Freshman Seminar – Spring 2015, DTD

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When I started college three months ago I was nervous about almost everything related to it. I felt very insecure about expressing my opinions probably because English is not my first language and I was always afraid about making any mistakes during the time I was speaking. However, being in contact with students and professors and also reading different materials have helped me a lot on making progress. Now I feel way more confident when communicating with someone and when expressing my thoughts on various essays and assignments.

I think I have learned many things during my experience at Baruch. I have become more passionate about reading topics that I didn’t know about their existence and also about things which I had no previous interest. During this three months experience at Baruch, I have eventually learned how to develop a critical way of thinking and not just be a passive reader or listener.

Baruch has taught me that time is precious and you have to take advantage of every moment of it. I am learning how to be faster during my everyday activities and how to use my time with efficiency. Most importantly Baruch is teaching me how to have self-discipline and be careful when organizing and planning my time.

I really like Baruch. It has a very friendly and welcoming environment. It gives you a lot of opportunities and space to express yourself and I will do my best to enjoy every moment that I will be spending here.

Just like many of you, I decided to make my monologue regarded my arrival in America too. And since many of you chose to talk about this, I think you may understand that this was a very big thing about me.

Coming to U.S was for sure the most difficult decision that I ever had to make in my life. I mean, studying here was my dream since I was 15, but for someone who never lived away from the family and had everything ready from her parents was certainly hard.

I remember the days when my visa to come here was approved and I should started packing because a week later I had to be at school. I had finally gotten what I always wanted but I wasn’t excited as I had always imagined to be .I kept doubting everything and asking myself for every single day if this is what I really wanted. I guess because I was afraid of all the changes that were about to happen in my life.

Now that I’m here, I ask myself another question: If I ever regret the decision that I made. Of course I don’t. If I would give everything away because of my fear, I would still be in my small city, going in the same places, doing the same things and experiencing nothing new. I don’t regret coming in New York because in such a short time I feel like I have learned many things. Most importantly, I have learned that things are not as easy as they seem when you are alone and you have to do them on your own. But they are also not impossible to do either.

My name is Amla and I come from Albania. I grew up in Tirana which is the capital city of my country and where the other part of my family lives.

Those two people in the picture are my younger brother and sister who I miss very much.

When I was little, I took violin classes for almost six years and I really enjoyed playing it.

In my country, my name means sweet which is maybe the reason why I like making cakes and also eating them a lot 😛

These are some of the things I wanted to share with you 🙂

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Some pictures are taken from Google.