FRO13 CRA

My first semester at Baruch was definitely interesting. I met some amazing people, got to know the gist of what college is like, realized that studying in high school is not the same as studying in college, worked and went to school, and never in my life have I ever experienced such fatigue. Throughout the semester I definitely felt like uncertainty was my best friend. Classes were overwhelming and confusing, the teachers expected so much from us that I was not used to, homework and learning things at home while studying got pushed back due to work, it was so much, and sometimes still is, a lot to take in at once. Though my first semester has helped me narrow down my major, it still hasn’t helped me decide. Being undecided is no fun at all because it gives me the impression that I will not finish on time, run out of financial aid, not find a good enough job, etc. I look forward to the rest of my time here in hopes of finally coming to the conclusion of what it is that I really want to do. I swear I haven’t lost all hope, and thankfully this enrichment workshop has introduced me to fantastic resources that I will be using to figure this out. I’m excited to see what the future holds, and eventually see what I end up doing!

During the enrichment workshop yesterday, we were informed about the true benefits of community service and helping others just for the sake of helping. I can say that I definitely agreed with what the presentation focused on. I have to say that doing work for the benefit of others with nothing in return has its rewards. The New York Cares project, for instance, not only gave me the opportunity to volunteer my hours, but it also gave me the chance to get to know different people and remain in contact with my leader from the event, Lisa. I was able to just be a helping hand among many other people to make an event truly successful. The presentation yesterday reemphasized my feelings towards volunteering. I definitely feel like this isn’t going to be the last time I willingly volunteer.

-Sarah Olivo

Our group decided to do the NY Times project based on food that can be found around Baruch College. As first semester freshmen it is imperative that we know where to go for a quick snack or a decent lunch. Although it may sound unimportant, knowing where to eat and making sure that we, as students, eat properly is much more significant than other academic responsibilities. No food during class and a growling stomach is the worst possible combination since our attention is now shifted from class to food. Not knowing where to eat can easily lead a student to going to the same place for the same , sometimes very unhealthy, food. We all know the famous “Freshman 15” is out to get us, however,by knowing where to go, or where not to go, we can easily avoid this frustrating freshman plague. As the years go on, eventually Baruch students will learn the tricks of the school and how to get around, however, for us freshman, many of which have never been to school in the city or are from out of town, it is crucial that we know how to get around, even if its something as simple as lunch. My role in this project was to find an article based on one of the many restaurants near campus and discuss it as well as complete the Bearcat post. Initially, I believed that the Bearcat post was going to be the most difficult, and it was, however, Baruch’s Magazine made it very easy for me to find out about East20sEats.com which proved to be sufficiently related to Baruch that it could be used as the Bearcat post.

Sarah Olivo ~

Hey there, my name is Sarah Olivo, I’m 18 years old, and I’m a Christian. My family and I are from the Dominican Republic and I can honestly say that I take pride in my roots. I love the spring and summer time, the beach, my family, and the flavorful and spicy Spanish music that derives from places South of the Equator and in the Caribbean. My Hispanic roots only contribute a small part of my entire composure. Raised in Queens, New York my family and I have had our fair share of experiences that have gotten us to where we are today and have contributed to shaping me into the person I am now. Growing up I never had any older siblings to look to for guidance or advice and as an older sister I’ve realized that the best guidance and advice that I can give is to lead by example. My job requires me to do much of this since I work with grade school children. They may be a hassle and test my patience constantly but they’re witty humor and innocent comments (such as suggesting that college emails only work when we’re in college) always remind me why I love what I do. I consider myself to be undecided when it comes to my career and although childcare seems like an option its not the only thing I would like to limit myself to.

As of now I’m just trying to enjoy whats left of my dependence. As strange as it may sound, my dependence on my family is something that I see as assuring and protective. Independence means a lot of self reliance and complete responsibility for my actions and decisions as well as their consequences. The future is a scary thing but completely inevitable and the most that I can do is approach it slowly and cautiously with a positive attitude and worry-free mindset, besides, worrying never makes anything better, so why bother, right? Above all I take great pride in my faith and also consider it to play a huge role in my life. The songs that I’ve chosen are those that I feel round up who I am as well as some of my musical interests.