Author: kk165633

 

Girl cycling with Butterflies.

What three months at Baruch has been like!

        It is amazing how quickly the first three months of college has zoomed by. I still feel like we were just over introducing ourselves yesterday. The days have passed by in a blur and I have gained so much knowledge that I couldn’t possibly have imagined possible. The picture that I am using to represent my experience at Baruch so far is one of a girl, cycling with butterflies. There are plenty of reasons why I chose this picture.

       First and foremost, as you will see the girl is cycling towards a destination. I can relate to this because ever since I joined Baruch I have been encouraged by my peers and teachers to decide where it is in life that I want to stand. Baruch has awakened in me the need to focus on where I want to reach in life and what should be done in order to accomplish it. Now, unlike before I worry about my future and I try to work towards achieving my goals so that I will be successful in the future.

    Second, the butterflies in the picture symbolize the progress that I have made in school. Butterflies aren’t just born as butterflies. They go through a lot especially when they are caterpillars. But in the end they make it to their final stage. Just like that I have made progress academically and socially. When I first started attending Baruch, I was an amateur. I knew nothing and I felt out of place. I worried about how I would do, what the teachers would expect from me, and, what kind of challenges I would have to face. But gradually, I adapted to the environment and started making good advancement. I was able to complete all my assignments, make friends, and participate in club activities.

             Thirdly, the colorful characteristic of the picture shows how Baruch has added color to my life. It represents all the people from diverse backgrounds that are now in my life. Before this first semester I had no friends and I did not have fun even though I was living in the most happening city of the world. But that has changed over the past few months. Now, I have friends who teach me how to talk in Hebrew, German and Korean, friends who make me sushi, and friends who like to take plenty of selfies! These people make my everyday life much more beautiful and different from how it used to be. All these different cultures and personalities of these people have really changed the way I look at the world now. I no longer have stereotypes about different countries and the people. I enjoy the company of all kinds of backgrounds and I think that is the best thing that Baruch has offered me.

 

 

My first crush.

I have never been the kind to come out in the open and tell someone I like them or admire them. I always wait for the guy to be the first to tell me that they like me or ask me out. I don’t know why but I can just never make the first move. Anyways, my first experience at liking a guy was a complete failure because I could never get past him for nine years and nothing happened for nine years. People say that love is unexpected and come at anytime and any place. My version of love was puppy love back in 2002. I know I was such a little girl. I must have hardly known how to tie my shoe lace when the mention of my crush’s name caused my face to turn bright red. I really liked this cute, spiky haired, naughty boy. And I had no idea if he liked me too. During my first year of crushing on him all I had done was copy his multiplication homework (I was always so impressed that he knew the answers). The following year I had made a tremendous progress by seeing his Spider-man underwear while bending down to pick my pencil. By the third year I knew I really liked him because I would ask my grandparents (who were friends of his grandparents) to set up play dates between the two of us. Mischievous me. During the fourth year he called me for his birthday party and I threw such a fit because I did not know what to wear. Finally, I wore a red coat and I can honestly tell you that my face tone looked no different than my coat. Unfortunately, he left for a school in India in the fifth year. After that I never saw him for six years. But all that time even though I never saw him I would think of him and want to meet him. I could never get over him. Then, in 2011 I suddenly ran into him during a local rock band concert. I could not believe it. All my feelings started to resurface and this time it came out even stronger. We talked to each other for a while and he asked for my number. I was so thrilled at the idea of going out with him. So, on a Sunday we went for a walk. But something unusual, something I had not expected happened. All the time I was talking to him I realised that I did not like him at all. I felt nothing for him and I was shocked at the complete emptiness of feeling that now ran through me. It was not because he wasn’t nice or anything. In fact, he was so sweet. But somehow I did not feel anything. After I got home I realised just how stupid I had been all that time. I had held onto some kind of fragment of childhood crush for so long. I felt embarrassed then to think of how much I actually valued something that wasn’t really there. But now I know better than to waste time on feelings that don’t really exist. the kind to come out in the open and tell someone I like them or admire them. I always wait for the guy to be the first to tell me that they like me or ask me out. I don’t know why but I can just never make the first move. Anyways, my first experience at liking a guy was a complete failure because I could never get past him for nine years and nothing happened for nine years. People say that love is unexpected and come at anytime and any place. My version of love was puppy love back in 2002. I know I was such a little girl. I must have hardly known how to tie my shoe lace when the mention of my crush’s name caused my face to turn bright red. I really liked this cute, spiky haired, naughty boy. And I had no idea if he liked me too. During my first year of crushing on him all I had done was copy his multiplication homework (I was always so impressed that he knew the answers). The following year I had made a tremendous progress by seeing his Spider-man underwear while bending down to pick my pencil. By the third year I knew I really liked him because I would ask my grandparents (who were friends of his grandparents) to set up play dates between the two of us. I would also ask them to tell his grandparents that the two of us looked cute together. Mischievous me. During the fourth year he called me for his birthday party and I threw such a fit because I did not know what to wear. Finally, I wore a red coat and I can honestly tell you that my face tone looked no different than my coat. Unfortunately, he left for a school in India in the fifth year. After that I never saw him for six years. But all that time even though I never saw him I would think of him and want to meet him. I could never get over him. Then, in 2011 I suddenly ran into him during a local rock band concert. I could not believe it. All my feelings started to resurface and this time it came out even stronger. We talked to each other for a while and he asked for my number. I was so thrilled at the idea of going out with him. So, on a Sunday we went for a walk. But something unusual, something I had not expected happened. All the time I was talking to him I realised that I did not like him at all. I felt nothing for him and I was shocked at the complete emptiness of feeling that now ran through me. It was not because he wasn’t nice or anything. In fact, he was so sweet. But somehow I did not feel anything. After I got home I realised just how stupid I had been all that time. I had held onto some kind of fragment of childhood crush for so long. I felt embarrassed then to think of how much I actually valued something that wasn’t really there. But now I know better than to waste time on feelings that don’t really exist.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/117141464@N04/

All the pictures that I have inserted in my slideshow is a fragment of myself. The people in it, the moments I have shared with them, the memories that I have created with them shapes who I am today. I believe that a major part of your self development begins with the environment you are brought up in and the people who surround you. Everyone in my slideshow plays a huge role in my life.

One of the biggest accomplishment of my life has been being an active member of a Non-profit organization that works towards ending violence against women and children. I worked with children at the shelter care home. The whole experience made me see my life from a whole different perspective. 

I love the second picture because I love kids. Ever since I can remember I’ve always liked the company of little kids. I like how they’re so innocent and adorable. Oh my god, I might sound like a mother here. But I can’t help it. I guess that shows a side of me.

The third picture is of me and my first cousins. We have a special bond and we have fun every time we’re together. Since we’re all girls we have similar interests and hobbies. We like clothes, accessories, shopping and boys. I guess that’s why they are a part of me and that will never change. 

The fourth picture is of me and my best friend. We’ve been best friends since seventh grade. From sharing clothes to secrets we’ve been through high and lows. From her I’ve learnt that real friends aren’t there in times of celebration but really there in times of need.

As you can see my brother isn’t there to catch me when I fall. Instead, he’s there falling down with me. I guess that means even more to me because that shows he’s not perfect, he’s not a savior, he’s not my superman. But he’s going to be there for me. I would do the same for him. He’s taught me that through thick and thin family is what matters all the time and thanks to him i know that family comes first.

The sixth picture is one of my all time favorite picture with my little sister. She is sixteen. I believe that we are completely different but most people say otherwise. My teachers and friends would always complain about how they kept getting us mixed up. We would answer each others calls and people wouldn’t realize they were talking to the wrong sister. She has shown me that having a sister is the best thing in the world and she says the same about me too. She defines a part of me.

The seventh picture is of my mother and father. The two most important people in my life. The ones that brought me into this world and gave me life. Needless to say, they are a part of me and I would not have an identity if it weren’t for them. They have taught me from wrong to right and I am thankful for that. I see myself in them because I am a combination of the two. They are my everything 🙂

Lastly, I am with my maternal and paternal grandmothers. I love both of them dearly and they are just like my own parents. I have grown up right in front of their eyes. They have taught me my values, morals, responsibilities and countless other things. We are a family and they’ll always come first.