Monthly Archives: September 2014

Every day before I go to sleep, it has been common practice for me to say “good night.” Not just to anyone, but to someone who has known me since day one of my life and has shaped who I am: my older sister, Anna. Growing up I didn’t have many relatives my age who lived nearby, so Anna became the person I could relate to. She used the one-year head start that she had over me as a reason to pass down all of her knowledge – whether I liked it or not – from learning to speak, to writing, to her education in school, and even life lessons she learned. It was because of this guidance and concern that my parents put it in my head to always stay close to my sister.
When I was young my sister and I would come home from school and immediately turn on the TV. As is the case for many young children, cartoons were life, and we thrived off of the adventures and creative imagination contained within the screen. However, my sister – being older and bigger than me at the time – would push me out of the way in order to watch cartoons closely. At the time I was brimming with anger about having to watch from afar, even though now I’m thankful for the results. As time progressed this continuously happened and instead of fighting, I simply adjusted to watching TV from afar. This eventually led to my sister’s poor eyesight, whereas my vision turned out perfectly fine. Without meaning to, my sister’s actions still held my best interest and looking back now, it impresses upon me the importance of moderation of everything in life.
During my middle school years I came to the realization I could not stay by my sister’s side. Though I originally hung around my sister and her friends, I knew I didn’t belong, being the only male in a group of girls. I began to realize that I had to make my own friends, so I hopped on the bandwagon of independence and, armed with some Foosball skills, made some new friends. It was on one day when I was relishing this independence that some older kid decided it was a ripe occasion to push me around in the bathroom. He tried putting my head in a toilet, and I resisted his strength and got out the bathroom as fast as I could. I was completely traumatized from my first experience of being a victim of bullying. When news reached my sister of what happened, she gave the kid a piece of her mind and the kid never bothered me again. Being a strong, independent – and prideful – man, I had originally not wanted her help solving my problem, but her refusal to back down showed me that my sister was truly always going to be there.
Anna has been there for me ever since, sometimes in smaller ways, but always making her presence and support known. Taking my first steps in high school, I consciously chose to go to different school and move away from being “Anna’s little brother” and toward being an individual. I have maintained my own independence and built a reputation for myself, discovered my own voice, and solved my own problems – though thankfully, swirlies hasn’t been on the list. But as I move on, I will never forget who has been there for me every step of the way, and every night before I sleep, I remember my Anna and what she’s done for me.

I feel my playlist describes me fairly well. It starts out with on of my favorite jazz instrumentals, “In a Sentimental Mood” by John Coltrane. Im a fairly sentimental person myself, and the title alone reflects that. The sound of the song also reflects my demeanor, which is usually calm and reflective.

The following classical piano piece “Gymnopedie” also reflects that about me. Following is “Symphony N0. 7 in A Major, which begins calm and relaxed, but progresses and builds. This represents the fact that while I’m calm and collected usually, I can get worked up as well. These songs also reflect my liking for older things, and vintage culture, which brings me to the following songs.

“I Don’t Want to Set the World On Fire” by The Ink Spots and “Ain’t that a Kick in the head” by Dean Martin are both songs from the early and mid 20th century, who’s music has always attracted me and given me a nostalgic sense (even though i wasn’t alive when this music was around and popular), most likely because my parents and family listened to it a lot.

The next song “Space Oddity” by David Bowie reflects this same vintage liking I have, as well as a liking towards things sometimes considered weird and “spacey” (sincerely not a reference the the title). Moving on, the next titles, “2+2=5”, “Too Little Too Late”, and “January 1979” all reflect my inclination, again, towards newer and sometimes weird and alternative things.

The final song “On the Nature of Daylight” brings this whole thing full circle. It is considered contemporary classical music, reflecting an inclination towards new things, but also the sense of calm I generally have that classical music represents.

Hey everyone! My names Brian Lee. I’m from long island, but I am currently living in Flushing. I’m probably the coolest person you will meet at Baruch because I am awesome. (Just kidding). Some words that describe my personality are: chill, relaxed, easy-going, and friendly. Although I am very lazy, I set my priorities straight and always do what is needed to do first. I am a very outgoing person, and I really like meeting and talking with people whom I have never met before. I’m so excited to be in this Freshman Seminar class, and I’m really psyched about meeting and talking to everyone.

Music has been a huge influence in my life. I listen to music when I go to school, ride the bus, workout, sit in the my room, and etc. I listen to all types of music, but my favorite genre of music is Hip-Hop. Some of the music that describe me are:

1. Survival- Eminem

This song is very influential to me because it tells me that I should do what it takes to survive and succeed.  I will do my very best at Baruch and survive, to become the best accountant I can be.

2)   Can’t Hold Us- Macklemore

This song tells me that nothing can hold me down from doing what I want to do. I am in charge of my life and “this is the moment”.

3&4)   Happy- Pharrell Williams, Gangnam Style- Psy

These two songs, Happy and Gangnam Style describe my personality. I am a very happy and outgoing person. I like to smile and laugh at everything. Although I am not as crazy and energetic as Psy, I still consider myself to be outgoing and fun. I think I give off a positive vibe to the people around me.

5&6&7)    Who Gon Stop Me- Jay-Z, Work, Hustle, Kill- Rob Bailey & The Hustle Standard, Stronger- Kanye West

These three songs Who Gon Stop Me, Work, Hustle, Kill, and Stronger are my favorite songs to listen to at the gym. These songs gives me a boost in strength and allows me to push through my workouts. The gym is a really important and special place to me. It is a place where I go to for fun, release stress, and get gains. Working out is one of my many hobbies that I really enjoy.

8) I’m Different- 2 Chainz

I consider myself to be different from everyone else. I have different hobbies, styles, types of music I listen to, and etc than others that makes me unique and special in my own ways.

9) We Own it- 2 Chainz, Feat. Wiz Khalifa

This is one of my favorite songs to listen to when driving. I am a great driver and I like to drive fast, but with caution. I really like to go out for night drives and driving is another one of my hobbies that really enjoy.

10) Work Hard, Play Hard- Wiz Khalifa

I am a hard worker and I set my priorities straight. I try to do all my work before I go out and have fun. Although work is important, I believe that having fun and building a social life is just as important. I like to go out with friends, hangout, party, and fool around on weekends.

Grooveshark:

http://grooveshark.com/#!/playlist/Freshman+Seminar/100793118

Hi everyone,

My name is Connor Rowland! Exclamation point because I’m excited about life. If I could describe myself in a few words I would say I’m sarcastic (just a hint in that second sentence), analytical, and independent. I like to joke around often, but at the same time I always have goals and dreams in mind that I try and work towards every day. I’m excited to get to know you all in the coming semester, and must say I’m pretty content with the fact that we have all of the same classes together. While it may be great to branch out to all sorts of people, it’s nice to see the same few faces every day.

A few songs to describe who I am:

Coming Of Age- Foster the People
I feel that this song kind of represents who I am in the position that I’m in right now. I feel like I grow more and more every day, especially since coming to Baruch.

Listzomania- Phoenix
This song doesn’t really represent much about me as a person other than it being really fun to dance to. And I enjoy dancing so I guess it works.

Candles in the Sun- Miguel
A lot of this song’s lyrics point out what’s still wrong with today’s society and racial discrimination. This song is important to me because I feel that all of us are equal as individuals and we should be treated as such. Equality is one of my central beliefs.

Super Rich Kids- Frank Ocean
I think this song is important to me because it represents my definition of success. The song describes the life of a kid who has everything and is still unhappy. I feel that many people allow money to reign over their core values and beliefs which makes them ultimately unhappy.

Why Even Try- Theophilus London
This song represents the difficulty it can be to sometimes pull myself out of a rut or bad habit like being lazy or not doing work. I also think it’s a bit sarcastic.

Wake Up- Arcade Fire
This song just gets me excited for whatever I need to be excited for. It puts me In the mood to get things done and wake up (ha).

Suite for Solo Cello- Bach
I tend to make my life very regimented and organized, like this piece.

Stuphin Boulevard- Blood Orange
This reminds me of one of my best friends, and our shared love for NYC.

When I’m With You- Best Coast
I think everyone has someone in their life who no matter what, you can always have fun with. This song has only a few lyrics, some of which read, “The world is crazy… But when I’m with you I have fun.”

In My Place- Coldplay
Finally, I feel that after moving to NYC, I’m where I’m supposed to be. I’ve been looking forward to moving here for years and it makes me so happy to be here every day.

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/114184735177705505868/albums/6056778401904629313

The first picture is of me, Tiffany.  I would describe myself as an introverted person by nature.  I’m trying to put myself out there a bit more.  The second picture is the New York City skyline because I’m a native New Yorker.  I’ve lived in Queens all my life but I grew up in the Lower East Side.  The third picture is of me and my best friend Sammi.  I’ve known her since the first day of school when we were three.  We pretty much do everything together as shown on the fourth picture.  Earlier this summer our families had a little weekend getaway in the Poconos and we, Sammi, my brother, and I, had to share a lumpy and springy pull out couch.  The next photo is my mentor Joanna (she’s in the turquoise shorts).  I’ve met her through a mentorship program about three years ago.  She’s sort of become my big sister.   When she’s in town, we usually find something to do together.  The next photo is of Hogsmeade from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.  I’m a Potterhead.  I love to watch the Harry Potter marathons on ABCFamily.  I’m also interested in art in any media, not just limited to photography.  The last photo represents my Chinese background.  Like Mohsin Hamid, my first language, Chinese, has become my second language.  I am somewhat ashamed that my ability to read and write the language is nearly nonexistent.  I definitely should have paid more attention in Chinese school.

Hello everyone my name is Edward Ladines and I was born and raised in Brooklyn, Its hard to share who I am in words, but i would say i’m reserved, chill and a very diverse person: from my Ecuadorian, Honduran & Italian descent, to my sense of style, and my musical interest, etc. But to shed light on who I am, I choose to represent my self with a 10 song playlist; which was harder to make than I initially thought.

In my playlist the songs ranges through the years and genres; however shows my core interest which pertains to Hip-Hop/Rap and its culture. Going Through from start to finish my first song “16 Chapels” by an uprising rapper from Houston, Travi$ Scott; I choose this song since I enjoy the sound and sonics of this song the production is on another level, also one of my personal favorite songs to listen while on the subway. Next is “Trust” by Queensbridge native, Nas. Which expresses an importance of mine: trust and has one of my favorite lines: “A caterpillar can’t relate to what an eagle envisions” The next song by Cleveland native, Kid Cudi “Soundtrack 2 My Life” I can relate with at many levels especially the last line in the 3rd stanza. I choose “Sweet Child O’ Mine” By Guns & Roses since its one of my favorite Rock Songs which I have discovered listening to older music and i like how it was present in one of my favorite movies; Step Brothers(2008). The next couple of songs “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” & “O-O-H Child” by Kanye West and The Five Stairsteps respectively, are my personal anthems and additionally each one also have been in movies I heavily enjoyed, The Hangover(2009) and Guardians of the Galaxy(2014). The next song is “Thinkin Bout You” by Frank Ocean has importance as it was a song in my repertoire that I and others would  sings throughout High School. “Heard Em Say” is a underrated classic by my favorite artist Kanye West and the Hook is something i always try to keep in mind. Next is “P.Y.T” my favorite song by the king of pop, Michael Jackson which  I find to be underrated classic of his. Finally is “Show Me A Good Time” by Drake which is a song I love mostly due to the production of the beat gives a ’90s (era I was born) feel with kicks, scratches and all. Hopefully you have gained a better understanding of who I am.

B)

http://grooveshark.com/playlist/Edward+Ladines+FRO/100795733

Based on the title of millions of songs, I was able to choose ten songs that represent who I think I am to my classmates. I chose the song Loyal by Chris Brown and Real Girl by Stevie Hoang because I think I am a faithful and trustworthy person. I’m not someone who goes around telling other peoples secrets to other people, but I am someone who respects others privacy and personal information. The song Innocent by Taylor Swift is another song that describes me. This song describes me because I look younger than my age and I don’t cause any trouble or create any type of distraction in class. I chose the song Work by Iggy Azalea and Quiet by Jason Mraz because I think my classmates see me as a quiet student who does her work. In class, I am not someone who is constantly participating or talking. As well as being a quiet student, I am also a very happy person who smiles and or laughs a lot. Smile by Uncle Kracker and Happy by Pharrel William are two songs that describe my cheerful self. Another song I chose was U Smile by Justin Bieber because I have the tendency to smile or laugh whenever someone else does. Rather than being someone who is always upset or mad, and because I am someone who is constantly smiling or laughing, the song Bundle of Joy by Bei Maejor represents who I think I am to my classmates. The last song I chose was Miss Independent by Neyo. I chose this song because I don’t really rely on anyone. I don’t rely on someone to help me do this or that. I also chose this song because I am capable of taking care of myself and I do not need my parents to continuously guide me through everything. These are the song that I chose that I think represents me to my classmates. Overall, I think I am a pretty nice, happy, and dependable person to my classmates.

http://grooveshark.com/playlist/FRO+Mandatory+Post+1/100797256

http://grooveshark.com/playlist/Freshman+Seminar+Blog+1/100741330

Music has been an important aspect of my life since I was a child. It has always fascinated me to the point where I decided I wanted to learn how to play the guitar and piano. I attempted to accomplish this goal; however I still haven’t reached the point of its completion. Anyway, since I consider music a major piece of my life, it is only appropriate that I choose ten songs that I feel describe me the best. Describing myself to others is sometimes difficult for me to do, so, expressing myself through the songs that I listen to is probably the best way to do it.

The first song on my playlist is “Do or Die” by 30 Seconds to Mars. I have been a fan of this band for four years and I have always held a special place in my heart for their songs. This song in particular talks about making your dreams into a reality. This song and this band always inspire me to dream big and never give up because with hard work and effort I know I can achieve success.

Queen has been a favorite band of mine for as long as I can remember. My father showed me their music at a very young age and I instantly took a liking to them. My father found out about this band while he was living in Ukraine; his dad would send him Queen records that he still listens to till this day. “Don’t Stop Me Now” has got to be a personal favorite of mine. This song instantly lifts up my spirits and basically makes me want to live life to its fullest and be happy.

I found out about Twenty One Pilots this January, and I immediately fell in love with them. This song, “Car Radio” relates to me in the way that sometimes I need music to distract me from school, worries, and ultimately reality.

“Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want” by The Smiths relates to me in the way that I don’t always get what I want. The universe manages to forget about me or skip me and rewards other people, so basically, in the words of the Smiths, let me get what I want!

“Pick of Destiny” by Tenacious D is a funny song that summarizes the movie Tenacious D: The Pick of Destiny. This is one of my favorite movies, and the song basically shows my weird side because this is a pretty weird, yet funny, song.

“Undercover” by Pierre Van Dormael is a beautiful instrumental song. The rhythm this song has is very relaxing. So I guess this song shows that I appreciate taking the time to just relax, take a deep breath and just forget about everything for a moment.

“Creep” by Radiohead is an amazing song that I feel everyone can relate to once in a while. This relates to me in the way that sometimes I don’t know where I belong. It’s similar to going to a new school where you have to find where you belong.

Another 30 Seconds to Mars song that is pretty amazing is “City of Angels”. This song is technically written about Los Angeles and how it’s the place to go if you want your dreams to come true; however, when I listen to this song I think about New York City. I have lived in NYC all my life and it never ceases to amaze me. This city provides me with a myriad of opportunities that I am very grateful for.

“Feed The Machine” by Red is a song that I believe tells people to not let the world determine who you are, and instead create your own personality. I try not to let society control my life, but sometimes the pressure can get to me. I just try to be me and not someone else.

Finally, “You’re My Best Friend” by Queen is a great song about friendship, and friendship is something that I value a lot. This song also represents my relationship with my family.

Hello, everyone. As some of you probably know already, My name is Alexandria Scafe. When we were told to do this project, I honestly did not feel like actually showing you some of my favorite music, since I didn’t want to seem boring and not creative. But, with all of the options that they gave us, making a power-point seems like to much work and making a video seems a lot harder. So, a musical playlist suits me just fine. Because. as I said earlier, I listen to a lot of different musical styles, choosing 10 was somewhat hard. But I did it and I will explain each song on that list. The first song on that list is one of my favorite songs of all time, Rihanna “Umbrella”. When that song came out, I had it in my head for almost 2 years. The song is very popular with my family, so I listen to it often. The second and eighth song both came from video games. I’m kind of embarrassed to say this but I like playing video games. I mostly play games on a portable counsels like a PSP or a 3DS. But I watch a lot of different playthoughs on other games that I don’t have the system for. So, if there is a game you think I should try, tell me about it. Back onto the topic, those two songs came from two of the games that I played before. I like those songs very much since they feel so inspirational to me, so please don’t laugh. Next, I picked a Linkin Park song because those are one of my favorite band groups to listen too and “Numb” is a song I don’t mind listening to for some hours. Beyonce’s “Listen” and Estelle’s “Thank You” are songs that my mom like to listen to often, so those songs kind of grew on me. Plus, these songs fit into the soul genre of music. Now, for the song “Roundabout”, I was watching a video and this was the insert song. I fell in love with the song and constantly played that song for like a week. Its very catchy to me and while I can barely hear the lyrics, sound good for a pretty old song that I shouldn’t be listening to at my age. Now, on to one of my favorite rappers of all time: Eminem. “Lose Yourself” was very inspirational to me and I wouldn’t mind listening to his songs for the entire day. The same goes for Gym Class Heroes as well; “Stereo Hearts” just being one of my favorites from the group. The last song is kind of a interesting situation. I hated the song because I was forced to sing it for my chorus class in middle school, but eventually, I grew to love it. Who knew right? Anyway, I’m sure you are probably tired from reading about me ramble on, so instead of talking about it, why not listen to it instead.

http://grooveshark.com/#!/playlist/Freshman+Blog+Post+number+1/100796061

Coming to a new school has always made me quiet in the beginning.  I don’t know anyone or how things really work.  The environment is a bit frightening in the beginning, but then once I make friends, my true personality comes out.

Anyone who has ever known me and anyone who still speak to me now knows that I am very loud and hyper person, as displayed in the third picture.  Once I get more comfortable with the people I am with and who surround me I become more open and loud.

In the fourth slide, I put a picture to try to represent that I am very loving.   As long as you do no wrong by me I will be very loyal, friendly, and loving.  I am the type of person to give up all I have to make someone else happy and not always think about myself.

The first slide shows that I am a singer.  I used to sing professionally for five years and it is a part of me.  It is a trait that many of my friends, family, and strangers like about me.  Although I no longer sing for performances, I would mostly sing to myself when I am feeling a certain way.  If I were upset I would recall a strong emotional song to sing so I can release some tension in my body.  At work I have moments when I hum a song because I feel joyful.  After some time, I started to use the techniques and lessons that I have learned as a self soothe.

The picture that depicts a brain with puzzle pieces shows that I have a strong interest in psychology.  This shows that I have interests and ambitions.  My interest in psychology allowed me to volunteer in a psychiatric department of a hospital.  It was a mind-boggling experience that taught me a few lessons.   The experience let me look at people differently.

The last few pictures show my closest friends, my parents and of course my pets.  This shows that I am an animal lover and I love my cat and puppy so much.  The pictures of my friends show that I love to spend time to hang out with them and laugh with them.   We have been friends from freshman year of high school and we have gone through every single one of each other’s problems.   My picture with my parents shows that I am close to them.  I love them more than anything and would do anything for them.

All these things shape me who I am inside my heart and my brain.  I never try to do any harm, and I always try to be there for those who need me most.

Powerpoint of my pictures:  fro14 1