My favorite workshop was the Dare to Engage Workshop. This workshop basically brought the idea that “discriminatory actions and bullying are not okay” to everyone’s attention. It also helped me realize that it is okay to tell someone when something isn’t funny anymore and is “crossing the line.” I felt that this workshop was the most memorable and the videos we saw were very inspirational.
There were a couple Freshman Seminar workshops that I really enjoyed. However, for the purpose of this blog I have to single one out. I would say that my favorite workshop thus far was the Baruch Voices act that we attended one week prior. I went to the act not knowing what to expect, tired and to be honest, grumpy that I had to go. I planned on sleeping through it. My attitude when I left Baruch Voices was completely different than the negative one I entered with. I enjoyed the actors and actresses and the presentation of the monologues. I stayed awake through the entire thing because it was so captivating. I liked how they read the names of the students out loud either before or after their monologue reading because it’s fun to hear the work of people I know. At one point in time I was even able to guess the name of whose monologue was being read before their name was said.
Although Baruch Voices had many other positives, the coolest part was seeing that other kids are going through the same struggles that everybody else is and they aren’t afraid for people to know. Also, many students problems are way more severe than even mine are which made me realize how good I actually have it. Consequently, Baruch Voices was my favorite Freshman Seminar Workshop.
My favorite enrichment workshop for Freshmen Seminar this year definitely is the Baruch Voices. It amazed me how those professional actors performed stories of our classmates. I feel that I am able to see those stories happened right in front of my eyes. But this is not the most crucial thing, the stories from my classmates impress me the most. Before, I did not even know there were some many fascinating stories behind them. From those monologues, I found out some problems I shared with them after I got into college, like wanting to get independence for parents, having a difficult time to adapt changes, and missing old friends for previous institutions. During the performance, I feel a sense of relief, as if i was the one who stood on the stage and expressed my problems. And humorous language somehow weakened those trouble I’m facing. It gave me confidence to fight them. I have a feeling that my life in Baruch will be more and more interested.
My favorite Freshman Seminar enrichment workshop was the performance of Baruch Voices last week. The performance, which consisted of professional actors reciting monologues written by freshmen, was captivating. The readers, or actors, created a visual image of the subject. They owned the characters of the students they were quoting. The pieces performed had an amazing variety and depth. The dramatization of a satire on quitting smoking made me laugh. Another one, abut suicidal thoughts, frightened me. A third piece which eulogized a deceased friend I found sad. Clearly, my fellow students are facing many challenges during their first semester here at Baruch, yet some find time to find the humorous side of life. The overall arc of the presentation was one of hope, aspiring for a brighter tomorrow. The world will be a better place in 2016.
College is overwhelming. Since day one, I’ve been excited to start and take on a new level of responsibilities and serious work, a difficulty more fitting than high school. Part of the charm must have been the autonomy, being able to do things on my own time, and finally, for the first time, choosing my own direction and classes. Since then, I’ve also learned to really appreciate the network of friends I’ve grown close to; they’re a great source of support and relaxation when work gets out of hand.
There’s nothing slow about college. With only four months per semester, it only takes two weeks for the pace to be in high gear, and more than once I was left biting my lip, struggling to catch up between weekly assignments, papers, and constant quizzes. Sometimes, I’d be deprived of sleep. It wasn’t pleasant at first, when I was still unfamiliar with how to deal with the situation, but now it’s pretty comfortable. Not much has changed: I still procrastinate, and the work only gets harder, but I can appreciate that. It’s what I wanted, what I chose for myself.
Baruch is exceeding my expectations. The challenges are many, but the rewards are great.
This picture represents my experience at Baruch so far. I always find excuses to do everything last minute. I spent my weekend doing my papers for art history and English. One was due Sunday night and another was due Monday and because of all those excuses, I did them one after another. I stayed up until 3 last night for my English paper. I was so tired and I wondered why didn’t I start it sooner. I will definitely try not to procrastinate next semester (if that’s possible).
In my last three months of Baruch, have pretty much be summed up into that gif. My first month was really fun, meeting new people and getting used to going to college. Then I decided to join a sorority. Little did I know, it was going to be one of the worse decisions I ever made. haha, just kidding. I’m finally done now, but this gif completely describes how I felt during the last two months in Baruch. I was stressed, overwhelmed and just wanted to cry every day. I messed up in all my classes, didn’t sleep at night and couldn’t even eat a proper meal. If I did, I was really lucky, or it was 1AM. My professors all talked to me about my grades and they were worried. I felt like crap for the past two months and never thought it’d end. I crossed this past Saturday, December 1st and it was honestly the best day of my life. Everything I’ve done for them, was finally paid off. I have amazing people to call my sisters now and never felt more accomplished. I guess it’ll make my next 3 years in Baruch worth it. Everyone probably thought I was the crappiest and meanest person ever, but trust me, it was just because I felt like nothing in the world was good. But now that it’s over, I have never been happier. I can finally see my best friends who I haven’t seen, stand outside of the vertical campus and eat a real meal for once. Best feeling in the world. The gif is kind of depressing though.
://www.google.com/imgres?q=sorority+gif&um=1&hl=en&client=safari&sa=N&tbo=d&rls=en&biw=1047&bih=546&tbm=isch&tbnid=_Tn7cxxcywzQGM:&imgrefurl=http://www.gifsoup.com/view/105013/sorority.html&docid=oxMO5By3EkaiBM&imgurl=http://gifsoup.com/webroot/animatedgifs/105013_o.gif&w=320&h=240&ei=zA-9UI_gIueK2QWw5oHIAw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=431&vpy=66&dur=177&hovh=192&hovw=256&tx=175&ty=99&sig=105035627043219980434&page=1&tbnh=145&tbnw=187&start=0&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0,i:92
This photo represents the life of a college kid who lives away from home. I love dorming in the city. I’m right in the middle of everything on 34th street and 8th avenue. Living in the dorms gives me so much more freedom than I have when I’m at home. I live on Long Island, where you have to drive everywhere. Unless maybe if you’re going to you’re friends house around the corner, even then though, that’s like a 10 minute walk for me. Since some of our friends live on the other side of town, a night of drinking always turns into who’s going to drive those couple of kids home. In the city no one has to stay sober to drive home haha. You can walk everywhere, and eventually you’ll find your way back. I guess living in the dorms is kind of good because I’m learning how to do things on my own a little bit. The main thing is cooking. Before I left for college, I was lucky if i could boil pasta without over/under cooking it. I’m becoming a much better cook now, but its still not the same as home. As much as I love the city, nothing beats my moms home coking. Whenever I go home for a weekend, my mom is always sending me back with food to last me a day or two. Going home for Thanksgiving was the best. It was four straight days of eating actual food. Probably the best four consecutive days since college has started.
http://cheezburger.com/6563784448
As a freshman, I am amazed at all that Baruch has to offer. I can honestly say that I enjoy college life more than I enjoyed high school life. In high school, I was often bombarded with loads of homework each night and left the biggest projects to complete shortly before deadlines. However, in college my classes are spaced out so that I have more time to study, complete assignments, and even schedule appointments with professors for extra help if I need it. I even have time for a small internship to boost my experience in the working world. As a result, I’ve really became a master at managing my time. I realized that no matter how many tasks I have to complete, I can finish everything if I plan out how to use my time wisely.
To begin with, the Baruch library has become my favorite place as I can go there during breaks to have silence to complete a long reading for class and use the computers to type up a small draft for a paper or even a review sheet of terms for an exam. I try do do as much work as I can during my breaks. I leave smaller assignments such as math problems, or short readings for when I go home after work. I even complete readings on the train on my way too and from school. I’ve learned to prioritize readings and looking through the next lecture PowerPoint on Blackboard because it truly helps me grasp concepts before class. In this way I will not waste time struggling to understand during class or spend extra time studying or receiving tutoring. Although, when I am unable to grasp certain lectures, I do not hesitate to use my time during breaks to meet with a teacher or form a study group. All of this preparation helps to make information stay in my head until the test so that the night before the test does not become an eight hour cramming session that has detrimental effects. I have not been to the writing semester this term, I would definitely like to use it next term when I have more challenging courses. I love the fact that I can get feedback on my work before I hand it in since it saves me time and I can get the best grade possible.
After writing out all of the tasks need to complete for each week, I then decipher if I have enough time to enjoy recreational activities such as watching a movie with friends and family, attending a party or going out to lunch with friends to treat my self, which I feel is very important to do once in a while. I find time to socialize after major exams and before holiday breaks by exploring the wonderful restaurants and other activities in the great Flatiron district that Baruch is part of. I am truly grateful that I chose to join a learning community at Baruch because it helped me make friends easier and also provided time for fun activities together amidst our workload.
Can’t believe that I have been a college student for three months! It seems like just yesterday that I stepped in Baruch for freshman orientation. Over these few months, I think I have experienced a lot in college.
There are many differences between high school and college. First of all, there are so many people in the school. Every day, when I go to school, I feel overwhelming by people. The elevators are packed, and the seats in the library and computer labs are always been taken. By the way, one very special experience that I have in Baruch is that I have been stuck in elevator for twice! Also, there are many reading that I need to finish every day. I don’t like reading at all, but I find myself have no choice. Tests and quizzes come one by one
The ways that I come to relieve my stress is either to eat or go to gym. McDonald, Popeyes, Shakeshack, Pinkberry, and yogurt city, (lol, I didn’t get pay for advertising), many places that I go to fill my stomach. Another thing that I do for leisure time is to go to gym. Workout in the Gym make me feel relaxing.
Anyway, final exams are just two weeks away from now, hope everyone can survive from their final exams!!!
