Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris
All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris
From Dead To Worse by Charlaine Harris
Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris
Dead In The Family by Charlaine Harris
Before Night Falls by Reinaldo Arenas
Chief Culture Officer by Grant McCracken
You Are Not a Stranger Here by Adam Haslett
The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
A Great And Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
Rebel Angels by Libba Bray
The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Push a novel by Sapphire
American Pastoral by Philip Roth
1984 by George Orwell
Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
Tartuffe by Jean-Baptiste Poquelin Moliere
Angela and the Baby Jesus by Frank McCourt
Barack Obama “We Are One People” by Michael A. Schuman
The Adventures of the Princess and Mr. Whiffle:The Thing Beneath The bed by Patrick Rothfuss
What Every Woman Knows by James M. Barrie

-Jordan

Hey its Erick, wondering if anyone is interested on doing two Anthro study groups. One before the test of course and one before Tuesday’s class just to establish those “question” the Professor wants us to have. The articles were long so I think I missed a couple of main ideas but a study group on Tuesday would be a helpful refresh.  I kinda just wanna go over terms and people we think maybe on the test because those things really haven’t been discussed in the last two classes for the last couple of articles.

a) My names Abdel, also know as Boody. I’m Egyptian. There’s not much to know about me really. I moved to the U.S when i was 2. I grew up in Sheepshead Bay. Recently moved to Bensonhurst. I graduated from Brooklyn Tech. I was on the Brooklyn Tech Handball team. I work in a restaurant. That’s about it.

b)main concerns:

1. Managing my time, since i have a busy schedule. Between work, school, other stuff, i have little time for myself.

2. Getting to class on time.

3. Doing homework and studying and stuff like that.

c) Baruch is pretty much exactly the same as high school. Except of course for the two and a half hour breaks and sushi bar. I think joining a frat will enhance my college experience. Also i hope…i don’t know

d) I think my first year at college should teach me better time management. Also i think i will be more responsible with assignments and do them ahead of time, so i don’t have to put together a bunch of crap in 10 minutes ;[

I am Justin. I was named by a cousin. It’s a good thing, because if my parents had named me, not many people would be able to pronounce it. And then I’d have to revert to a nickname. But Justin is my name. I was born and raised in Queens all my life. For the time being, I attend Baruch as a freshman in our wonderful LC. I have an older brother who turned 20 yesterday, and a younger sister who is 15. I think.

I play the role of the “Go-to guy”.  Everyday life for me sounds like “Fix this” or “How do I do this?”  or even “What’s the answer to this?”.I like this role. It gives me a certain level of power which, if I choose to exercise, would impact the lives of those who depend on me. It feels good to be wanted. Not FBI wanted or anything but you get the point.I’m a tech-MANIAC. People look at technology and ask questions like “Why won’t this print?” or “What’s taking it so long to load?”. I look at technology and see a world of possibilities. I’m not really an outgoing person. I like to keep to myself. I don’t speak much unless spoken to, or if I have something to say. A lot of my replies are a nod or a smile. This probably gives off the vibe that I’m not a sociable person but I am! The weirdest thing about me would probably be that I can drink milk with anything. And I really do mean anything.

My concerns for Baruch this year are mainly time management, figuring out why I’m here and whether I should get a job. My time management skills suck. I tend to leave things for  later when I can. I had a basketball tournament last Sunday and I could have done all my work on Friday or even Saturday but I waved it off until Sunday night. I stayed up late just one night and my whole sleeping schedule got messed and I’ve been sleeping in class. I’m not much of a ninja either, so my professors see it too 🙁 I gotta make and adhere to a strict schedule if I ever want to keep up with all the work.

Why am I here? I’m not a business guy. This is primarily a business school, what am I doing here? I wish I knew. Everyone I talk to says how great Baruch is, but I’m more worried about what my major is. Should I transfer out? Where do I go? I know I want to do something with computers, but what can Baruch offer me? But I’m starting to like Baruch and I feel like by the end of the semester, you couldn’t pull me out of here with pliers if you tried. I’m going to hard to figure out what I want to do this semester.

I haven’t worked for a single penny in my life. I’m not spoiled or anything; far from it actually. I feel that my education is my responsibility, so why burden my parents with it? So I’m a bit concerned about getting a job, mainly if I’d be able to juggle the both together without colliding. Things aren’t cheap here in the city so I’d like to have a job that doesn’t require much hours and pays well.

I think the freedom I have at Baruch will make my college experience different from my high school experience. Especially since Baruch is in the city and we have a ton of stuff to do during our 2 hour breaks (Shellshock!).

I hope that this first year at Baruch helps me develop good habits like studying and taking notes that I lacked in high school. I’ll also meet a lot more people and mingle with people of different cultural backgrounds. I already have a widened perception of life itself as soon as I stepped out of the high school scene and entered Baruch, so hopefully it’ll continue.

A)  Who am I? It’s kind of a hard question to answer because I still don’t know most of the answer but I’ll tell you what I do know. My name is Ravi Kadia I’m 17 (turning 18 on October 6) I was raised in Hicksville, Long Island, NY 11801. I’m 100% Indian and I agnostic. I try to do well in school but I tend to be really lazy. High school was a drag but I ended up having a lot of fun and making some awesome friends. I’m a very passive person who doesn’t care about much. My motto is to “Never Give Up!”

B)      My top 3 concerns
1) To do well in college. I really want to ace college but chances of that happening aren’t very high but I’m going to try my best no matter what happens.

2) Is working out, since I’m very lazy I barely work out for some reason people say I’ve lost a lot of weight this summer but that’s not enough I want to build some muscle and get stronger much much stronger. I’m gunna have to try to stay away from fast food because I know it will make me fatter and I really don’t want do that (the foods so tempting).

3) Making Friends. As of right now I don’t really have that problem I’m having a ton of fun in this LC but I know this LC isn’t going to last forever but until the time comes I’m going to keep on having fun. I tend to make friends easily but I still worry.

C)      Baruch is so much fun. There’s  a whole shift of attitude when it comes to college and high school back in high school you had to deal with annoying people in college they aren’t there. I absolutely love our LC we get together really well and it’s always fun. High school was more of a drag to me and sort of a chore meanwhile college you get more freedom and it makes life a lot more fun

D)     How will college change me? Well that’s a good question. I’ll make me more “self-reliant” which is exactly what I need. I’ll become more of a mature smart person I’ve always wanted to be.

a) what a tough question. well my name is abraham zaken (people call me avi, close friends call me booboo), im 18, and i was born in raised in brooklyn. i see myself as the loud one who tries to be funny. it works up to a certain point…. i think.  beyond the jokes and noise i tend to be a bit more mellow, in my neighborhood i’m more relaxed and chill. i was in jewish private school up until high school, IT SUCKED! once high school came i changed, more of a joker, more serious in school, and just had more of a life. i am a jew but i really don’t follow half the rules, nevertheless im proud. i have always lived in bk (gravesend specifically) my whole life and it can’t get any better, got my corner store, my bagel store and the local park (we just call it “z”). i am your typical brooklyn boy and if you not from here then fuhgeddaboudit.

b) 1 : plain and simple, time management. senior year of high school i had class from 8-12 and a 1 hr break in between, does it sound like i had any work? i breezed through school cause they basically spoon fed everything to me. not in college, it’s been a few weeks and i already see how lazy i am. i definitly have to improve on that

2 : adjusting to travel. all my life school has been a 10 minute walk… WALK., now its a one hour train ride -_-. i don’t know how i’m going to do this, i feel like i’m going to hit snooze and say “too far, staying home today”. for the most part it’s been easy but winter is coming and god knows my butt doesnt want to be on a train at 7 am with 100 people in one cart.

3 : i don’t want to mess up my gpa. that is one big concern of mine. in the past it was like ehh who cares call my house so what or they will give me more time. not here, oh no buddy. if i learn my lesson the hard way  i will just be annoyed at myself for still being the immature kid i am. let’s hope none of us mess up with that

c) ahhh well i mean come on its college, you have the big rooms, more people, and a whole new environment. it’s just the feeling of independency that will make it different, this is the time where you learn who you will be, lazy or productive. it’s going to be harder because high school was easy to adjust to, i knew everyone in my school before high school, college i didn’t know one student.

d) i feel like my first year will make me more mature (yea read well buddy, four m’s in a row). it will either make me a responsible, productive adult or a lazy student who still doesn’t care about school.

I’m not just any person. I believe I am who I am, Javid Khan. I’m who I want to be, I don’t live my life trying to be like anybody else. Although, I do look at people as inspirations or role-models, the only steps forward I’ve taken are in accordance to what I really want to do. I’ve never been a person to give into peer pressure. Peer pressure is everywhere, especially where I grew up, things such as smoking are really common, I’ve been exposed to it since the seventh grade, yet today, I’ve still never tried it despite the many times I’ve been asked to. Karma is something I strongly believe in, although I’m not one to believe in superstitions or things of the sort. It’s just the fact that karma gives you something to be afraid of when you have the opportunity to choose the wrong or right path. It encourages me to do the right thing, because if I was to do something wrong, that would just come back to me in the end, whether the situation is of big or little importance. Who I believe I am can’t be summed up into a short paragraph; this barely scratches the surface.

– Getting around the place was one thing. I’ve been in Queens most of my life, and never really needed to go to the city for anything, and therefore didn’t need the subway. This is the first time I’ve had to take the trains constantly as daily commute, and I’m not very familiar with it or the city. After about a week at it, I caught on to it and it became easy, just as it was when I first started taking the bus when I was younger.
– I had to get used to the school. The environment at Baruch was completely different than back in my high school. The majority of people in high school didn’t really care, everything was mandatory so they were only there because they just “had do to it.” Over here, everyone cares about school, nobody complains and everybody is doing what they have to do to be successful. It’s a huge change, college seems like the exact opposite of high school when it comes to people.
– The level of work in college was way beyond a high school level. In high school, we were pretty much doing what was the minimum level work, because everything was “dumbed-down” so that more students could pass their classes and graduate, raising the graduation rate. Homework wasn’t of big importance. Honestly, in high school, I pretty much never did my homework and passed with high grades.

What’s going to make my Baruch College experience different from high school is the fact that I’m actually going to try here. In high school, everything was easy. I’ve gone through classes without doing anything for half the year and passing with high grades. I’ve never really put much of my full potential into things, because it wasn’t necessary in high school. Here, there are people everywhere that try to get their work done at their full potential too (unlike high school where nobody cared) and that brings the aspect of competition, which in turn will lead to me trying to be the best I can.

I think my first year at college is going to turn me into a more responsible person. I’m going to be a lot more organized and on time with things, and actually care about my work. After all, I’m paying to go here anyway.

A)Hey, its Ray! Was born in Guyana (South America) and I currently live in Queens Village. I usually like to hangout alot in Manhattan around Central Park and Union Sq and in Queens, usually at Queens Center Mall or in Flushing mostly theses days.

I remember someone mentioned Jung and Briggs personality test so im an ENTJ if you care to know. I love seeing what types people get so if you wanna take the test then just go here and post what you got in the comments or where ever.

Im generally pretty outgoing when im not tired and I love to talk to everyone and especially new people who have different perspectives from mine but im also very laid back so I never really obsess or panic about things when everything  going bad. Not sure if im ever really over confident in myself but I tend to have a Can Do attitude when it comes to things so I always believe that for me anything can be done if its logically possible, I just have to try. Its kinda bad I guess tho since i don’t try very hard at things I don’t care about but I do try very hard at the things I care about or find important. Im also a pretty open person so with a few exceptions I usually don’t mind sharing things about myself to other along as you’re willing to ask because I don’t like to blab about myself.

Sometimes im a bit aloft and you can catch me staring off in random directions sometimes when im in deep in thought about random stuff or just listening to music. I m friendly with people but I don’t really get attached to people very easily and I tend to forget and get over things really quickly and move on like nothing happened and only remember about what I learned from that experience.

I personally never liked school much before college since I always felt like I never had any free will but outside of school I like learning new things that I find to be fun and interesting, particularly things that im really bad at or never knew about.

To really know a person you have to also know their negative aspects also. For me I am very stubborn person when I have my mind set on something and  I can admit it when im wrong but until you can provide proper evidence to prove it I wont be convinced since i tend to trust my own judgement over other peoples. I also tend to be somewhat cold hearted at times because I use logic first to make tough decisions without considering my feelings into the equation. Im also very blunt at times so some people might feel hurt by that if they aren’t used to people upfront and honest to them. Ill just say whats on my mind or blurt out what ever it is i am thinking about. I try not to make it sound mean if I can but I don’t think I would ever really stop because I believe it would be even more disrespectful to lie to their face about something and talk about it when they are not there, id rather say it to their face than behind their back. I have also of pride when it comes to being independent and hate being told what to do so if someone starts bossing me around and telling me what to do I get very defensive and sometimes very angry depending on their tone of voice. I don’t really thing its that hard to just kindly ask me to do something instead of telling me to do it.

B)The thing im the most concerned about right now is getting a job. I need to pay off my college tuition and  I have no means to do it unless I get a job. Im also concerned about wanting to move out of my house and live on my own but to do so I need a good paying job where I can make enough to support myself and everyday I spend at home is a shot to my pride because the thought of having to depend on other people even if its my parents just doesn’t feel good. Really concerned about getting enough sleep. I didn’t sleep much last year and it was really bad for my health. I could easily pull allnighters but it eventually all catches up and makes it hard to pay attention in class when I can barely stay awake.

C. I like the Baruch college experience better because the teachers don’t baby the student and its alot more freedom to do and study what you want here. Teachers don’t pester you about things and its your job to take care of yourself. Classes in Baruch are alot more interesting and engaging  also compared to boring high school classes. Im actually genuinely interested in the classes im taking.

D. I think this year will allow me to learn alot of new things and expose me to new ideas and perspectives that Ive never seen before. There’s so many people in this school and im excited about what I could learn from talking to all these people, young and old. One thing for sure is at the end of the year I will be alot more knowledgeable than I was when I started.

My birth name is Mohamed Mounir Rashwan, however I go by Mike, Moe, Mo, Rash, Boss, or if you went to camp with me I was known as Bear.  I was born on May 30, 1993, in Flushing, Queens, NY.  My Dad died when i was three months old, i live with my mom, she never remarried so I am all she has, and she takes that very seriously.  My Mom’s parents both died by the time i was nine, and my Dad’s mom lived in Egypt along with his whole family(seven siblings).  I have a small family and we are pretty close, we do a lot of activities together especially once we moved closer to them.  I grew up in an apartment building in Jackson Heights, Queens, till I was nine years old.  I was pretty much raised by a babysitter till we moved out of Queens. I moved out to Hicksville when I was nine, I went to Holy Trinity Diocesan High School.  My Mom is a very bright and independent woman, which i believe has had a huge influence in who I am today.  I consider myself to be outgoing, fun loving, caring, intelligent, interesting, and a pretty well rounded person.  I am a hard-worker, an entrepreneur and always willing to try new things.

My top three concerns for Baruch are time management, my grades, and making life long friends. I’m a bit of a procrastinator with homework and I dislike reading, but i’m going to work hard to do better the next four years.  My grades are also a concern because I want to make sure I maintain a high GPA, since my mom had a 4.0 she expects me to have the same. -__-  Life long friends is a huge factor in becoming a successful businessman.  Without having connections in the business world it makes it very difficult to just make your way into a large accounting firm.  The connections you can make in College can help a lot in the long run when you are looking for a job later on.

So far, Baruch is really different for me compared to high school.  My high school was fairly small compared to the public schools around me, but because i was on football I quickly made a lot of friends.  The teachers in high school really cared about their students and made sure they worked to their ability.  The workload was also a lot less and a lot of it was group work.  We had a family motto in my high school, everyone kinda looked out for each other, however there was still a sense of seniority as you approached senior year.

One year at Baruch will force me to become an even more independent person, I will learn better time management, and to be more open to make some new good friends. Being in the city at Baruch is definitely going to help me grow as a intellectual and a person.

 FIRST DAY OF HISTORY AND THIS IS WHAT WE ARE DOING 🙂

What a difficult question! Well one time I took a personality quiz and it told me I was a contributor…. Which I think kind of sucks. I am 18 but look like I am 25. I am stubborn and I seriously exaggerate allot of things. I love music, recently it’s been rap but I’m very open minded when it comes to the arts. My father was born in Chile, and I milk that ;). My mother is Irish, and I am her mini clone (hence my freckles). I love to laugh, I like sunrises and sunsets, although I am not at all a morning person. Some people would call me a girly girl- haha, true story. My friends and family mean the world to me. I’m hard headed and I am not really susceptible to peer pressure, which is something I pride myself on. My favorite emoticon is this one -__-  ( the bottom line can vary depending on emphasis), but this one is really growing on me c: (so cute). I told you a lot of random facts about myself but I guess that’s because I’m not exactly sure who I am yet. I can give you a lot of things I know about myself, but I really can sum up who I am in a paragraph. Maybe I’ll be able to do that soon, but a part of me doesn’t ever want to be able to fit my personality in a box.

My top three concerns about Baruch are, math class, history, and my time management. If you are in my math class then you understand why. Math is my weakest subject and my professor doesn’t explain things in a way I understand them, so I think I have to get a tutor :/. Besides that she isn’t going to write the final, so she’s not 100% sure exactly what is on it- and 90% or our grade is the 3 exams combined. So that’s going to be a serious hit or miss for me. Second biggest concern is history- because there are so many terms already, and it’s only the third week. We have to know, by heart, all the terms from beginning to end. And my memory is terrible. Lastly time management is a big one, I have always struggled with this and now it’s really time to address it, otherwise the year is looking stressful, with lots of procrastination.

So far nothing really, the elevators are much more crowded and even though the school is small, my school was smaller. It took me four years to figure out how to get around my high school, so we’ll see how this goes…so far I’m usually lost. Anthropology and History are the biggest classes I have ever been in, which makes me less likely to raise my hand. I used to know everyone….now I only know you all (not a bad thing, just different). Also I am having trouble with the concept that really no one cares what you do. Which is weird, I’m used to being on a short leash. We’ll see how long that mentality lasts.

Hopefully I’ll start being able to handle stress better, so far I have no control and will be extremely stressed out or really calm and carless. I really need to find a healthy medium. Hopefully I will grow up but more in being able to handle life, I don’t want to laugh or cry any less. In that way I want to stay young. I doubt college will kill me, and whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger right? That is what I am hoping college will change in me.

a) I think my name is Moses Kim. Just kidding. My name is Moses Kim and i grew up in Forest hills, Queens all 18 years of my life. I have never moved anywhere and i attended Forest hills high school. I am a Korean American that never left the United States. I love to play sports in general but handball would be the best out of all of the choices. I have one older brother and i live with my entire family ( grandma, grandpa, mom, dad, and brother.)

b) My top 3 concerns are

1) Being committed to waking up every morning to commute an hour to get to school. Its only been about 2 weeks and im already starting to get lazy.

2) My major. I don’t know if i want to major in accounting because i don’t like accounting. The only reason i decided that for my major so far is because my parents want me to be an accountant and i have no idea what else to do.

3) I’m mostly concerned about keeping the balance between my social life and my academic life. Ever since college started, many of my friends went to SUNY schools and my concern is that our friendship might drift. But, in a way, i guess it’ll be okay because i have LC13 aka ShellShock to look forward to 😀

c) I think that the fact that i’m commuting an hour to get to school will make things very different and very very difficult. My high school experience…: Once upon a time, there was a kid named Moses Kim. All he did was slack off and sleep in highschool until important tests/projects came up. That was my little life story about my highschool experience. Well, Baruch College will be very different because i will most definitely focus and try hard to stay awake in class.

d) The first year of college will change me by making me into a more responsible and “self-reliant” person. Yes. I take what i learn in school and apply it to my life 😀 The first year of college will help me to become more active and smarter (i hope). Baruch College will change me by helping me get ready for the future. I’m excited to meet new people and i’m very excited to look forward to summer vacation.

a) Tell us who you think YOU are!

My name is Elizabeth Lee, also Liz, and I am currently a freshman at Baruch College. I am Korean-American and live in Flushing,Queens. I am mostly interested in the arts including music and film. I have love animals and have two dogs! I am also Christian and go to church every sunday.

I usually have a shy personality at first, but once you get to know me I open up a lot. My friends usually label me as weird.

b) Share your top 3 concerns about your freshman year at Baruch College and explain why.

My first concern about my freshman year is that I am undecided. Baruch is mostly a business school, but  I do not want to get involved in business in the future. I am concerned of what I should major in. I want to major in film but I have nearly no experience in it.

Another concern is getting a job. I always feel bad asking my parents for allowance. I’m eighteen years old but still have not experienced working. I end up spending all my money my parents give me and end up asking for more.

My last concern is my academics. I want to reach for a high GPA in my freshman year. I hope I do not fail any courses and develop a close relationship with some of my professors.

c) So far, what do you think will make your Baruch College experience different from your high school experience?

So far, there has not been many differences from high school since I commuted throughout the four years. However, I have met different kinds of people at Baruch. I hope that I can learn from them and become more open. I hope to be more outgoing and socialize with many people from different cultures.

d) How do you think your first year at College will change you?

At my first year of college I hope to become a more responsible student who has time management. I hope to gain more confidence to and participate more in class.

a) My name is Robert Marinov and i was born in Uzbekistan, Tashkent. Lived nine wonderful years of my life there before moving to America. It is here that my love for technology started to grow. I am now the person everyone turns to if they have any questions about anything technology, friends, co-workers, and even family. But what I’m mainly proud of is that my now dad asks for my advice/help with his computer and other technological stuff :D. Enough about that, I also love music! Music is my life! I listen to anything that sounds good to me (even metal rock and country music). Now that i have a guitar i play it every day. I love that feeling of accomplishment after i learn a song and can play it and sing along to it without looking at the lyrics or chords. I also played the saxophone in middle school but i cant afford to buy one for my self they, are very expensive (close to $1000). I am a really nice guy even though I can be mean sometimes. I learned to be mean the hard way, other wise people start to take advantage of the kindness. I love to laugh, and knowing the fact that I can make other people laugh as well. I also love to meet new people! So lets get to know each other guys! 🙂

b) My number one concern is to figure out what i really want to do with my life. Preferably figuring it out freshman year so that i can make my class choices wisely and not take classes that i have no interest or need for. Another concern is studying for class. I have gone through out high school without really studying for anything, and i believe that if i study i can be at the top of my game and earn a high GPA. my parents always told me “look at your average, now imagine what you could have if you study!”. By the way this is the most home work i have ever done for a class, so i think that college is having a good influence on me. I told my cousin the other day that i have to go study, he was shocked but in a good way 🙂 Last concern I have is making it a fun experience. Combining work, college, and studying in to one week makes it difficult to find time to just relax and have some fun with friends. But i think that these concerns will soon be taken care of.

c) I think that the college experience differs greatly from my high school experience. One factor being, I don’t live three blocks away from college and completely look forward to commuting all four years to school. Work load for college is manageable and more than high school work to me because I didn’t really do that much work in high school and made my self a promise that i will do all the work needed to be done in college. Another difference is the diversity of teams that this college has. I plan on joining the soccer team. 🙂

d) Over all college will shape me to be a more independent person and point me in the direction of adulthood. it will teach me to consider my choices carefully before actually choosing. That is a very important lesson in life that we all have to learn at some point or another.

“Who do you think you are?”

I am a Swiss army knife, I try to be useful in all types of situations. A determined Ecuadorian male, who has Canari blood in his veins, that is the first in his family to go to college. My name is Erick Alexis Gonzalez Quisphi, a mature individual with a strict view on the world and a negative outlook human race as a whole. I am an optimist that believes everyone deserves a second chance and that will see the good before the bad. I am a warrior in both body and mind, thanks to Kendo.  Kendo is Japanese sword fencing and I like it so much because of all the people I have met and the places I have visit. I know other marital arts because of the people I met through Kendo and my other adventures. I have a passion for classic arcade games such as Street Fighter. I know I am a geek because I incorporate math and frame data while I play said Street fighter games. This may seem weird but I like study groups, but with the right type of people.

College is described to be “overwhelming” but my fear is that I purposely drown myself in work in the attempt to try everything. Variously courses can offer new knowledge and persuasive idea that will surely attract me. I fear that I will cut myself off from groups such as this awesome learning community. I fear that after taking so many classes I be disillusioned into changing my major. I love math but it’s the only thing I’ve really been exposed too, what if more exposure will negatively impact me? The greatest fear I have is not enjoying myself and having fun, its suppose to be the most important part of college.

The main difference I can see between my Baruch and high school experience is the academic freedom. No more sitting through classes I have zero interest in. The workload now and the future work to come still doesn’t scare me because of all the work I did in BSGE. Oh BSGE also only had 500 students and it was a grade 7-12 school so I like the idea of meeting new people everyday.  The long break between classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays is a bit weird to get used to but I usually hit the gym.

I don’t think the first year of Baruch will change me at all!!

a.) Hey guys, so I’m Nina as you all know, and as for some fun facts:

-I was born in St.Petersburg, Russia, but moved to Brooklyn when I was four and am still living here.

-My birthday’s 08-20-93, which makes me 18. Whoo, I’m legal 😀 (not that I can do much, anyway)

-I love art, music, and my friends. Oh, and food.

-Weirdly enough, airports are one of my favorite places to be, hands down.

-I’ve seen every episode of Grey’s Anatomy, because I’m a serious fanatic.

-I’m planning to study pre-med, which means a possible transfer of schools is in store for me, but we’ll see.

Like Natalie, I really don’t like being asked this question, because I can never think of a “good-enough” answer. As average as I may think I am sometimes, I know I’m not because so many things come to mind to describe me. Anyway, I’m really shy when you first meet me, so don’t think I don’t want to talk, I’m just nervous :\  Sometimes I’ll feel really awkward in new environments but the feeling passes. However, when I start talking to someone, I’ll break out of my shell and you’ll see that I’m really nice and fun. I have a very sarcastic sense of humor, and I think I’m pretty hilarious at times. I laugh A LOT, and its easy for me to crack jokes about myself because honestly, if I can laugh at myself, I won’t be upset if someone else does it. I’m seriously my own worst critic, and I’m incredibly harsh. As much as I may complain about things, I do it with a smile, because I’m an optimist deep down inside 🙂 Sometimes I feel like I’m an eight year old in an eighteen year old’s body, but that’s fine with me. I’m really shy in large groups, which is why I don’t like to participate often. I have that problem where my thoughts sound so intelligent and eloquent but when I speak I say the wrong thing, so I tend to stay quiet. I do care about school though, and getting good grades is important to me. As much as I love company, I’m one of those people that might just choose a movie night in over a party.

b.) My top three concerns for Baruch are time management, grades, and staying fit. I’ve always been a big procrastinator, but I’ve been trying to work on it this year. So far, I’ve succeeded a bit. My grades are also a concern because I want to make sure I maintain a high GPA, and by the looks of it, as long as I keep up with readings, I should be fine. Staying fit is also a big concern because even though I’m living at home, I never bring my own lunch, and I’m always going on candy runs between classes, because I have an enormous sweet tooth. I’m hoping that I can work on this because I’m not trying to gain the Freshman 15.

c.) So far, Baruch is really different for me compared to high school because my high school was extremely small, and so I had close connections with teachers and an even closer group of friends, and here I have neither, so I’m trying to adjust to that. As for the work load, so far its about the same so that’s not much of a change.

d.) I think college will change me (or, is already starting to) because I’m learning how to be more independent. Not in the sense of cooking or doing laundry, because I’ve been doing that since I was about 8 years old, but more in the sense of going places alone and making more decisions on my own. I’m still waiting for something big to happen, but that’s pretty much how I always feel. I’m always trying to hope for the best 🙂

-I’m not really sure which pictures to post, although I would like to, but I have a bunch of photos on Facebook if anyone would like to add me ! I also hope you got some insight as to who I am via this post, but you should just get to know me in person 🙂

To be honest, I don’t like being asked this question. You would think that such a simple question can be answered with a simple response, but it really cannot. I can answer with so many “I am …” statements, but it never gives me a true definition. I don’t even know if I can give myself a clear definition, but I’ll tell you some qualities for now. I am an athlete and love to try all sports. I also enjoy a challenge, and overcoming it. If I don’t, then I could at least say I tried and that is an accomplishment too. I am also a good student, hopefully I will remain so. I love to read, especially when it’s about crime and investigation. I also love to write. My family and friends are very important to me, and I cherish their love. My life would not be the same without them. I can be very outgoing and funny, but I can also be reserved and quiet. I guess it depends on the people I am with and the mood I am in. I love to have fun and go out, but sometimes I need my privacy and alone time. It helps me clear my mind and think, kind of like my personal meditation.

My top three concerns about my first year at Baruch are adjustment, grades, and health. I do not like being in uncomfortable or awkward situations, so it’s a good thing I don’t feel that way at Baruch so far. I am still adapting to the school, but I can already tell that it’s going to be fun. I’ve met a lot of cool people, and there are definitely more to meet by the looks of it!  Hopefully, I am right about all of this because sometimes I worry since it’s known to be just a commuter school. I don’t want to “slip through the cracks” as the school puts it. I also want to make sure that I keep my grades up because that’s why I ‘m here in the first place. I worry that despite how much I study or work, it still won’t be enough. Lastly, keeping my health is important to me. Since I am mostly on my own now and have to cook for myself, it is harder to eat healthier. I have to learn recipes and not be too lazy!

There are so many differences between college and high school. College is a lot more serious because the professors can be very serious and impersonal. It also feels a lot quicker. I know we are only a couple weeks in, but it still went very quickly. Luckily, the work load compared to high school isn’t much different because I was assigned a lot of work in high school, so I’m used to it. I also have a lot more free time in college with the new schedule. Even that time goes by quickly! I really miss my all girl Catholic high school and college will definitely not be the same way. But just because it won’t be the same does not mean it won’t be enjoyable. I have to agree with Jasmine that the guy part will definitely make school more enjoyable 🙂

College will definitely make me more independent. I was pretty independent when I was living at home, but there were things that I never did for myself. I’m sure I can say this for a lot of people dorming, but my mom always did my laundry. Now I have to learn to do it without messing up my clothes. Seems simple enough. I should probably put my Italian hands to work and learn how to cook more meals. Gotta learn some day.

I just saw a commercial for this movie and it reminded me of how much I love it! And lions! If I could, I’d have one as a pet. <3

I have the movie Born Into Brothels on my computer, lady said  she would quiz us on it in the future so if anyone wants it let me know. Youll need a flash drive with at least 700MB free on it

This is my first post! I don’t do twitter. I don’t do facebook. I don’t do myspace, I don’t do skype. I just started using email. I think putting things on the internet is too public. I feel so exposed 🙁

I think I am a Mandy. Everything boils down to a name, or a word. It’s like when you met someone you didn’t like, and every time you hear that name, you go, “ugh, ________(person’s name inserted here).”

According to my teachers in high school, I am not normal. I remember the first day of pre-calc with Mr. Backman and he had the whole class take the Myers Briggs personality tests so he’ll know who he’s dealing with, before we found the results, he said to the class, “God help me if one of you is INFP.” I looked down at my paper, and I was INFP–introversion, intuition, feeling, perception.  All my other teachers had us fill in personality tests also, and I always got the same result.

95% of the time, I am mellow, but when I get hyper, I’m a very different person. It takes me a long time to trust people and feel comfortable around them. I’m not good company because I don’t talk much, unless I feel like it. Large groups of people make me feel uncomfortable.

I was held back in 2nd grade due to frequent moving. I attended South Burlington High School for 3 years, withdrew due to psychological problems, considered dropping out and not attending college and living in Canton. I took a gap year in Shanghai, I lived with my aunt and uncle in the Oasis gated community of the Songjiang district suburbs. I visited Macau, Sanya, Hong Kong, Beijing, and Guangzhou. It was fun–I like travel. It was the first time I saw a little black kid that could only speak Mandarian and spoke English with a Chinese accent. Because I stayed with my little cousins for a long period of time, my aunt thought I was getting mentally immature, so she wanted me to hang out with kids my own age. She enrolled me in Xiwai International Boarding School of Shanghai.  I was 17 then, but she placed me in with the freshmans who were 14-15. The classes were still too hard for me–they were doing college level work at the high school freshman level. I attended one semester there and I didn’t like being forced to stare at the Chinese flag for 10 minutes everyday. I’m no commie. It felt like prison. Even the school was in a gated community, security guards at every corner, teachers watching your every move. It was a way for China’s noveaux-riche to send their kids to the same school as the ex-patriate foriengers–english speaking foreigners from these countries were favored in this order: #1 UK, #2 Australia, #3 New Zealand, #4 America. They thought American English sounded too coarse, and British English more refined. Anyways, I’m getting off topic.

I went back to Vermont, finished high school, and now I’m here at CUNY Baruch.

I have one older sister (Stephanie, 21 yrs), and a younger brother Steven (11 yrs), yes, Steven was an accident 🙂

I lived in Vermont for 10 years, but I was born in Hartford, Connecticut. I’m currently dorming at 101 Ludlow.

My birthday is November 13, 1991. I am 19 years old now, 20 in 2 months, no!!!! I wish aging worked backwards until I’m permanently 5 years old because that was when I was at my happiest. I am a Scorpio and Year of the Sheep. I guess that makes me an aggressive sheep…I don’t know what else to say.

b) My top 3 concerns for freshman year = learning how to do my own laundry and fold my own clothes and keeping my room clean, learning how to cook because I have a weak stomach, maybe even irritable bowel syndrome when I eat non-homecooked food too many days in a row, and getting lost in Manhattan. The first couple days at the dorm were rough for me, the laundry room is always busy, and people take other people’s clothes out of the dryer when they need to use it. This bothers me because I brought my childhood blankey and pillow pets with me and I don’t like people touching them. Every time I see my blankey on the laundry reject table, I stare at it for a couple minutes and freak out in the bad way. I’ve resorted to camping out in front of the laundry machines I called dibs on until my laundry is done.  If other dormers are reading this, that’s right, don’t touch the asian bedsheets. The two guys across from me are very loud, that’s you Mike and Gene. It takes a lot of self-control to not pull a pin and toss a grenade into room 818, or maybe even sticking a claymore in front of their door. Sorry, it’s never good to joke about bombs.

c) Baruch College experience will be very, very different from high school. Demographic in Vermont is about 96% white, and Baruch is diverse, I’ve never seen so many different minority groups be the majority before. There’s no Chinatown in Vermont. Chinatown is fun, if only it didn’t smell so bad. I always know my way around Chinatown because I just follow the smell. Once it starts to smell bad while I’m walking, I go, ‘oh, that way must be Chinatown.’

d) 1st year at college will change me because I will learn how to be independent. I moved into my room on Aug 25 with two sets of clothes and nothing else. That was really stupid of me because I woke up the next morning at 6AM, took the morning dump, and realized there was no toilet paper in the bathroom. I stared at the Duane Reade across the street for 2 hours until it opened at 8, so I could buy toilet paper and the other necessities.  My whole life I depended on other people to take care of me. My mother and aunt cooked for me, did my laundry, and bought the toilet paper (there was always an endless supply of it like magic–it always gets restocked), laundry detergent, and fabric softener–things I took for granted. I thought I could get used to city living because I lived in Shanghai for awhile, but I forgot I used my friends as human-GPS/translator’s around the city.

Now, I always use google maps while I walk. It’s my second week in the city and I’m already more used to it. If anyone tries to rob me of my precious google map phone, I will probably cry and not be able to find my way back home. I have horrible memory–I usually can’t remember a sequence of more than 4 numbers (I sometimes forget my home phone number), I have trouble with names and faces, and I have trouble remembering what I did the day before. I think my first year at college will teach me to be more alert, more aware of my surroundings, and expand my memory retention. Hopefully it will, I’m crossing my fingers.

–Mandy

I am silly, funny, caring, loving ,and jazzy ! I love God and my family, friends, and the game of basketball. (yes I am 5’4 and play basketball lol )

My top 3 concerns for freshman year are time management, study habits, and eating ! With all the work I’m just hoping that I can use my time wisely and still have time to enjoy the city life. Studying is going to be one of the hardest things because its so much information and I want to make sure I study the major points and not the minor details. In terms of eating I don’t want to gain the “freshman 15,”  which is kind of hard to do avoid at the moment since I’m in this knee brace.

My Baruch experience will be different from my high school experience because there are a lot more people and GUYS ! I went to an all-girls high school (proud to say) and it was a very close bond between the faculty and students. In college its different. I’ve never had a teacher say to me “I don’t get paid enough to care” lol . At that moment I knew high school was a thing of the past !

Being at Baruch will change me because i’ll be a much stronger person physically and mentally. With my injury I was forced to be independent and crutch my way around the city. If I can manage to do this I know I will be successful in other parts of my life =).