Freshman Seminar

Overall it was a very nice trip. The artwork was beautiful, and interesting to analyze. My favorite area was definitely the meditation center where all the Buddhist meditation tools were laid out, and I only wish we could have spent a more time there to let it sink in a bit more. I very well may go back with my girlfriend so we can experience it together, and explore the rest of the museum, hopefully leaving a bit more enlightened on the ways of Buddhist people.

Thomas Ye

The trip we went to last Thursday gave me a good insight about Buddhism. We learned that there are many principles and beliefs in Buddhism. The favorite part of the trip for me was watching all the drawings on the wall. The color was really vibrant, and every single picture had a moral behind it. Another thing I liked about the museum is that all the rooms were related to each other. Each room complemented all the drawings in the wall. The museum was relatively clean and quiet. The guy explained the Eightfold path really well. There were many drawings that explained the concept. After the trip Buddhism is a really interesting religion. The trip was really interesting, and it was a well spent time.

It was a great experience that we went to Rueben museum as class. I didn’t really know much about Buddhism before. After going to the Rueben Museum of Art, I learned a lot Buddhism. I learned that Buddhism was originated from Tibet and there are many different gods in Buddhism. I learned how humans have to go through different life forms before getting to nirvana. I also learned how the next Dalai Lama is chosen; they test all the babies that are born the next day when the current Dalai Lama dies. The best part for me in the museum is the shrine room; where they display how the traditional Tibetan shrine room looks like. I’m really glad that we can visit the museum as a class because I know I wouldn’t have visited on my own and I learned a lot from this experience.

By Jayden

The trip to the Rubin Museum of Art is a good learning experience; we learn about different culture and religion.  We explore Himalayan art and their culture.  My favorite part of the museum is the Tibetan Buddhist shrine room, the museum recreating the aesthetics and spirituality of the traditional Tibetan Buddhist shrine room.   Also, I like the room display the Lukhang Murals.  I enjoy the trip with my classmates to the Rubin Museum of Art, it’s a wonderful memory.

Mahipaul Sathu

From the enrichment program I took away the value religion plays on humans. The plentiful amounts of paintings shows the dedication groups of people have with staying connected to religion. Coming from a religious family, the paintings and stories behind the deities in Hinduism is nothing new, but a refresher. I remember the amount of time I spent in church as a kid, learning the ways of god and how they can change a person’s life. I was taught many things in church, but did not know the reason for it or how it was applicable to my life. Entering my teenage years my separation from religion took place. I questioned everything taught in church rather than accepting what is said. This led me to slowly leave behind my traditional cultural values in favor of more individual beliefs.

Comparing my adolescent years to my teenage years reveals the massive change with my mindset. Today I personally do not believe most of what is described through paintings and stories as I am skeptical. However my parents constantly remind of the importance with staying in touch with religious beliefs. They insist that everything said is factual and push me to start attending church on a frequent schedule. I find that there is no use to learn about religious stories or myths as they provide no use to my hectic life.

Even with my skeptic mindset I believe the enrichment day was important, as it taught outsiders what Hinduism is and how it can be compared to other religions. The museum was able to take me back to simpler time in my life and connected me with my original roots. I am glad to be in a school that cares for its students and to be in a diverse educational environment.

I am really glad to see the art I had never seen before here in United States. In my opinion, what makes Tibet so special among all the cultural provinces in China is its true understanding in Buddhism. And for the first time, I had the pleasure to see these marvelous paintings and sculptures. When I was still a high school student back in China, all the information around Tibet I received was the rebellions there. I had never get the chance to experience the culture there in person.  After I visited the Ruben Museum of Art, I got a brand new perspective of both what Tibet really looks like and what does it feel to live there. Tibet is not just about all the natural wonders, but also about  its history, its culture and its beliefs.

Written by Zirui Ge

Our trip to the Reuben Museum of art was a blast. It was a great learning experience, and its great spending time with classmates. Before this trip i didn’t know much about the buddhist religion and their art. In my opinion the coolest part was seeing the shrine room that the buddhist use. People who visit this museum get an opportunity to see the geographic scope and how the Himalayan religion is practiced.

The trip to the museum was very interesting. It was nice to learn about a different culture and understand the meaning of another religion. The museum enlightened many of us about Hinduism and the different gods or beliefs  that they worshipped.  It definitely was very enriching and I enjoyed the visit. Neither did it take a lot of time, but it allowed many of us to experience a new environment, especially in the shrine.

Considering I don’t know much about Buddhism, this trip was quite interesting. I had a general knowledge about the Dalai Lama and reincarnation, but I didn’t know about the different levels that one must go through after the regular human world before finally reaching nirvana. I already knew a little bit about how the next Dalai Lama is chosen immediately after the previous Dalai Lama dies, but I didn’t know that they tested every child born the next day. I thought that the museum was tranquil and beautiful. The artifacts were so intricate; almost everything required a long, close look. I found the display of a shrine room to be very calming. Just being there looking at it felt almost like meditating. I’m not a religious person but I appreciated how interesting the stories were. The notion of different reincarnations is interesting, and I thought the diagrams of the different steps was both beautiful and informative. In terms of aesthetics, I really liked the eye at the top of the stairs and that it’s at the very center of the museum. What I found to be most interesting was the room with paintings that only the Dalai Lama is supposed to see. It’s interesting how although normal people have obviously looked at the paintings without going insane, that notion is probably still an integral part of the religion. I think that the core beliefs of Buddhism are pretty universal, but it’s interesting to see how there are still parts of religion are rather mystical.

-Kiana Eng

A Trip to the Himalayas at the Reuben Museum of Art

I was glad that we had an opportunity to go on this enrichment field trip to the Reuben Museum of Art. I have never really seen much art from the Himalayas, never the less the art from the Buddhist tradition. We explored the Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room, which was very enriching to see how a shrine room is laid out. The trinkets and religious objects were each as beautiful as the next and it was a pleasure to have had an experience close to one being in an actual Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room. My other favorite room was the room with the murals that only the Dalai Lama is supposed to see. It portrayed life events such as birth and death but also human characteristics, such as learning, making love or committing crimes. It was a little overwhelming after a while due to the insane mix of vibrant colors and the images that were depicted. I am fortunate that we got to learn more about Buddhism because it is not a religion that is talked about a lot in school or any other context, unless we search out to look for it. Although that the trip may have been very short, it was a learning experience none the less and also an opportunity to walk the streets of New York City with our peers from Freshman Seminar DTG. I love spending time with the class and hope to be able to do such a trip again. GO DTG!

Prior to visiting the museum I really had no idea what the Dali lama did or how he was chosen or even what he meant to society. I was clueless about the culture of Tibet and I thought this was one of the most interesting cultures I learned about. I only had a broad understanding of what Buddhist were and truly only knew what it looked like. Learning that the head got expanded from knowledge made everything I knew make more sense. Just hearing what the tour guide had to say it sparked my interest in the religion and I came home to Google more about it. It was also pretty cool to see the images that were only supposed to be viewed by the Dali Lama and what was really freaky is when everyone left I decided that the warning about not staring too intensely to those pictures was b.s and thought I would try to decipher a part, so when I was walking closer to the image and the second I learned in I bumped into something on the floor that took me off balance and I took it as a sign from the heavens…that maybe I shouldn’t try to decipher anything. I still want to continue learning more about Buddhist because their religion is so far from what most other religions are based only one god, one higher being. I’m glad we went to visit this museum because it’s exposed to a new culture I only had a vague understanding about!

I was doing a nation wide article about tobaccos during the New York Times project. The reason why we chose this topic is because Baruch has a special campaign named Clean Space in order to  promote positive health behaviors and a tobacco-free campus. We want to relate our work to the daily school life and help students who smoke realize how harmful smoking could be. The smoking rate now in New York is 4.0% below the national average. We hope that through our articles, we could further lower down  the smoking rate and transform Baruch into a real smoking free campus.

Here is the link to my New York Times Project article: https://blogs.baruch.cuny.edu/bernardtimes/?page_id=16

For the project I chose to write about the debate over whether the city is going to change the legal age to buy tobacco products from 18 to 21. I have chose this article because it is an argument that I believe to be a waste of time and stand by me opinion, plus it doesn’t stop them from smoking or holding tobacco based products . The reason I think it is a waste of time is because even if the city were to change the legal age from 18 to 21, kids who are under 21 would still be able to obtain cigars or cigarettes or other tobacco products just as easy. I understand that the city is trying to reduce the amount of people who smoke, but you can’t make someone stop smoking, after all we are a free country. The way I have related this to my first year experience at Baruch is with the amount of people who are under 21 that smoke cigarettes at this school. If the law were to change, i guarantee all those kids would still be able to obtain a pack of cigarettes. So that is why I believe this law would be a waste of time.

Due to the government shut down many people are going to be affected. I will not be directly affected, however it does effect my family. My grand father works for the government so as of now he is out of a job, which upsets all of us. I do not like the way our government is run at all. Their inability to decide on this budget makes me dislike the even more. the reason being is that there are so many little things that they can do to start bringing back our economy and start paying off our humongous debt. The frustration from both sides makes this decision making so much harder because both of them are too stubborn to try and work things out so it will never get resolved. I would recommend that both sides get equal say in the decision as well as some ideas from both sides.

When asked the question to describe myself in less than a paragraph I always find it very tough due to the fact that i have been through a lot especially these past couple of years. In a nut shell, I love the game of basketball and working out, I love music that has a message and a meaning, and finally I love my family and friends and am grateful for them everyday of my life. Kobe is my role-model in the way he approaches his craft. My favorite team are the Los Angles Lakers. And finally my favorite music artists include : Eminem, Kanye, Jcole, and Justin Timberlake.

I chose to do The 8 images that represent me. I picked a basketball because basketball is my life and it basically is my job. The new York giants are by far my favorite football team. Even through this brutal year I will stay loyal. I picked the music notes because my music is right by me at all points of the day. the movies picture is pretty self explanatory. I love going to the movies. the picture of the man dunking is of Vince Carter. he is my idol, not only in basketball but off the court as well. Sneakers are the one thing that I actually collect in life. They are easily my favorite items I own. family guy is by far my favorite show to watch. I constantly quote it and sometimes laugh to myself just thinking about the episodes. money is the one thing in life im constantly chasing. I work my ass off to make good money and always will.

Who am I? I ask myself that question.  As of now, I still discovering new thing about myself everyday.  I am a hard-working person, I have passion for everything I do, and I have high standard to myself.  Although I am not perfect, but I tried my best in everything.  I become an independent person through my experience at the boarding school.  Volunteering at the Tzu Chi Academy, at the Margaret Tietz nursing home, and at the school has been a precious experience in my life.  Through volunteering, not only do I helping others, I myself have become a more mature and responsible person, which had shaped me into the person I am today.  As I reflected on my past, I realize that as a person I was influenced and shaped by both pleasant and harsh experiences.  I become stronger through the challenges that I faced.  My family, my teachers and my friends are very important to me, because of them, I realized that I am a very lucky person.

1. Out-checked- Maribelle Anes

2. Billionaire- Bruno Mars

3. Coffee Tables- Gowe

4. Fly- Rihanna

5. Live Like We’re Dying- Kris Allen

6. Motivation- Jay Fluent

7. Starry Eyed- Ellie Goulding

8. Work Hard Play Hard- Wiz Khalifa

9. Silhouettes- Avicii

10. The Thrill- WIz Khalifa

https://play.spotify.com/user/1299379172/playlist/0HU4xgaoQEnQpcs20yKRMh

As a friend, I am very reliable, especially during rough times in  friendship. I like honest people, and for that reason, strongly emphasize honesty as one of my aspects. “Out-Checked” describes a girl who is there for a friend in pain, is honest, strong, and trustworthy. I find myself to fit those characteristics, along with an interest to “Live Like We’re Dying”. Often, I also take impulsive actions that are based on adrenaline and simply for “The Thrill” of it.

Like many people, I would love to become a “Billionaire” one day. Although I can only mentally visualize my dreams for now, I am certain that I will achieve my full potential and make my name known in the business field. The line “a different city every night” adds onto my personal self-interest due to my intended major of international marketing.

Going in hand with becoming a billionaire includes hard work and etiquette, which is portrayed in the lyrics of “Fly”. Besides representing women as strong individuals who can overcome obstacles struck at them, the females encourage endurance and perseverance. Although weak moments may arise, one must continue on because time does not stop for anyone.

“Coffee Tables” is from an artist who is humble and observes his surroundings constantly. I like to observe strangers and notice the details of each person. This habit of mine becomes very mindful of other people’s orders as well, which many find to be slightly peculiar. Light conversations with complete strangers in cafes are quite common, and lead me to wonder what their personal lives are full of, leading to the repeating line of “I thought I met you, I guess I haven’t yet”. This line not only reminds me to not judge a person by their appearance, but also to acknowledge that there is more to a person than their first conversation.

The chorus of “Motivation” reminds me of encouraging others to strive to fulfill their full potential in life. My motto “Work Hard, Play Hard” has motivated me throughout overwhelming moments, reminding me to complete my work before indulging in other events. At times, I may feel “hit by lightning” and “Starry-Eyed”, but I catch myself before I fall and regain consciousness of my goals and remain focused. I also view myself as someone who does not look back at the faded “Silhouettes” of the past much, since I have progressed much since then.

Rosie Mosseri

FRO

Blog 1: Songs That Illustrate My Life

1. Don’t You Worry Child -Swedish House Mafia

2. Rosalita – Bruce Springsteen

3. Dark Blue – Jack’s Mannequin

4. Fix You – Coldplay

5. Lost at Sea – Zedd

6. Safe and Sound – Taylor Swift

7. I’m Ready – Jack’s Mannequin

8. Con Te Partirò – Andrea Bocelli

9. The Mixed Tape – Jack’s Mannequin

10. The Reason – Hoobastank

The songs indicated above represent my life and what I stand for. These songs display honest emotion and are not just meaningless like many other songs on the radio. The song Don’t You Worry Child by Swedish House Mafia and Safe and Sound remind me of God and religion. These aspects are a huge part of my life. They allow me to go through life with comfort through the hard times and the good knowing that everything’s from God and for my ultimate benefit. The song Rosalita was an easy choice being that my name is Rosie and the song is about a girl named Rosie. My boyfriend actually showed me this song and we often discuss how we’d like to get married and so does Bruce. The song Lost at Sea is a metaphor to my life being that the singer is ready to take risks. This is easily relatable. I like to take chances and explore because if you don’t you’ll remain in the same place forever. The songs Dark Blue, I’m Ready and the Mixed Tape are all written by my favorite band group. Sadly, they broke up just a few months ago, and are now working on a new project that I am eager to hear about. The artist that wrote these songs, Andrew McMahon has suffered through a lot in his life. Andrew fought cancer from a very young age and got through it with the music he wrote for his project Jack’s Mannequin.

Hidden in all of his songs are small hints to his experience in the hospital as he was getting treated. The most relatable line in Andrew McMahon’s song Dark Blue is “have you ever been alone in a crowded room”. I have this feeling often, especially entering a new college. I feel this way because even though classroom may be full, they are not with the familiar faces I have seen in high school, but a bunch of strangers. The song I’m Ready represents everyday life. Andrew sings about how he doesn’t want to follow the “status quo”, but instead act on his own instincts and disregard everybody else’s opinions. I think this is a lesson we all must follow for our daily lives because if you just “go with the flow”, you will never be distinguishable and therefore you will never get anywhere in life. The very first line of the song The Reason by Hoobstank is my favorite of all of the meaningful lines contained in the song.

He writes, “I’m not a perfect person”. What I can take out of this song is the fact that although I would like to be perfect and avoid all mistakes, it is impossible to do so. Instead I try to take all of the mistakes and fallbacks I encounter on a daily basis and use them to my benefit and try to improve myself. The most important lesson is not to make the same mistake twice. You must focus and fix it. Lastly the song Fix You by Coldplay talks about moving forward. After the damage has been done you can only get better so I know I cant stay down, I must improve, move forward and accomplish.