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This photo shows the evolution of humans. I chose it to describe my freshman year because I feel as if I was adapting and evolving to a different environment. College is nothing like high school, and the freshman year is when that becomes obvious. As a freshman, everything is on you. The school does a lot to encourage you, but if you do not push yourself, it is just a waste of time. In high school, there is little need to push yourself. Most of everything is done for you. This semester, I began to notice how important networking is. Getting yourself out there is by far the best way to create opportunities. Unfortunately, that is something I did not do. I regret it, and plan on making up for it next semester. My theory is that the earlier you do it, the better you will get in the long run. If I begin taking advantage of every opportunity I get, I’ll improve on each opportunity and lead a better life. All in all, my freshman year has been a great learning experience. Its given me a lot of insight into what to expect the next four years, and has molded out something of a path.

I can’t believe my first semester at Baruch is already coming to an end. Everything went by so quickly that it’s difficult to wrap my mind around everything that has happened to me. As beginnings go, there were some ups and downs that gave me a preview of how things will unfold in the next couple of years. Putting in the effort and getting the outcome you want is really a great feeling, and it has made me realize that everything is on me now. I can’t blame anyone but myself for the way my academic career will go, and this is a satisfying yet terrifying thought. This whole new experience made me realize that it’s OK to be scared, but to not let that fear stop you, but rather push you even further. The little minion from Despicable Me basically shows me throughout these last couple of months. Confusion and bewilderment were my main reactions to everything that was going on around me. All in all I had a great time, and I feel ready for the next term to challenge myself more and have fun.

I wasn’t exactly exited to stay for the workshop when I found out that we would have to spend and hour or two there. As the presentation started it was quite interesting to hear about the famous projects and events that had exceptional leaders who made it possible. As it progressed it was clear that the core message was to get involved  and excel in that to become a leader yourself. Some of the older students talked about their experiences in Baruch and gave us advice in how we should spend our next four years in Baruch. Overall, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.

Our group focused on the topic of Syria and how it has changed over time in the media coverage. The articles we found were good updates that showed how things were progressing in this matter. From further threats to attack Syria, to talks of a peace convention, this current event had many ups and downs. By reading various articles about it, it was interesting to see the the information that is given to the general public by the media. Sometimes the same thing may be said completely differently by different sources, and that some of the articles actually seem more subjective than objective. I think our group did a good job presenting our topic.

The workshop we attended had to do with leadership. In the workshop we were taught many things about being a leader, and given examples about leaders. The people who spoke explained how getting involved was a great way to develop leadership. Listening to those people, I was inspired and set a goal for myself, to get involved. Although I didn’t get involved this semester, the workshop inspired me to want to get involved. And next semester, that’s exactly what I will do. The workshop was concise and easy to follow, and the environment was very lax. The workshop reminded me that actions speak louder than words, and it isn’t enough to just think to do something. I have to work hard and strive to get where I need to be. It also taught me that it’s important to challenge yourself and get out of your comfort zone. You have to put yourself into uncomfortable positions to learn more about yourself and develop.

My group did chose Syria as our topic. Before the project, I wasn’t too informed on what was going on in Syria. I knew the basics: there was a civil war, and the people were fighting against the regime of a brutal leader. After reading several NY Times articles, I learned more about what was going on. I learned about just how brutal the regime of Al Assad was, and how he was targeting doctors. The article I read was about just that. It  I was not able to attend the presentation, but I heard my group did well.

Not many people think about the war in Syria, and as eligible voters, I think it’s an issue we should consider. Also, we are taking many classes on how the government operates and the way foreign relations work. The events in Syria can act as a current example to how our policies affect the world.

College. To say it’s been a roller coaster ride would be an understatement. This semester has been unreal so far! From the first day I moved into my dorms, excitedly decorating my new home, sitting in my first lecture hall- so many thing’s have happened. I always have been super organized and on top of thing’s, but even I definitely struggled this semester. Balancing time, having a job, and living in the heart of NYC has been a challenge. Do I sit home and finish my paper, or do I go out on a Friday Night in the City? I’ve learned the hard way that time management is the key to success. Between school work, actual work, and enjoying the college life, there are a lot of ways that one could go wrong if time management is not achieved. I especially like this picture, from a great show, “New Girl,” which kind of explains my feelings for this semester. What is going on?! I still don’t know what’s going on; every day is a new challenge, new adventure. College has been hard, but it’s also been a blast. Next semester I’m going to make an effort to do a better job at time management so I can truly enjoy everything college and NYC has to offer.

– Val Auciello

When I first heard that we were going to an “enrichment workshop” to promote leadership, I was very skeptical.I thought we were going to sit through another boring presentation like we have time  and time again. However, I was pleasantly surprised that the presentation was neither boring nor a waste of time. We learned the ways in which we could personally get involved in school, by joining a sorority, fraternity, club, or becoming an Resident Assistant. After the presentation, I even spoke to some of the students involved with leadership roles and gained insight as to how their college experience has been positively affected due to their involvement. Next semester, I plan on getting much more involved by joining clubs and possibly by becoming an RA.

-Val Auciello

My first semester at Baruch has had its ups and its downs. I have enjoyed being independent as a student and controlling my own academic life. The feeling of getting a good grade on an exam or paper that you worked hard for is great. Being a college student has help me get my priorities in order and made me feel more independent. I feel that my first semester in Baruch will help me transition into my next three years in college. Although this semester has been a good learning experience for me, it has not all been great. The pressure of everything being on me can sometimes be overwhelming, especially when I have tests, papers, and homework assignments all due in the same week. It is hard to sometimes focus on one assignment rather than the workload as a whole. I have also realized that in college, simply knowing the topic doesn’t guarantee you a good grade. The only way to get an A is to know the topic inside and out. You cannot just study the night before and get a 100 like in high school. I got this meme from the Baruch Memes facebook page and it is a pretty good representation of my first semester. I sometimes find myself with absolutely no idea of how to write a paper, but somehow I manage to get it done.

The New York Cares community service was actually not too bad. We had to deliver lunches to elderly people that couldn’t leave their apartments because of mobility issues. These people get lunches every day and it was very fulfilling to know that we helped to make sure they were properly fed and taken care of. Some of the elderly people were very interested in us. I’d assume because they’re lonely and don’t really get to talk to many people every day, but one lady had us there for a good fifteen minutes just talking. We didn’t mind though. She was very kind and tried to guess all our ethnicities. She even talked about the new mayor with us. Others, just simply thanked us and went along, but one man greeted us at the door of his apartment and thanked us so much for bringing his food to him. He lived alone, and said that it was a recent change, because his last roommate recently passed away. It was so sad to hear this man’s story, because he didn’t have anyone. Not even family who could bring him food to make sure he was properly fed. All in all, it was a pleasant experience that I wouldn’t mind doing again.