https://soundcloud.com/xiao-li-12/sets/xiao-yings-playlist

I am Xiao Ying Li and I chose to do a music playlist. These ten songs represent me in more than one way. It is who I am, who I want to be and what motivates me. My playlist contains the theme song of Friends “I’ll be there for you” because it is my favorite show of all times. Also because my friends are a very big part of my life. To me, friends are for life. Four of the ten songs are songs that I choose as motivation. They remind me that everybody, including me, have a spark in us that just needs an extra push to shine. There are times when I doubt myself and doubt everything around me but these songs give me motivation to believe in my decisions, stick to them and hope for the best. I believe that in order to love someone else or for someone to love you, you must first love yourself. And finally the one Korean song was the first song that introduced me to a new world of music and a new interest.

“06:00!! 06:00!! 06:00!!”

The alarm strategically placed, at least a meter away, so that I have to get up and slice the enemy’s throat with my finger. Snooze, rather not.

I wish some, if not most, of my fellow commuters had mute buttons I could simply press whenever they board the train. From Netherwood to New York Penn, the noise just gets more and more deafening. Oh, and please note, I am traveling in the Quiet Car…

I am one of the unfortunate elite whom has to commute at least an hour each way every day to be a Bearcat. Fortunate to be a Bearcat, not so fortunate to commute. During this 65-minute rat race, I briefly get released from my not so Quiet Car to enter the stampede at Newark Penn Station to change trains. Just to board another train where only the even more elite is lucky enough to get a seat, and the train always gets stuck in the tunnel. This is the rush hour train into the concrete jungle.

Some days it seems as if I am married to Ms. Com Mute and we live at Platform 2, Netherwood Station. Our best friend is the conductor and our enemies are the ‘quiet’ commuters who discuss what is for dinner on the morning ride, and what is for breakfast on the afternoon ride with their spouses who is probably also sitting in a Quiet Car in a different train. And our hobbies include watching the gap between the train and the platform.

Once I have reached New York Penn Station, I go up the escalators and exit on the corner of West 31^st Street and 7^th Avenue. Behind me, Madison Square Garden, and for a brief moment I envisioned myself as the lead singer of the world’s most famous rock band, The Bearcats. In front me, an endless maze.

If it weren’t for Google Maps I would still be lost walking to Baruch College from New York Penn Station on my first day. Walking from west to east, crossing many yellow rivers may sound easy enough. But if you don’t know where north is, you really don’t know where to go.  Luckily now I know my way through the maze.

55 Lexington Avenue at East 24^th Street. Baruch College. Home to the Bearcat. Home to a diverse college culture, which I am proud to be part of.

By now you probably think that I am complaining. I am not! I made the choice to exchange my life in South Africa for the American Dream. Commuting is only one aspect that adds to the richness of my experience thus far. Challenging to adapt to this new lifestyle at first, but now I am leading the rat race and I know which way is north. I hope to embrace this opportunity at Baruch College and challenge myself.

Since I wrote this blog I have come to realize that I indeed am married to Ms. Com Mute, and the 65-minute train ride into the city leads me to my dreams. Just one of the many components that is part of being a Bearcat.

My name is Vlada and here is something about me.

http://slide.ly/view/8f81258c50918dc1328f504f6f6b3623

For some reasons if you watch slideshow from the phone or ipad, SLIDELY plays their default track. So, for the better mood, I recommend to use labtop.
Mornings

I’m a morning person. I like to wake up early and have a couple hours of my own. I need to feel the day when nothing can disturb my peace of mind, to make a breakfast without any rush listening to some music.

Music

Music is my religion. It helps me to keep the memories, to smile without a reason, to explain things that you can’t shape in words. Musical festivals and concerts with their magic vibe and enveloping sounds are irreplaceable bricks of me and source of inspiration.

Friends

I know for sure all my friends are special. They taught me how to find happiness in small things and that taking care of each other is a simple thing. We always have fun, laughing with each other. Even a few years later, I’m giggling when flashbacks strike my memory. We differ from each other a lot, but there is some driving force that keeps us together. Even now, when there are 10 hours of Atlantic Ocean between us.

Sport

Snowboard, bicycle, yoga, jogging, hiking, that’s my whole life. Even if I’m tired and my head is full of thoughts, I know in advance what will recharge my battery and refresh my mind. Sport helps me to see the bright side of everything while the road unfolds under my bike, to enjoy every moment while I’m sliding down the slope and to feel not only physical but also an emotional flexibility while I’m doing yoga.

Traveling

I’m a traveler, even a wanderer. I just need something ahead to keep going, no matter if it is rainy or sunny, I like it anyway. Somebody said that there is one thing that it is better than mountains and it is mountains that you haven’t climbed. That is so true about all new places. Traveling is something that educates and enriches you, and there always would be places where you’ve never been.

Pictures for Blog Post 1

Enclosed in the link above is a power point presentation with 8 images describing me. I once again could not come up with any unique items which would accurately  describe me so I decided to post images describing what I do. Where ever there is a stick figure above assume it is me. On the first two slides it shows what I enjoy doing most- laughing, if I am laughing I am almost sure I am happy and that I have connected with the people around me. Laughing is a sign that we have seen and interpreted the same situation to be humorous. Sometimes I find myself laughing by myself not because the humor is offensive but because given the situation I am unable to  express what is so funny and I wind up laughing to myself which can be very awkward at times. Another aspect of what I do is what takes place throughout the majority of my week while I’m in school. What I think I do is displayed in slide 5 -me sitting and actively participating in what actually winds up happening -it is displayed in slide 6, the plane where my head once was and the plane where my desk is s-is suddenly merged into one. Aside from these activities -I eat, sleep and do work on the computer.

Seth’s Playlist

Hey all, my name is Seth Cerrate. I’m obviously a freshman.

The songs aren’t necessarily in order of importance so I’ll just go down the list in order.
The first song is “Bad Blood” by Bastille and from the moment I heard it, it spoke to me. It’s basically says to cut the bs and not deal with drama. Im a very carefree person and tend to shy away from unnecessary altercations, at least so that I’m happy in the end.
The second song is “Icarus”. The lyrics tell the story of Icarus, the angel who wouldn’t listen and flew too close to the sun. His wings got melted off because of his curiosity and over enthusiasm. His story portrays my own likeliness towards getting myself into trouble. I’m over eager with everything and usually go in headstrong without a plan.
Next song is “Circles” by Passenger. This is a song that hit close to home because of its simplicity. I’m just another circle of life and am very aware of how I affect other people’s circles. However I choose to not abide by the songs notion to conform into what everyone else does. In the end I will do what makes me happy until I am dust in the wind.
“I Hate” also by Passenger, don’t really need to explain this one if you’ve listened to the song.
“Ego” by Beyoncé. My ego isn’t as huge as she says, however I’m not afraid to say what I have to say and give myself a pat on the back every so often. Or every minute, either one works 🙂
“Mi Corazoncito” by Aventura. I’m a full bred Dominican and as much as I tried to fight it when I was younger, I love my Hispanic heritage. It’s a huge part of who I am today and I try to make up for lost time by learning more about my culture every day. The song specifically has no meaning, I was just super into it when I was in eighth grade.
“Flaws” by Bastille. I am aware of my flaws. I am aware of your flaws. Both don’t matter cause we’re human, I’ll get over it.
“Listen” by Beyoncé. Now more than ever I feel like I have an actual voice and can decide what I want to do with my life and take responsibility.
“Fly On The Wall” by TFK. Hard to explain, easy to listen to and get the message of.
“Work Hard, Play Hard” by Wiz Khalifa. I did not know how determined I was to succeed until I got to college. I have two jobs on top of school and a healthy social life. I go home to sleep and clean, that’s it. Otherwise I’m doing something that allows me to move forward in life. However none of it deters me from having fun, I make sure that I’m happy wherever it is that I’m at. A smile never hurt anyone and I make sure to flaunt mine for whoever wants to see it.

Playlist Link

I was born in Hackensack, New Jersey. I have a mixed cultural background; my father is a Cuban immigrant, and my mother is Sicilian, her side of the family passed through Ellis Island after WWII. Because of my parents I was exposed to both languages and cultures my whole life. But since the mutual language between them is English I never learned Spanish or Italian fluently. My Spanish is very basic, and my Italian minimal. I took French through middle school and high school and did a lot of self study, and now I am pretty semi-fluent in French. I also know a conversational amount of Korean due to my job.

In high school I had an internship in an art gallery in Chelsea, and through that I forged a relationship with writing. I began writing listings and press releases, my boss encouraged me to do it more and more often. Then when I began working at an artist residency program that is oriented towards Korean and Japanese artists, most are in the program on visas. Part of my job was to assist them with their English writing.

What truly interests me, or what I am truly passionate about is the arts. I have always loved museums and art. My goal in life is to have a job or career where I can be involved with art, like the saying “if you do something you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.” So that is why I am studying at Baruch towards a major in arts administration. In the future I would love to work in a museum or an auction house, or own a gallery.

The playlist I put together to represent me to the class reflects just a portion of the music I listen to. It is comprised of musicians that are very much performance artists, their music expresses their uniqueness and distinct alternative perspective. The first song is Azealia Banks’ new single, I chose it because I think she is an amazing lyricist, and is a young entrepreneur who manages her own music career, she is also a Harlem native. The second song is by Mykki Blanco and Princess Nokia, both of whom are NYC natives. Mykki Blanco is an avant guarde queer artist, and Princess Nokia (aka Wavy Spice) who like Azealia Banks is an young independent artist who advocates female empowerment. The third track is by Zebra Katz, who has a very art school vibe, and his music videos include many artistic people from NYC. Track four is FKA Twigs, I chose her music because it has a really fresh sound, and her lyrics are deceptively deep. Track five is by Le1f, an openly gay artist that is a native New Yorker, I really like his style and his educated lyricism. Track six is the Los Angeles based artist Dumbfounded (aka Parker), I like the fun and comic vibe to his songs. Track seven is the club classic Alors On Danse by Stromae, it think it is great because the songs is a great to dance to but the lyrics are very depressing. Track eight is by Brooke Candy, a queer artist who utilizes a lot of visual performance, and is very involved in fashion. Track nine is by my favorite band Salem, the now defunct band is comprised of a trio who live a very alternative lifestyle in the Midwest of America. I love their music so much, and they have influenced my style a lot since high school. And the last track is buy the most well known person on my playlist, M.I.A., who is an amazing political activist who I admire.

I usually make a piece of art whenever I realize something about my life, and this video was one of them. Although I mostly do photography.  I film this video a few months ago, when I saw a little girl lost her balloon; the scene made me think of the desperate feeling I have when I’m in that situation. This made me think of how we always try to have the most beautiful things yet so fragile, so easy to be misplace. So I filmed a video about a young couple, which represent love, something that is so fragile yet so beautiful that most of us crave on. This video shows a part of who I am, a deep thinker, a kinda introvert person, and maybe something else after you watch the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSHDE_idSc4&list=UUCV_-WnD4NPjaxOQSw27-gw

Josh’s Playlist

Hi, my name is Xue Zhou Chen. Through out my life I had many nicknames. I was Joey in middle school, Ciel in high school, Jo at one moment and now Josh. To say that I don’t know who I am, it is rather who I choose to be. I guess I am all of them, but I can’t be at the same time. To tell you who am I is a challenge, because I have a hard time defining myself. Maybe my playlist would give you an idea.

First of all, here is some basic information. I was born in China, and I am the only child of my little family. Four years ago, I came to the U.S. I graduated from Fort Hamilton High School, and I am very happy to be in Baruch. I love music, art, fashion, film, technology, food, philosophy and pop culture. At first I was going to create a playlist with all songs from Lady Gaga, because I am a mega fan. However, that would be too easy. So I have created something more diverse. hopefully it will tell you something interesting about me.

First song of the list is “Flawless” by Beyoncé. I would love to believe that I am a confident person. To take pride in one’s life is the most attractive thing. Queen B taught me to find that beautiful and unique thing within.

Second song of the list is “Stache” by Zedd. Zedd is one of my favorite DJ. This song is pure fun, it has the endless potential in the beats. That is how I think of myself sometimes. I love to have fun, just simply jamming to the music and forget about everything. Because life is too short, you have to enjoy every moment possible.

The third song is “Hall of Fame” by The Script. This song represent the part of me that is obsessed with fame. The things people give up for it and the true meaning of it fascinates me. For me, fame is the desire. Many of us need that desire to survive, and I am one of them.

The next song is “Break Free” by Zedd Feature Ariana Grande. Many of my friends said that I am the most free person they have met. I guess it is important for me to speak my mind and do what I want. I always honor freedom, and I am most creative when I am free.

And the next song is by David Guetta feature Sia, a very interesting singer. It’s call “Titanium”. I am a tough person, I don’t easier get defeated. When ever I hit a bottom, I can always climb back on top. To have a thick skin, protect yourself with a strong heart is what I live by.

“Money on My Mind” is by one of my favorite singer, Sam Smith. The song is just as brilliant as he is. Money changes a lot of people. I hate the fact it happens. I will choose love over money, always.

The next song is “Try” by Pink. Nothing is easy in life, you have to keep trying and fighting for the things that you want.

On that note, we move on to “I Was Here” by Beyoncé again. She is such an inspiration. I try to everyday spread as much love and kindness as I can. To help more people and to share what I have with the world is important. I also want to “leave my mark” on earth.

The second last song is “Hair” by Lady Gaga. Finally! If you haven’t notice, I love my hair. And more importantly, I love myself. I make the choice for my hair as same as for my life. I define my beauty for me. And I will fight to always have the chance to do so.

Last but not least, well probably my favorite song of this playlist, “Applause” by Lady Gaga. I am a very artistic person, dramatic rather. I think of life as a stage. Everyday, you have a spotlight shine on you, and it is your job to do your very best to earn your “applause”.

I hope I have done enough for your applause. I can’t wait to begin this jouney with all of you.

My name is Tomer, I moved to New-York from Israel a month ago. Since I moved here, I had to get use to many new things in my life including, but not limited to, the culture, the language and the obvious fact that all of my family and good friends back home. However, this situation brings an opportunity to make some new friends; as an international student, even a regular conversation becomes very interesting for me because everything is new.

The songs I chose represent a strong connection between people. Naturally, as freshmen we have only started the school, thus most of us do not really know each other. I found it complicated to know who I am to my classmates. Nonetheless I believe that the students who have already spoke with me know that I’m a very friendly and respectful guy (or lacked of self-awareness?)

“A good friend and a glass of wine
Someone to say it’s gonna be alright
A good friend and a glass of wine
A little pick me up to get me through the night”

(Leann Rimes – Good Friend And A Glass Of Wine)

Each one of us got a different mind on a particular person, we don’t think in the same way. As a result, each one of the songs I chose talks about other kind of friendship. Some of them are stronger than the others. However, there is one common factor to all of these song, and it is the mutual aid.

I’m really looking forward to know my classmates deeper, or at least some of them, and to listen to each one of their special stories about themselves.

Playlist