New York City is the place that I am born and raised. NYC to me, is not simply a location– but a lifestyle. There is no where else in the entire country where you will see stores open as late as they do in NYC, you will never see a skyline as bright and bold as the one outside your window. Everyone who lives in this city ultimately embodies what this city is, busy and hustling. Everyday when I take the train, I realize that there are thousands of other people on the same train rushing to get to work, to get to school, and I have never through all my travels been so inspired to thrive and completely fulfill my life as when I am in NYC.

Everyone meet my dog, Coconut! She is a full breed maltese and I got her three years ago. I know that this is probably not the best photo to portray her since she looks really sad in this photo, but I promise you that she is the happiest dog that you’ll ever meet. Unfortunately, she is a little aggressive to strangers and tends to bark– but she does not bite! Coconut is such an important aspect of my life, she greets me every time I come home from school or work and it feels very nice to be able to come home to someone since my parents are often working late. Anyways, she’s also my first dog. My parents actually did not want to get her, but my sister brought her home one day and — what were they gonna do? Return a dog? Nah.

Have any of you guys ever seen this show? This is literally my favorite show of all time. I have no words really to describe how much I love this show, so I guess I’ll just leave this here and add the fact that they’re opening the cafe they used in the show in NY for their anniversary. (IF SOMEONE IS AS IN LOVE WITH THIS SHOW AS I AM, PLEASE COME WITH ME TO VISIT THE CAFE.)

The girl in blue is going to be my maid of honor someday, and I think she really deserves a spot in this eight photo challenge. My life would be depressing without her, honestly. She is such a fun person to be around, literally down to do anything. I could call her up at 12 in the morning for ice cream and she’d be fine with it. If I got locked out of my house, she would pick me up and let me stay at her place. I mean I really don’t feel like there is anything we haven’t been through together.

It’s easy to say that my sister and my brother are an important part of my life. I’m sorry, I don’t know why they never make pretty faces in photos.. especially my brother. In short, our relationship has never been the best. In fact, most of my memories of them involve ignoring each other or verbal quarrels. In the recent years, we’ve all grown and made more of an effort to stand united as a family. I guess it’s going okay. This is a photo of when we use to work out together, but then we all got really lazy and.. yeah, we don’t do that anymore.

In my high school, there was a program called JROTC where students basically get a military discipline and it was nothing too crazy so don’t worry. Anyways, I joined this program as a freshmen in high school and I was immediately accepted as one of their own. The army instructors all expected me to hold a high rank by the time I was a senior, and I remember the conversations that they would have with me at the end of the class day telling me how much potential I had to be a great leader. Needless to say, I didn’t make it to senior year because people just get lazy over time. This program has given me some of the greatest memories of my life, the best friends I could’ve never met, and yet I have failed them. This picture serves as a reminder to me that I will never again disappoint anyone who has put so much trust and hope into me.

The result of the “fall term” of my junior year in high school. I guess the picture pretty much sums up itself. Most of us recognize junior year to be one of the most important years in high school, and you are required to work twice as hard because you  have to impress your dream college with your grades. When I took this photo, I was actually thinking how much I hated my teachers for giving me so much work, but at the same time impressed that I actually worked so hard for only half a year. But, now when I see this picture it reminds me that no matter how rigorous the workload may be, it is never impossible.

I saved the best for last, of course! Many of us are uncertain of what we want from ourselves, what we want from life, and what we want from other people. (Actually, a lot of you seem to know exactly what you want to be which I find strange!) However for me, nothing is certain. I know that I want to do well in school so that I can keep my options open– but I have no specific goal at this point in my life. What I do know is that I will definitely travel the country one day. I love to travel, I love to explore, I love to see new things– and I have to see it with my own eyes. Traveling and exploring will give me a greater happiness than any six, seven, eight figure salary ever will.

Jeffrey Li’s Slidely by Slidely Slideshow

Hi, this is Jeffrey Li. In my first image, is obviously a picture of me. I’m not a really interesting person, but I try to make the best of what I can. The second image is the most played game I really enjoy which is league of legends. I’m currently in plat on my main, and I seem to not be able to make it to diamond tier. My third image is cake which is my favorite; ice cream cake is the best and is so tasty. I usually fall asleep in class, but its ok, sleeping is like what I like to do, most people seem to enjoy this also. As far as you can tell, most of everyone dislikes homework and I tend to be one of those people also, homework isn’t cut out for me.

My sixth image is when I went to the Bahamas for vacation one week before school started so I missed convocation and the first day of class. I really had an enjoyable time there and going on vacation to newer places are fun and exciting. My seventh image is my favorite TV show, which is Supernatural, it talks about two adults fighting demons around the world, and they also have conflict with angels, leviathans and purgatory. My last eighth image is a handshake, I always enjoy meeting new people and the bigger the crowd the merrier it gets.

Asking me to find 8 pictures that represent who I am is a difficult task, but only because 8 pictures would just scratch the surface of portraying my personality. These 8 pictures above are what I feel best illustrate the overall gist of my personality.

The first picture is of a family that I feel represents my family in certain ways. My interpretation of the image is that the parents holding hands over their children’s heads symbolizes that they care about keeping the family bond strong and their kids safe. My family has guided me towards a path that could only make me a better person and allow me to make valuable decisions in my life. They are my backbone and without them I would collapse. My dad is definitely the most influential person in my life. He has played numerous roles besides being a father. He was my mentor, my coach, my teacher, and my friend whenever I needed him most.

The second picture is of my dog, my best friend, and the brother I never had, Zohan. He was the only one that could  cheer me up so fast when I was down. I’ve had him by my side since I was just 3 years old, and he was 3 months old. He passed away from cancer when I was 16 and he was 13 years old. It was the most painful day of my life.

The third picture is of my soccer team, the Great Neck Wolverines. We have been playing together for 10 years, since we were all just 8 years old. We started from the bottom of the rankings and made our way to the Premiere division. I consider this my greatest achievement in life because becoming a semi-pro soccer player was never something I imagined happening to myself. It was a dream come true. Unfortunately, our team split up recently because everyone went away to college.

I really love the fourth picture because it sums up my nationality, and religious and cultural beliefs. I was born in America but raised in Israel and America. After I was born in NY I moved to Israel, where I lived for 4 years. Then I moved back to NY to get a better education.

The next 2 pictures depict my 2 most admirable traits, which are loyalty and curiosity. I feel that my loyalty towards my family and friends is how I will build strong relationships and connections in the future. My curiosity is what will allow me to enhance my education because I always pay attention to detail and watch my surroundings. Mario Testino once said, “My favourite words are possibilities, opportunities and curiosity. I think if you are curious, you create opportunities, and then if you open the doors, you create possibilities.”

The seventh picture simply illustrates that I love all kinds of food and that I am willing to try new things!

The last picture represents the journey I am about to embark upon, and a new milestone in my life… Attending Baruch College!

http://slide.ly/view/af2eb14daaa10c8a8268953049ac1322?utm_content=gallery

For my slideshow, the pictures I decided to insert depict who I am as a person and show my journey throughout my life. Starting with the first picture, here I am about 6 years old. Even when I was younger I would always be smiling and laughing. This is also true to this day. You will always see me with a smile on my face. The second picture is of me and my parents; I chose this picture because I owe my life to them. I am so grateful for the choice they made to move to America and give me the life I have now. The third picture is of the Ukrainian flag. I am very proud of my background and heritage. The fourth picture is of my neighborhood, Manhattan Beach. Its the most southern part of Brooklyn and I’v lived there since I was two years old. So basically I’v lived here my entire life. It’s a very secluded and quiet neighborhood but I still love it nevertheless. I can’t imagine living anywhere besides on the beach.
For the fifth photo I chose a picture that showed music. Music has always been a big part of my life. In my free time you will always catch me with headphones in my ears. I enjoy a wide variety of different types of music which ranges from classical to hip-hop. For number 6, I chose a picture I took of Ulster Heights Lake which is in upstate (it actually doesn’t have a filter). I’v gone here every single summer since I was 7. Although I enjoy life in the city, I have always allocated at minimum one month of each year to the engulfing serenity of upstate. There is no place I’d rather be than sitting in front of a blazing campfire surrounded by good friends. For picture number 7, I chose a moment from my senior year of high school. This was my schools “Murrow Bowl”. My friends and I created our own team and it was a very enjoyable day. I have always been the type of person who loves teamwork and working in groups and that day was no exception.
Finally for the last photo I chose a picture of Baruch. Although all the pictures show my past and who I am, this one shows my future and who I will be. I’m very excited for the next four years of life and what they will bring. I am very eager to learn and chose a career path that I will be happy with.

http://slide.ly/view/f9893a5c862a4d1f81e33ff89b35d9b6

My name is Debbie Banh, I was born in Long Island and raised in Bayside, New York. The first picture is most important it shows a picture of family. My family are the most important  to me. Next, are my friends; friends are people that can shape who you are. I am usually a very shy person and it’s really hard for me to make new friends but once you get to know me I’m really a nice person. Music is next, to me music is a way to try new things. By listening to different types of music you can find out your likes and dislike and its a way to help me relax.The next picture is Baruch, I put this picture because this place is where I’m going to find the real me and mature to become a better person. Benjamin N. Cardozo high school is where i graduated, that place made me who I am now so I can mature in Baruch.  Saigon, Vietnam is what you see in the next picture, that’s where my family is from. This place represents who I am because it’s where my relatives still live and I love this place every time I go and visit. Bell Park Gardens where I was raised and the neighborhood I went to school from elementary to high school. This is the neighborhood I remember most from my childhood and where I would want my kids to grow up, so it represents me when I was a little kid. The last picture is food, Chinese food to be precise. Chinese and Vietnamese food represents who I am because it is what I grew up eating and it is what I am used to eating so I felt that what I eat shows who I am to others. While watching the slideshow you will also be listening to Michael Buble’s song Home. I chose this song because I felt that this  song represents what is most important to me and that home is what made me who I am today. Home is where I feel most safe and assured, home and family are what influence me the most and it is what created me and my how I think.

http://www.photosnack.com/Jaclynatbaruch/pdufg93i

What I have created speaks to who I am in a way that describes my journey and what makes me thankful for my life.

It all starts in the heart of the biggest city. The idea of social structure and my upbringing in these busy and crowded surroundings makes who I am. Everything I am used to is at your fingertips.

One of my favorite things to do since I was a child is traveling. My mom and I would travel around the world to all different countries and continents to see the world in a whole other perspective. Traveling the world opened my mind as I saw the different cultures surrounding the atmosphere. One important lesson I learned from seeing all these different values were to never take anything for granted. I hope that as I grow up, I can continue this tradition and visit more places.

One of my qualities I have is that in the beginning I am shy. However, as I get to know people and become more comfortable, the shyness goes away.

The backbone to my life is my parents. Being the only child, my parents and I have developed a strong relationship. They are the reason to my success. My parents have always supported me with school, sports and life and I am grateful.

As I started my road to high school knowing no more than five people, I was opened to a whole new beginning. This was a time where I started to grow and learn who I was. Thankfully, I found where I belonged and that was on the basketball court with wonderful ladies who I still call friends today. I learned that I have a passion for sports. There and then was where I learn life long lessons such as confidence, and team work. Life is about your own individual choice but also relates to you work with other people. Those memories are ones I will cherish forever.

At the end of high school, I felt lost and unwilling to move onto the real world. I was very scared of the pressure and start to a whole new beginning. However, by the end of graduation, I was proud of my accomplishments in high school and slowly accepting the fact that college will be a fun experience.

Now, I am starting my time at Baruch and hoping it will guide me in the right direction to success. I cannot be more excited and nervous to start this journey where I will meet life long friends and get the right education.

As of right now, I intend to major in marketing which is the more general aspect but maybe I can major in sports management someday. I hope I do get a job in the sports industry with business aspects in the future. This job is a combination of my hobby and my dream.

So that is all about me, Jaclyn Thammakhoune.

Starting college is a completely new experience for most of us in this FRO class. Since the first day of school, I knew that Baruch will bring upon many challenges. No one said it was going to be easy either, so I took on a different role entering college. I began to drop my old high school habits of slacking. I’m getting closer and closer to my future career and have to start and finish college strong.
Attached here are several pictures that give some insight about myself. The first picture is the location in which I live at. Ozone Park has been my home for 18 years and I cherish every part of my experience here. I have grown, matured, and evolved as a person while growing up in Ozone Park. I found my niche here with friends and family. The second picture includes the college that I attend and my new home for the next four years. I have enjoyed the start of Baruch and look forward to completing my adventure here.
The third picture attached includes one of my main cravings. Shake Shack burgers are by far the best burgers. I need to have one of those burgers every week. The fourth picture includes my close and best friends. I have gone through high school with these guys and have enjoyed every second of it. Our hangouts are incredibly fun and I’m looking forward to my next meet up with these guys. The fifth picture signifies one of the special moments in my life. The day of graduation was amazing and I will never forget it. It was the day I had to finally call an end to my amazing high school experience.
Yes, I am a basketball fanatic. The sixth picture is about my love for the game of basketball. After coming to Baruch I have been playing non stop basketball. You guys can ask Michael in our class how much I been balling last week. You guys can also ask him about his ankles… just kidding. The next picture signifies one of the most important person in my life. My girlfriend is an amazing motivator who keeps me going and is also the most fun person ever.
The final picture is my future career path. I want to follow the path of accounting because I have a strong background of it which I have enjoyed. With my friends and family motivating me, nothing stops me from being what I want. So I would like to conclude this blog by saying couple of things. You should always work hard and play hard. Also, never forget those who helped you reach where you are. If you keep striving, you will succeed.

     Upon receiving this assignment, I believed that I would never find images that represent who I am. I decided to go with images for this assignment because my mother is obsessed with taking pictures and they have the ability to tell a story. The first image is of my mother, my brother and I. I chose this image because it shows the bond that my brother and I have and I am crying in it, my parents swear  I would never stop crying. The second image was taken long time ago but is one of my favorites. As an infant, I would not go to sleep unless it was my dad that rocked me to sleep, no matter how hard my mother tried, if it wasn’t him, I would not sleep. The first two images show the love I have for my family and how they had to sacrifice so much to raise my brother and I, and trust me, I was not an “easy” child. The third image makes me laugh because of my horrendous hairstyle – what was my mom thinking? Even though I have had some questionable looks in my past, I’m glad I was lucky enough to have a happy childhood. I spent most of my childhood on Junction boulevard and I found my way back to it, I now have to go take the 7 train everyday to go to Baruch. For friend’s birthdays, I like to make unique photoshopped cards that make them laugh. This particular image is one of my favorite cards I have made and it also serves as a way to show how deadly allergic I am to peanut butter, I joke with my friend Valery (pictured above) that if she gets too close, I will die. The sixth image is one of my cousin Massiel and I on my sixteenth birthday. Massiel serves as a great inspiration to me because of her intelligence and work ethic. The second to last image includes two dearest high school friends on a day that put an official end to high school, I worked very hard in high school and I proudly showed off my achievements. The eighth and final image is that of candles arranged in the shape of a heart, I am very easily impressed  with candles and I love that they come in many different shapes, sizes and smells.

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

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