Month: October 2017

So I recently went to the baruch soccer club meeting on Tuesday and although I am already on the Baruch soccer team, I learned that I can still play indoor Intramural soccer in the winter through the club.  I had a great time at the club meeting as some of my friends from class were already there and I even met some of my soccer teammates as well. They offered pizza and cookies at the meeting so it was nice to not have to buy lunch in the city for once. Everyone in the classroom that was interested in joining the club talked about themselves and mentioned their favorite soccer teams and what intended major they were going for at Baruch. It was really nice to get together at this club meeting especially since it was a club topic that Im so passionate about. I would definitely attend another club meeting because it was an interesting way to open up to others and talk about what you desire most.

Last weekend I visited the Brooklyn museum, which is one of the museums around the city you can get into for free with a student ID. Since my last visit to the museum much has stayed the same, the living space exhibition remains untouched, as does the Infinite Blue exhibit on the first floor. When I walked in I walked up to the top floors immediately. Currently there is an exhibit about Native Americans, and since it was indigenous people’s day when I visited, I thought it appropriate to start there. I’ve seen the exhibit before, it was there in March when I last went to the museum. This time I idled by the interactive spaces. There is a music player for the instruments showcased, and I was interested because although they are not from the tribes residing in California they are quite similar in appearance. The sound as well. Specifically a round flute with four holes carved on top of the instrument looks like instruments shown in the museums adjoining the Missions in California. After wandering that exhibit for a while I started to make my way down, the cultural art shown in Infinite Blue is beautiful and unchanged. My favorite painting, one with popcorn clouds and a ship drawn on as an afterthought permanently resides on the third floor. One exhibit that I hadn’t paid much attention to before was a video of what I assumed to be photoshop, and showed how they can alter photos almost in real time. It’s a fascinating video, and has a giant seating area so in my opinion it’s a must. Lastly I wandered into the living room exhibit, a terrifying place when the museum is less crowded as it was that day. No one was in the hallway and it’s dimly lit, but it is interesting to see a static living space so well preserved. And the attention to detail, to show you a child lived there, there are actual toys strewn on the ground. Every time I go to this museum, even if the exhibits remain unchanged, I feel like I’m getting a different experience.

A few weeks ago I went to the Writing Center for a workshop. The Writing Center has a lot of interesting workshops, such as developing thesis statement, brainstorming and writing cover letters. For that week and day, the workshop was about analyzing texts. This was perfect for me since I felt like the readings I’ve been doing for every class were too ineffective and time-consuming and I wanted to have a strategy on how to understand and read texts more effectively. In the waiting room, I met a really nice girl that told me that this was also the first time for her attending the writing center. We were about 7 students – many were older – and the instructor was very outgoing and clear in her learning. She introduced the workshop with explaining the plan of the class, why it’s beneficial and how we can use the techniques to analyze texts for example writing English papers. We all worked from the same text “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner. The process of analyzing the text would go like this: 1. Observe. 2. Finding patterns. 3. Ask questions. When reading the text, she wanted us to use symbols and take notes. The teacher then guided us through the text and also made room for us to discuss our thoughts. What this workshop learned me the most was to understand the feeling of which the writer tries to convey and see the writer as someone that is trying to manipulate me. Furthermore, I learned to notice patterns, contrasts and to analyze the use of words (mostly adjectives), which I found very useful for the History primary source readings. At the end of the class, we had the chance to analyze any reading we had brought with us to work on. It was a very lucrative workshop and I will definitely attend more of those workshops in the future.

One of the biggest transitions in my life is coming to New York City. Many things are different from back home: food, music, weather etc. Moreover, the lifestyle of people is totally different from that of the Caribbean. Many of my classmates don’t know there’s a country called Guyana, much less its location. It often got confused with Ghana. It’s actually the only English-speaking country in South America; which is why it’s more considered a part of the Caribbean rather than South America itself. I felt so isolated, there was hardly anyone could relate to Caribbean culture. I decided to go the Club fair on September 28^th. While at the club fair, I learnt that there is a Caribbean Student Association club. Upon joining the club, I found out that on October 5^th they would be hosting their first general meeting. The first thing I was greeted by upon entering the room was Caribbean music. I met so many people from countries like Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados. The Vice President of the club happened to be from Guyana. The people in the club were so welcoming that I almost felt that I was home, we were all au fait with each other’s culture. One of the things we talked about was adapting to New York City. Caribbean food are so spicy that it made the food here seem tasteless. They recommended some really great spots where I can get tasty foods. One event I am definitely interested in is the Food Sale they are having next week. Another big change is the weather. Being from the tropics, all one has ever seen is Sun and Rain. We talked about how cold it could get during the winter and how I’ll have to be in layers for clothing otherwise I could fall sick. We then moved on and talked about the great events they have coming up. They even have concerts and feature Caribbean artistes. They even have a sister club, Student Organization for Caribbean Appreciation, with whom they coordinate with to host great events. I signed up for their Newsletter so I would never miss a date when they’ll host another event. I am so glad I was able to meet great people who can help me adjust and be comfortable while here at Baruch!

For my academic blog post, this week I decided to find an institution that was either discounted or free to visit with a CUNY id. After considering all the options online my I decided to visit the queens botanical garden with my family, a gorgeous place filled with nature. Previously I had visited another botanical garden within the city (near the bronx) and because we had liked it so much we thought seeing another one would be nice and would be an opportunity to do something together as a family. Seeing all the plants was and the multiple garden they offered was truly amazing as well as the way buildings and technology were integrated within the area which made it even nicer to explore. While I was there it was a pleasure to see the huge diversity in plants that they had throughout the compound and range of activities and events they host every year. We were introduced to several events they host throughout the year, one being very soon that I was considering attending, such as the harvest fest and pumpkin patch where the whole family can partake in enjoying live music, bounce houses, petting zoo, face painting, tours, composting demonstrations, craft and food vendors, beer & wine tent, the ever-popular Pumpkin Patch, and more. Furthermore I also found out the garden can also be used for various events such as weddings etc. The botanical garden was split up into more than 20 small gardens/sections all dedicated to a specific type of plant or theme. Although I didn’t get to see all of them due to time constraints my personal favorite were pinetum and the magnolia walk. Overall I found this visit very enjoyable and would recommend it for anyone who enjoys seeing nature and/or plants in a beautiful environment. It is also something that is great to return to at different points in the year because of the events they have and the seasonal effects on the garden, each one with its own beauty.

This past weekend I visited the MET and wandered my way around taking in the beautiful art pieces.  It was surreal to me to see some paintings that I have seen in pictures during my art classes up close and personal.  The MET has wonderful paintings from Van Gogh to Monet and each techniques used in the paintings are so creative.  The classes realistic art is definitely my favorite to look it.  It is amazing to see paintings that look like it was photographed but, it is paint put together on a canvas.  These types of artists always seemed more talented to me because the details in their paintings stuck out to me more and the amount of time it must have taken them to complete something so life like is incredible to me.  On the other hand, I also really liked the modern art which is very different than realist art but, these paintings were always so unique and creative to me they also spoke to me and stood out to me.  One of the pieces of the modern art collection in the MET is thirteen panels and each of them are solid colors but they turn into the other to make it look faded into one another, the colors of this piece are so vibrant and the use of colors in each panel is so wonderful and it is really satisfying to look at.  Walking throughout the museum was very peaceful and relaxing but, it was an amazing experience.  The sculptures were also very interesting to look at especially the ones in the European rooms because each of them were so life like and again it is incredible to see what one person can do with a some stone and clay.  Overall my experience in the MET was wonderful and I will definitely go again to enjoy more art.

For the academic aspect of my blog post this week, I decided to explore and find a museum that is listed as a CUNY free museum, and I found the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, or FIT. Since I was on a huge time crunch this week, I found it very accessible considering it was only ten minutes away from Baruch. It was right next to the FIT on 7th avenue. When I first entered the museum, there was a lady sitting in the front, who told me and my friend about two exhibits that they are featuring at the time, and gave us pamphlets with more information on the inspiration of these exhibits. The first exhibit we went to was the Expedition: Fashion From The Extreme exhibit. The different fashion styles there were inspired by the North and South poles and the outer space, and how traveling to extreme environments have influenced fashion starting from the 1960’s.

When my friend and I first entered the exhibit, we noticed it was very dimly lit like outer space, but also gave a Northern Lights vibe. At the same time, the mannequins in which the outfits were displayed on were propped on Arctic glaciers, which blended the two environments together. My friend and I were in the middle of conversation when were walking in, but we paused for a bit to admire the set up because it really was impressive. We went around and saw outfits that ordinarily would be just coats and dresses, but had some form of twist. At some points I really wished I had some of the outfits for myself because they were so unique.

After that, my friend and I went to the Force of Nature exhibit. In this exhibit, we saw fashion over the centuries blended with floral, animal print, and overall geological designs. They had outfits that could have been worn in the 1700’s, like a beautiful gown and corset paired with a men’s coat, both sporting floral prints. Some outfits could have been worn in the 1950’s, like this vintage styled dress with rose patterns on it inspired from an outfit similar that was actually made in the 50’s. We also saw a gorgeous black gown that had fabric draping all around it to give the impression of swan wings, which was my favorite.

Overall I really enjoyed this experience. I am huge on fashion old and new, and being in this museum really showed that fashion has no limits. I would come back again to see what else the Museum at FIT could come up with in the future.

My friends and I attended an internship convention on Thursday, October 5^th. The goal of this convention was to inform students about different opportunities available to them, how to go about attaining them, and to be knowledgeable enough to not be taken advantage of.  For example, the instructor made it clear to us that the company can be sued for making an intern do any jobs to related to the field they are studying, like buying coffee or dropping off dry-cleaning. The instructor was very accommodating and didn’t follow a strict schedule, and he allowed questions throughout the program. A lot of the kids that attended this seminar were Freshman’s although there was a mixed crowd, I believe this was a good thing because it informed us about something we will have to face in the future and helped us prepare for it. I am sure that every student that attended left with a piece of information that will make a big difference for them. For example, knowing where to look for internships, bringing awareness to how you should be treated, how to apply for internships, recognizing which ones will look better on your resume, and how to even create a resume. I believe finding the best internship for your career and that will look good on my resume was the most important point for me. Knowing that our school hosts meeting like this is also helpful because a lot of students are lost and confused on how to go about doing a lot of the things necessary for their future advancement including myself. For that reason I found this meeting to be very informative and  I would encourage others to attend future meetings.

Last Tuesday I had the privilege of having a meeting with our very own FRO teacher Erin Kaplan. Erin works at the Dean of Students office. She was helping me get acquainted with all of the wonderful opportunities Baruch has to offer and iron out some details for me. My main concern was scheduling for winter and spring semesters. After many phone calls and many minutes on hold, we had obtained all the answers we were looking for. Before I left Erin asked if there were any other things that I had questions about. I realized that I needed information on study abroad opportunities and on my major (International Business). So with a little more research and help, she pointed me in the right direction and I could not have gotten all the information I needed without her. I was directed to the Weissman Center for International Business. Here is where they have all information regarding international business, study abroad, and internships. I spent a lot of time going over the study abroad opportunities with a student employee. Turns out there are endless options to choose from when looking to study abroad and the center really helps you sort through it all. After learning about the study abroad opportunities I shifted my attention to what the international business area had to offer. Turns out that the variety of occupations available with a degree in international business is only growing. After discussing where I was standing with other student employees I asked if I was able to sit down and meet with a head of the department. Now that I have a meeting with Sara for pre-advisory in the international business my nerves are finally calmed. The options offered to students here at Baruch is endless. From my experience, you can obtain everything you need with just a little bit of patience

 

Academic Excellence is a key value in Baruch. Part of this means taking your success in academia into your own hands. Seeing as I was always an individual who struggled with math, I knew in order to achieve academic excellence in my pre-calculus class that I would have to work a little harder in comparison to my other classes. The workload is not that different to other classes I have scheduled. However, more time has to be allocated to receive the same results.

Knowing that a test was taking place that week, I decided to sign up for some tutoring sessions at Student Academic Consulting Center (SACC). Fortunately for me, there were weekly sessions available as well. I decided that this would force me to study and take time for the class, that I might otherwise not do so. It was also helpful, because it is more effective to study information as it comes than to try to learn it cumulatively shortly before an exam. Furthermore, there is some information you may not realize you need some clarification until you actually go over it. It helps to have someone there with you to explain it all. There is a wealth of information at the Student Academic Consulting Center. Everyone is very pleasant, from the moment you walk through the door– thought it takes some time to find this gem.

Something I have noticed is that the usage of tutoring centers in college differs from that in high school. In high school, it was rarely used, and reserved for when students absolutely needed it. However, I walked in during a dry spell of students at campus and still observed a rather full and operating center. I suppose that getting closer to our careers, and actually paying for our classes provide the incentive for students to use campus resources.