually say that at the beginning of every year but I started taking action this time). I said my goodbyes to Facebook, and I’m still trying to work on cutting down the number of shows I watch (and once you start watching a series it’s pretty tough stopping in the middle). They also say that the friends you make in college are your friends for life, so I’m hoping that works for me. I also grew up in a community with not much diversity so seeing all this diversity is sort of a cultural shock- but I love it. I feel much more independent in college, I actually feel like it’s all still a dream and that I’m about to wake up and start a new year as a 13th grader at Magen David High School. I just hope I’m adjusting well, I guess I’ll really know when I get some sort of grade on some sort of assignment. I definitely know that my first year will change me because by the end of this year I will learn to work efficiently, with no need of a can of redbull. Am I rambling?