This meme shows my college experience so far. At first I had a hard time adapting to college. Because I tried to study the way I did in highschool and it didn’t work out. Like the exams cover more materials than in highschool, some professor like sociology gives me vague guide line for book report and my speech class professor is really really really strict. When I got my first test grades I was so stressed out. However now I learned a lesson to adapt to college and how to study here. 🙂

This picture clearly reflects my experience at Baruch so far because it shows the struggles of being a freshman. It shows a boy who while getting so prepared for college to make a good impression ends up being a freshman disaster victim. I remember my first day holding up the line to come into the building because I was swiping my student card the wrong way or sitting in the wrong classroom because I couldn’t read the floor number of where my actual class was. Hopefully I’ve grown past that and won’t do any more embarrassing things that allow everyone in my vicinity to look at me, shake their heads and say “Oh such a freshman thing to do.” #freshmanstruggles

This picture is totally relevant to how I feel about Sociology.  Ever since the first day of class, I never liked the class. It’s so hard to understand her because of her accent. I could hardly read what she was writing on the board because it was messy. Worse enough, I didn’t even understand what I was writing down until I got the textbook. When it came to the book report, the syllabus was so vague on it. Like what am I suppose to do? And then the midterm, I would of so dropped the class if she gave us back the grades earlier. Now it’s too late 🙁 But overall my time at Baruch has been okay besides midterm week. I’ve met many different people and enjoyed the times I shared with them. The first three months at Baruch past really fast cause now the semester is almost over.

I think these diagrams sum up my college experience so far. I used to think it was a simple balance, or at least in high school it was. I got to see my friends everyday because we were in the same school day after day. School always ended at 2pm and although I had a job, I got plenty of sleep most nights. In college, it has not been that simple. I have made some great friends, but it’s still difficult to see one another outside of class. Also, I have to make time to see my other friends from high school. I’m in a long distance relationship now, which isn’t easy to handle mentally or physically, and I can’t devote nearly as much of my time as I want to into seeing him. I don’t have  a job right now, but I would like to have one. But then again, that would eliminate more time I already feel I don’t have. I feel the pressure to maintain good grades, but also join clubs and build up my resume. I go to sleep a lot later than I used to.Oh, and I have to remember to eat. It’s not that all of this responsibility scares me, but it brings back my anxiety that I’ve struggled with since I was little. However, I know this is college. I know this is part of growing up. And I know I will be able to balance it all as I continue to grow and adjust.

Chashumanman and Nyago

For the first three months of Baruch, I have been feeling more independent. During this time, I made new friends, tried new food, and spending my own time studying, playing, and sleeping. From the artwork that I posted, Nyago symbolizes a noob while Chashumanman symbolizes a safety net that will help him with anything.

I am a college freshmen which the freshmen seminar helps me with college life. When I came to Baruch, the campus is more diverse than my high school. The deadlines of my assignments are very tight that I had to rush to submit my assignments on time.

What is different from high school is that I can use my cellphone and my computer in the campus. The campus wifi is less strict that the wifi from the high school. I can use the internet for my private use. The offices are convenient to access for any inquires.

You know how every year you look back and realize how much has changed in one year? Then you try and pin point what moments have led you to the life you are living now. It’s crazy to think about, right? Because what if at one specific moment, things went differently? How would your life be like now?

Every year I look back into my life and my life always changes drastically. Always. Every year something drastic happens and changes my life forever. I’m never surprised anymore, but the one thing I love about myself is that I never let it destroy me. I have learned in my life that everybody has the decision to react to a situation in any way they like. I refuse to let anything or anybody bring me down. That’s why I smile and laugh a lot. It’s not to hide the pain. It’s to move on from it. It opens new opportunities to grow. It helps me be the person I am.

Being this type of person has helped me through the difficulties I am facing now. Working and going to school full time is not easy, especially as a freshman in college. I am just tired all the time. It feels as if there are not enough hours in the day to do all the things I have to do. I started to get use to it though. Things seemed to get better because I refused to mope about it and just smile about the little things. Then recently I got kicked out of my house because my mother gave me an ultimatum: either I break things off with my boyfriend or I get kicked out of my house. I chose my boyfriend because I wasn’t going to allow her dislike for African Americans to be the reason we didn’t work out. I’m not going to lie it was painful and stressful. It still is, but I finally realized that I’m done letting it affect me negatively. It’s a new opportunity to grow and become stronger as a person. One door closes, two doors open.

That is what I love about myself. I know how to make negative situations positive and stay happy. It’s what everyone should learn to do. Be happy for reason. That’s my motto.