1. how did your community service work help the community?

For my community service I helped at a program called “Feed five hundred”. We made lunches and walked around New York City and handed them to all of the homeless people.

2. What were your initial reactions upon hearing that you would be engaging in a community service project?

To be honest, at first I was dreading it. I didn’t want to spend my time doing community service. But once i did it i felt so rewarded to be able to help the unfortunate. It made me feel so great.

3. How did it make you feel to give your time and energy to others?

It felt so good to be doing something for someone else. It definately wasn’t time wasted I did get a lot out of  it.

4.What did you learn about yourself, the people around you, and the service site?

What I learned about myself was that once i started getting the hang of it I really started enjoying it. I love the feeling of helping others. From watching the people around me you could pick the people apart from who wanted to be there and who had to be there. I learned that the service site is really helpful to those in need.

5.What stands out as the best and/ or most trying experiences that occured while engaging in your community service project? What did you learn from this experience?

The thing that stands out the most to me was the people’s reactions. When I handed them the lunch bag there faces lit up and it was so rewarding to see them so happy! I learned that just the littlest gestures can make someones day.

6.  How did engaging in this project relate to your education and the larger issues in society?

This project is trying to help people who are starving. There are so many homeless and hungry people in New York that even just a few hundred kids handing out lunches can makes a dfference.

7.   How did your community service experience relate to the “Leadership and Service” session?

I think taking part in any community service is being a leader. Taking control of a situation that is in need of some help is definately leadership.

8.  How has your community service experience changed your thinking, attitudes, and actions towards others, yourself, the community, and community service work as a whole?

I think seeing all of those people who were starving changed my attitued towards life. I will definately not take life for granted anymore.

9.  How has your community service experience impacted you personally? What is the most important thing you learned about yourself throughout this experience?

It made me think of the homeless differently because when we asked about their stories we heard  about everything they went through and how they got to this point. I learned that I am totally capable of helping others.

10.  Were you satisfied with your experience overall? Why or why not?

I was satisfied with my experience because it didnt take long and gave me life lessons that I can look back on.

11.  Do you see yourself staying involved in the community during your college and adult years? Why or why not?

I hope to stay involved in the community for as long as I can because it is such a good feeling to give back.

12.  Sum up your service-learning experience in a one-two-sentence headline:

Even the littlest things can brighten someones day.

a) Tell us how your experience at Baruch College has lived up to your expectations? Not lived up to your expectations? Exceeded your expectations?

Well to be honest I expected a lot of work but I wasn’t sure how  I would be able to handle it. I think i’m handling it pretty well. I could definately manage my time a little better but I think i’m dealing with it fine for now. I think since it’s a commuter school there isn’t much life out of school but living in the dorms definately helps.

b)  How well do you think your first semester at Baruch College went?

I think my first semester went ok. I feel like I could have done better but it took some time to getting used to.

c)  What would you do differently during your first semester if you could do it all again?

If I could do it all again I would spend more time studying and less time partying. Theres always going to be a time to have fun but  I feel like I need to know the time to have fun and the time to buckle down and study.

d)  How have you changed since you started at Baruch College?

I think i’ve been so much more open to meeting people. Going into a new school you have to be open to socializing because you have to realize that everyone is in the same boat as you with not knowing much people so if you just start talking and be friendly people feel open to socialize back.

Everyone goes through a time in their life that changes the way they live. For me, my Uncle completely made me change the way I look at life.  When he was 37 years old he was working on a roof doing construction and someone moved the ladder when he was getting down and he fell two stories and is now paralyzed from the waist down. If this ever happened to me I don’t think I would ever be able to change my life back around. But he didn’t let this stop him. His attitude towards life is so positive and he always seems so happy. Whenever I feel down or mad because something doesn’t go the way I planned I think of him. He obviously didn’t plan on being paralyzed and he doens’t let it get him down so why should i sweat the small stuff. At first he was depressed and upset because he could no longer do the things he loved to do. But then he came to realize he has family and friends who love him no matter what. Before the accident he was very athletic. When he realized he would never be able to walk again he felt like he wouldn’t be able to do anything. He now plays on a wheel chair basketball and softball team and loves it. He also love d building and architecture. He obviously can’t build on houses anymore so on his spare time when he isn’t working he builds small stuff like decorative bridges, wheelbarrows and arches for houses. While he was in the hospital my dad and his three brothers built a workshop on the side of his house so that he could stay at home and do what he loves. Also when he was in the hospital they took the time to make the house handicap acessable. When he came home he was so overjoyed by what his family has done for him and how much support they were giving. I think this helped him to emotionally recover. When you go through a time like   this you need support and by his family and friends showing support it made him feel likehe can get better and feel happy again. He always tells me that by seeing me smile it helped him to finally feeling happy. It makes me feel really good knowing that I helped someone I love so much feel better. I look at him as a role model and I look up to the way he looks at life. Life may throw many obsticles but what ever you do don’t give up.

First post

A)
I think I am a nice and caring person. Like every
other college student I’m living life to the fullest and just having fun!

B)
My top three concerns about freshman year are
that it’s going to be heard for me to balance out everything.  I need to realize when it’s time to study and
time to have fun. Another concern is the workload. In high school I really didn’t
have that much work to do so I think it’s going to be tough for me to get used
to all the work. My last concern is that I will fall out of touch with my best
friends from high school. So far we have kept in touch but I feel like once the
work starts getting harder and I have a lot more things to focus on its going to
be hard to stay in touch with everyone.

C)
Hopefully college won’t change me. If it does
change me it will probably change me in a good way. Hopefully I will become
more independent.