I’ve been told by many, that “Everyone is special,” we can never look exactly the same, can never think the same, nor are genetically make up the same. And by this phrase, so many have been given a falsehood of being “special,” including me. I’m a realist. Being this, I wonder, how many people have truly been special? And when I mean special, I mean a world-changing special. Someone like Bill Gates or Thomas Edison. And then the deeper sense of realism kicks in… forget about the idea of special and focus on the many starving people out there. So many deaths, so many conflicts, so many hate and… so many lost ones… loss of love, lost in life and losing to death…(to be continued >.<)
As cliché as it may sound, I worry about my grades. Good grades, especially, is an essential amongst the Asians. Particularly with the Chinese, if I bring home something other than an A, The Hanger will come down… that was back then… now it’s The Talk. (Worse case scenario is The Streets). And it’s not even a conversation, because I’ll end up being the listener for the most part.
Going into class late, but it’s ok because a teacher I have is always later than I am.
A third and major concern is procrastination. I do my home works, but I lack the studying part. Honestly, studying is pretty foreign to me. I’ve never studied throughout my school life. I cram, but that’s far from studying. Usually, I will do well paying attention in class, but now… I have a professor with the worse handwriting on earth, one with accent, one speaks too softly (because the room is big), and one that doesn’t know how to teach (because he’s new to teaching the course…). Guess I have to read things on my own…
As of now, college life and high school life is very different. Classes aren’t back to back but longer. The teachers are less concerned about students sleeping in class, using their phones, laptops, eating, etc… There are some rooms that can house 100-120 people which is quite big. The teachers don’t bother to learn the names of students except for the few “sharks” out there. And there is no music classes, one that have students play instruments to create an Orchestra concert setting. Sadly is all about the money and it all goes towards making Baruch a better business school. I thought college has everything, I guess not. But other than Baruch College not having a real instrumental music class, as students we learn, study, do homework, pass tests, and then graduation.
Social differences are that it’s harder to connect with friends because the classes are all different besides in freshmen seminar. I have classes when they do not and vice versa. Different interests = different clubs. I stay in the piano room most of the time.
First year of college won’t change me much. Maybe I will learn the real depth of difficulty college life (academically) entails. Other then that, it takes much more and time to change a person.
Hi Wen,
Thank you for opening up and sharing your thoughts! Have you ever thought that the difference between a Bill gates and a Steve jobs to a Wen Xiao and a Natalia Salazar is the number of people who think they are special? Is someone not special if only 2 people think that they are?
“forget about the idea of special and focus on the many starving people out there. So many deaths, so many conflicts, so many hate and… so many lost ones… loss of love, lost in life and losing to death…” Have you thought about what you can do to change any of that (even in one person?)
Why do you think its cliche to worry about your grades? Handling cultural/societal expectation can be very hard. How has the shaped who you are? I definitely know what you are talking about regarding expectation – I’d like to encourage you to look up “model minority myth” you might find it interesting and pertinent.
It’s not that teachers are less concerned with what you are doing, but more like they are there to teach you and not “take care of you.” At this point, professors are treating you like adults and leaving the learning in your hands – its up to you to not distract yourself and to listed and learn. Remember college is all about personal accountability.
While Baruch may not have music classes (to be honest I am not sure) as a CUNY student you can take classes at other CUNY schools. If this is something you are interested in, I would strongly consider you getting more information about it. You can always go to a CUNY that is closer to your home.
Also, remember that are also a ton of other activities for you to get involved in. I would strongly encourage you to do so that you can get the best experience you can and see that Baruch is not just a business school.
Why do you think college is supposed to change you and why do you think you wont?
See you in class!
Natalia