College students are usually working part time for extra cash or to pay for their classes, so money is pretty important. This meme addresses that aspect, and it’s hilarious.

I don’t find college to be any different from my high school. Actually, there is less work. But the escalators here work more often than the ones in my high school, so that’s great. I do like the fact that we can make our own schedules, start our classes later in the day, and have large gaps in between classes now because I am not a morning person. I’m just much happier when I can start the day later. I’m also glad that there are so many clubs and organizations within Baruch that you’re bound to find one  that you really like and belong in. There’s something going on everyday and events happening all the time. It made me realize that it’s incredibly easy to meet new people. No one’s going to tell you to go to events and nothing will happen if you don’t, but in the end, it’s all on you to make the most of what you have. I’ve been told that your life is what you make it and I’ve kept that in mind, but only now do I realize just how true it is. I have met some amazing people here and I feel that I’ve found my niche, which I am so grateful for. This semester really just flew by and it still feels like I’ve just stepped foot into Baruch when in reality, finals are coming up.  I hope everyone else had a great time too, and Baruch has topped the expectations I had for it back when I graduated high school.

^(picture that describes the way you see yourself)

Amanda (Xiaowen) Li

I don’t remember how we first met. But we all knew each other for four years, yet we never spoke until the last year.

I don’t remember when we first met. But I remember when we shared our first laugh, and nothing was the same after that.

Friday, November 29^th was the day we went Black Friday shopping together. That was the first time the four of us hung out and quickly became inseparable.

We became an acronym: LALS, and although that year I had gone through a rough patch and lost hope in genuine friendship, LALS made me happy. I became less and less wary of the barriers I had constructed earlier that year, and I could feel them falling away as time progressed. Every piece of happiness I absorbed from time spent with LALS pecked at these walls until finally, there was nothing left.

We had so many insiders that other people could no longer understand what we were referring to half the time. We constantly finished each other’s sentences and said the same things simultaneously. Christmas was hilarious; L got me a pink humidifier because I was sick at the time, and we carried it onto the train together like it was no big deal. It was great until she dropped it on our way out. One time, S walked me home at three in the morning, because we all fell asleep watching a movie at A’s house. He had absolutely no idea how to walk back, so I had to guide him through the phone while we both panicked for his safety and made up worst case scenarios, all in between fits of laughter.

Slowly, I believed that I found my second family.

When we received our college acceptances, it didn’t change a thing. We would be back, we said, as we all laid there in the grass facing the stars. Because bonds like ours don’t break. We made the most of that summer and sent each other off to our respective colleges with hugs and kisses.

But as Welcome Week started, the group chat diminished. Calls became less frequent, because it was hard to find a time when everyone was free. We talked about the events that were going on at our respective schools and shared stories about new people that we met, but of course it wasn’t the same.

It’s me and L left in the city now, and we made a promise to see each other at least once every week, which has been working out so far. And the thing is, it seems as though we never left each other’s side whenever we meet again.

I can only hope this holds true for A and S as well. The group chat is still active, but I miss LALS. Sharing experiences face-to-face and reading one another’s facial expressions still cannot be replaced by simple text on an illuminated screen. People say that the friendships that endure the test of time are the ones that are real, so I’ll just have to see. But no matter what, I know I’ll remain grateful to have found my place in LALS at one point in my life.

Link Here: Amanda’s Playlist

“Welcome to Forever” is at the top of my playlist because it’s my favorite song of all time. My favorite lines are “This is dedicated to anyone with a dream/And a realization of what following it means/Breaking the cycle and not following your genes/That perfect moment when your logic intervenes”. These lyrics define who I am because they manage to encompass my views on life, emphasizing what it means to keep moving forward and not let your current setbacks prevent you from pursuing your dreams.  In other words, an overarching theme of my playlist is the idea of being limitless and knowing that you can make it through hard times, as long as you keep yourself open to many possibilities and opportunities. Another upbeat song similar to this on my playlist is “Hall of Fame”.

“Inner Life of a Cell” is from a video that I had to watch for my biology class as a freshman back at Stuyvesant. That one video piqued my interest in microbiology and I remember that period of time was when I decided I genuinely loved learning about the inner workings of living organisms and the scientific world around us. Whenever I think back on that biology class (one of my favorites in high school) I associate it with this piano song. I ended up choosing biology classes (Molecular Human Genetics, Human Diseases/Pathophysiology, and Medical Diagnosis) as my electives later on.

“Waves” is a song I listen to on days where I’m tired and I feel like I’m not completely living in the moment. The beat is refreshing and I feel more energetic with this song playing in the background as I run errands. This also applies to Tiesto’s remix of “All of Me”.

“Read All About It” is a meaningful song that I discovered through a very powerful dance performance that was aired on Britain’s Got Talent (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01KLX5BRpeo). I’m a dancer so this naturally intrigued me. The lyrics are about gathering up the courage to face your feelings and being brave enough to finally express them, while the choreography was about the life of a U.S soldier and the sacrifices this job entails.

“I Got You” and “Gone, Gone, Gone” are songs about continuing to care for a close friend, even after a fallout or after going through a rough patch with them, which I relate to.

“The Lucky One” addresses the way people often think others have the perfect lives when in reality, it’s just an illusion. I think we all have our own set of problems, but it’s a matter of whether we choose to keep it private or allow it to go public. Because we tend to only publicize our positive, happy experiences on social media, everyone ultimately ends up comparing their real lives to other people’s filtered lives. As a result, we feel like we’re less well off than the rest of our social circles. I find this to be an interesting phenomenon, because it’s one of the less conspicuous ways that modern technology can have a negative impact on our lives. Social media is so superficial and at times even stifling, yet it’s something we can no longer live without if we want a complete social life.

Finally, “Unwritten” is the first song I downloaded onto my iPod nano in the seventh grade, and it was my favorite for so long that I think this playlist wouldn’t quite define me without it, just because of the nostalgia that comes along with it. Everything was easier at that age and I remember all the “problems” that I was going through when I came to this song for consolation. In retrospect, they’re so silly, and I’m glad I can laugh about them now.