College is no doubt a whirlwind journey that takes you through ups and downs. It’s just as much of an emotional roller coaster as anything else in life.

I have so love every minute of it though. When I first got to Baruch I was terrified of what was to come, would I meet people, would I do well, would me teachers like me? All of it was spinning in my head as I began my journey.

Then, as I began to experience the reality of college life I realized that it was all about what you make of it. Life in general is what you make of it. If your in a bad situation then it is your job to make it better and turn it into something positive.  If you do badly on a test, you can’t get upset and not try anymore, you have to pick yourself dust yourself off and keep moving through. I’ve also learned that motivation truly is key. You have to keep your eye ok the prize and keep striving for it so you get a closer each day to your ideal goals.

All in all I love Baruch and loved my first semester. My favorite moments would probably be when our fro class really bonded. I have made amazing friends that I hope will last a very a long time.

College. It is what we spend the first 12 years of our education worrying about, working for etc. Well we’re here. Now what?

More class, more teachers, more papers. Honestly, nothing different from past 12 years. Paper, test, paper, test, quiz, more papers, more tests…

Then, you look up from your computer screen, which you’ve spent all night staring at, finishing that English essay that is due tomorrow. You rub your eyes, praying that you’ll be able to get to sleep before it is time for you to get up and start all over again. Finally, you pause. Breathe, and take another look.

Thinking about why in the world you are still awake, you take a peek underneath the surface of all the work that never seems to stop piling up. You suddenly unveil the newness and excitement that you’ve been hoping for. There, you find an entire world that pulls you in, and you become enwoven in the fabric of an amazing experience that will span the next four years of your life.

Yet, as I jump in, head first, excited to take the leap, I can’t help but reflect on how I got to this point. I think of how lucky I am to be able to have this experience, meet these people, join these clubs and get the most out of this vital point in my life.

My parents come to mind. They have worked so hard, worried so much, and spent so much of their energy and time on making sure that I have everything they didn’t. Without them I would be nowhere and I would never have been able to undergo such an incredible experience.

Knowing that there are so many out their who suffer on a daily basis, and who have no idea what the next minute, let alone the next day will bring, makes me appreciate all of this so much more. It makes me feel a little less tired at 4 in the morning, staring at my computer screen, finishing that English paper that is due in six hours.

So, college is different. It is different from the past twelve years and it will be different from the next twelve. It will be different from any point in our lives, and it is a time that we will forever remember with fondness and adoration. A time of stress that will be filled with plenty of worrying and sleepless nights. Even so, there is nothing like college.

1. Ani Maamin- Eitan Katz

2. Here Comes the Sun- The Beatles

3. Come Together- The Beatles

4. Piano Man – Billy Joel

5.  Dream On- Aerosmith

6. Burning Heart- Survivor

7. Eye of the Tiger- Survivor

8.  You are so Beautiful- Joe Cocker

I have always loved music and it has always been an escape for me. Whenever I am stressed out or upset I just plug in my headphones and just relax my mind as I listen to the music. My dad is also very musical so I grew up with music being a huge part of my life.

I chose Ani Maamin by Eitan Katz because I love being Jewish and I have a lot of pride in my religion. Ani Maamin is hebrew for I believe and to me it has always been a staple song throughout my life. Then I chose Come Together and Here Comes the Sun, by The Beatles, because those are my dad’s favorite Beatles’ songs and they quickly became mine as well. He was always in the Oldies and that was the type of music that was constantly buzzing around my house.

Then I chose PIano Man cause it is just an awesome classic and I really love the classics. Listening to that type of music makes me thing of the fond memories I have as a child, in the car with my    dad, listening to 104.3 every morning on the way to school. They are memories I’ll always cherish and it really created a special bond between me and my dad.

Then I chose Eye of The Tiger and Burning Heart, by Survivor, because they both are about working hard and  having the drive to accomplish your goals. I have always used the difficult situations in my life to fuel my motivations. My parents always taught me that you don’t get anywhere in life without hard work and you always have to keep your eye on the prize. So these two songs really embody that mindset. Not only this, but those are also two main songs in Rocky, which is one of my favorite movies of all time. My sister and I must have seen that movie together 2 million times. So those songs also bring back amazing memories.