College Meme – Lucas Nehemiah

The meme that I chose [linked above] is pertinent to what I went through in my first semester in college. Literally everything that my professor says, I write it down, whether or not it will be tested or quizzed on. Maybe it’s the fear of it appearing on an exam (even though the professor specifically said it won’t be) or maybe I’ve been doing it all of my life.

After spending three months at Baruch, I found it to be a very liberating experience. I’ve found that I needed to plan ahead like crazy. Having been a decent, organized student throughout high school, I usually planned maybe a month or two in advanced. But after seeing the amount of classes I have to take for my major, attending general meetings for my profession, constantly hearing about the need to get an internship for my Junior year or Senior year, all of it made me take a step back and literally reevaluate my whole life. As exaggerated as it sounds, I know for a fact that four years will go by so quickly and if I don’t have a concise and tactful plan for each semester, I’ll be left with a college degree in search of a job alongside thousands of people who are in my shoes. So when all my professors talk about planning ahead or making sure you pay attention to all the opportunities offered in college besides the education, I really took that to heart this semester.

As cheesy as it sounds, my favorite memory in FRO is getting our planners. I live by my planner. If I lose it right now, it would literally break my world because it has all my plans and due dates for this semester and next semester. I’ve always used planners during high school, and it was amusing to find that the planner Baruch gave was from the exact same brand that I used throughout high school. Despite this materialistic memory, it was my favorite because it allowed me to layout all the ideas, plans, and priorities I have bundled in my head (which I’ll probably forget in the next hour). The feeling of gratitude when I held the planner was immense.

Looking forward, I’m ready to officially be on my own. Being in a block has been such an amazing experience. Getting to know some pretty amazing people and having at least two or three classes with them has been great. I honestly don’t know what I would’ve done without them. It’s bittersweet. The fact that I probably won’t see them anymore next semester and that I won’t have classes with any of them is so disheartening. But at the same time, I know that they’ll all be doing well with their career path in Baruch and that in four years, we’ll all be (hopefully) graduating and moving on with the next step of our lives. I know this is looking a bit too much forward, but I felt it all connected to next semester. In short, I’m ready to do even better next semester than I did right now. A fresh start is what I need and I can’t wait to rock it.

As I venture off into the great search of who I am, I find myself embarking on a new journey that places me on the corner of 24^th St. and Lexington Avenue. Baruch, well, college in general. A transition from high school. A transition from relying on my teacher reminding me to take notes. A transition from the freedom of the student Metro Card we all once had, but now truly miss. But more importantly, a transition from dependence. I find myself puzzled with all of the changes that this “college life” entails. Whether it’s not having the same classes every day or having a professor that encourages weed, it still feels slightly foreign to me that I don’t need to ask permission to leave. So where am I getting at really. Well, it’s tough. College is not a walk in the park. No one said it was going to be easy and I definitely don’t expect the least. Having the struggle to balance out five classes while looking for a part-time job and all of that grown-up stuff, it’s a lot of work. And the immense pressure of getting a 4.0 GPA probably doesn’t help either. You know that feeling when everything seems to go wrong, nothing seems to ever go your way, and you feel like you’ve hit rock bottom? Yeah it sucks. But when life gets you down, all that you’ve got to do is “just keep swimming!” The fact of that matter is that this is all temporary. I’m here to strive for a better tomorrow, I’m here to chase after my ambitions, but see what the world has to offer along the way. I’m here to grow not only as a student, but as an individual. In four years we’ll all be looking back and think to ourselves, what did I just do? I’m here to learn, I’m here to get a degree and get on the career path that I want, and you bet that I’ll make the best of my time here. Because in the end, it’ll all be worth it.

by Lucas Nehemiah

In a nutshell, the following eight images are what depicts, basically, my life. Starting with one of the most revered cities in the world, New York City has been my home ever since I can remember. Most of us probably grew up in the “concrete jungle” and don’t realize that this is the place where dreams can really happen. Sometimes I take a step back and see NYC in its grandeur which takes me aback often because of it’s greatness. The most quintessential mode of transportation within this thriving melting pot is the subway, leading into my next picture. Yes, I take the R train now on a daily basis. Subways and buses in general are actually what I’ve been using my whole life, I know it like the back of my hand!

Starting to narrow down, the third picture represents where my venture of life takes place for the next four years, Baruch College. Probably one of the toughest city universities in the state and I’m proud to represent a rigorous school. Following this image is another picture that shows a crewneck design. In short, my spirituality is very important to me. The crewneck says it all, and I still can’t believe I’m the one who designed it! Maybe one of my proudest accomplishments!

The next two images are a lot more general that people can relate to. The first one being of food, the second being music. Starting off with food, is it a need? Is it a want? Like the Hispanic girl in the taco commercial, I say “why not both?!” Food is what sustains life for most, arguably all, living organisms in the world. But it’s also something that humans tend to relish and enjoy in its fullness. Food is life. The next image speaks a lot to me, and perhaps many others as well. Music. In my experience, I grew up in a musically-inclined family. I could probably pick up any instrument pretty fast. I simply lose myself when I play the piano or when I sing. There’s a joy that comes when you explore music, whether that joy is an enlightenment or perhaps a comfort, it is truly one of life’s treasures.

Ending my first blog post are two things that I hold very close to my heart. The first being my parents. I mean, they left everything they had in Indonesia to come to America to give their children a better life. I don’t need to go into further detail explaining what that truly means because for me, it means the world. Connecting to my final image, I simply have to “Work hard. Dream big.” I want to be successful. I want to prove not only to the world, but more importantly myself that I can make it. It’s a journey that ought to be taken, and I’m ready for it.

-Lucas Nehemiah