Otherwise known as freshman seminar. The name was a bit misleading– it’s just like any other class, but less pressure. I have mixed feelings about the whole experience. It was a time to relax and to start planning our future at Baruch, I’ll give it that. But the timing of the session was very problematic. Firstly, I think we had more time than we knew what to do with some days; 30-40 minutes would’ve been sufficient. Also, having the seminar at 1pm on Tuesdays was annoying enough. I missed many club meetings because of this timing, and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one. Additionally, I understand how the blog posts kept us focused on certain things, but I don’t see how useful it’ll ever be outside of this class. That being said, though, Lancia and Namit were very kind and friendly and seemed to genuinely care about the LC. In the end, I honestly think that we could’ve survived without Fro being mandatory; maybe for future improvements, Baruch should shorten the length of each session, the frequency, and make sure that it doesn’t coincide with club hours.

On Thursday of last week, we walked to the Rubin Museum of Art and took a tour to learn about the intricacies of Buddhism. The focal point of Buddhism is trying to live a good life in order to reach nirvana– or enlightenment– so that you won’t be tossed into the continuous cycle of reincarnation. The idea is that you won’t need to live another life because you’ve reached your highest potential intelligence and tranquility. Now, the question is: how does one achieve nirvana? I learned that there are technically a few ways to do so. One way to reach it is through extreme experiences. This is very broad and basically includes anything that gives one a feeling of extreme pleasure or enlightenment. For example– and one I was not aware of prior to this tour– having a lot of sex is actually considered an extreme experience, since it feels like an out-of-body experience to most people. Additionally, though, other experiences include climbing to physically high places, such as mountains. It is believed that deities were at one time present on these mountains and that simply being in the same places that they were will expose you to some of their power. But just being at the peak of the mountain itself is powerful, too. To able to look down at where you’ve been and not feel attached to earthly objects  is essentially how nirvana feels. Finally, I learned, surprisingly, that of all the possible realms of life/existence, the human realm is actually the closest to nirvana– even closer than the realm of being born as a demigod. It’s pretty interesting that so many cultures and religions, whether past or present, put such a great emphasis on the potential of the human mind and spirit.

“Shut Up And Smile” by Bowling For Soup
I admire this song because, although it’s message may be too ideal and naive for our time, it tells us to just let go of our transgressions and be happy for once.
“Natural Competition” by Conditions
This song, in my opinion, has an accurate take on life, especially in a big city like New York: every activity becomes a competiton.
“Good Life” by OneRepublic
With a relaxing harmony, this song reminds me that if you stop and take a good look, life really isn’t that bad.
“The Hell Song” by Sum41
This song represents having a sense of clarity in the midst of stress.
“The Middle” by Jimmy Eat World
Similar to the previous song, this one reminds me that being in “the middle” of a lot of problems shouldn’t discourage you, and that there is always a way out.
“Run, Don’t Walk” by Hey Monday
This song tells me that sometimes it’s good to let loose and be impetuous and free.
“Move Along” by All-American Rejects
Be persistent and determined despite all odds– plain and simple.
“Young Volcanoes” by Fall Out Boy
There’s not a solid meaning behind this song. It’s just a cheerful, catchy tune.
“New Perspective” by Panic! At The Disco
This song encourages the listener to view things from a “new perspective” in order to find some clarity.
“It’s Time” by Imagine Dragons
Simply put, take control of your life.