The work shop i attended was the Ad Hoc program work shop. The point of this workshop was to give us direction on how to take advantage of the Ad Hoc major. I found this work shop extremely important as I believe it has given me a direction in college i felt i was severely lacking. The ad hoc program allows my to tailor my curriculum to perfectly fit my intrests. The ability to hand pick my major is an invaluable asset as i will only be taking classes i know will be directly influencing and enhancing my knowledge for whichever career path i choose. At the meeting we met with the director of this program, Mrs. Sandra Kuppart who really explained the steps we need to take in great detail, leaving us with the power to really take a step foward and take control of are curriculum. Along with her was a current Chemistry Professor in Baruch who happened to also be a Baruch alumni. He told us of his experience with the Ad-Hoc major program and reassured us that there are no pitfalls we will encounter. All in all I was extremely satisfied with how the meeting went and am ready to take the next step in my Baruch academic career.
Author: j.hakimian1
Tenement museum
I visited the tenement museum and I got to participate in a tour of the preserved building. The guide of the tour brought us to two apartment buildings, and within each respective apartment she explained the life of the immigrant families that lived inside. She followed two families- one German (the Gumpertz) and one Italian (the Baldizzi). The apartments each contained three identical rooms, a central room which served as the kitchen, a smaller bedroom, and then a larger room which served as a dress making space for the Gumpertz and an additional bedroom or living space for the Baldizzis. Both the families had unique stories which corresponded to their apartments. First, we learned about the Gumpertz, which moved to the area because of the Jewish community. The father of the family abandoned his wife and kids so the mother of the household had to take on the added responsibility of working to pay rent as well as caring for the house and kids. Ultimately, when the father passed away, the Gumpertz family gained claim to a sizable inheritance so they were able to move out of the tenemant and move uptown. Next, the Baldizzis lived in the apartment decades later. The youngest daughter of the Baldizzis, a grandmother today, gave a recorded account of how she remembered the apartment when she was a child, which helped preserve the state of the apartment from the time. She remembered the minuscule details such as the placement of soap atop the sink and the bucket which she washed her body in. Her mother was very particular about hygiene and was the keeper for the house. In the museum we also saw the statements of the families and their occupations of the time. I enjoyed this museum because it was a preserved building from over a century ago, with real life stories to go along with the rooms that we visited. (picture is me walking with my group)
Hillel at Baruch
New things are scary. A simple phrase that touches on a not so simple subject. Its a paradox in many ways, using such simple words to describe such complex and broad idea; and in many ways the paradoxical nature of the phrase truly explains the essence of the idea trying to be conveyed. Yes new things are scary, but there also supposed to be fun, and it was this paradox- the juxtaposition of fear in relation to excitement, was all that was filling my mind as i walked in to Baruch on my first day of classes, my first day of college. I was scared, i was excited, i didn’t know what to expect. But what i quickly learned was that theres a home for everyone in Baruch; and for me that came in the form of Hilelel. At this club i found people with the same background as me with many of the same hopes, beliefs, and life style. It was a simple meeting, they told us that the adjustment period might not be easy, and at times we will need help. But no matter what we have the resources, whether it be Hillel or otherwise to help us pursue not only a successful college career but hopefully a successful life. In now way do i mean to be defined or restrained by one club, especially a club that does not necessarily encompass Baruch wide diversity, but i believe it will serve as a spring board for me to reach new heights in Baruch. I will definitely attend more meetings. As they’ve helped me feel comfortable in my new environment and most importantly they serve some really good pizza