Curious George

The community service project brought to light how useful and important the resources Baruch offers really are.  Yasmin, a member of my group, learned about the charity we are working with through the volunteer fair at the school.  This is how we came to develop an interest in Citymeals on Wheels.  By this example, I really saw how useful our resources are.  My eyes were opened because before this, I really held no interest in things such as the STARR development center. However I have been aware of what joining clubs and groups around the school can do for oneself. Right now, I am an active member in FUSION, a Filipino club in Baruch. Participating in this club has opened up so many doors for me.  In October, upon strong suggestion from my friend Kate, I auditioned for and competed in Wanna Canta, a singing competition among the Filipino clubs in the local New York-New Jersey area, as FUSION’s representative. Not only was the event a wonderful social experience, it was a very important networking experience for me there as well.  From the musical friends I had made from that experience I have become involved in other groups as well. I have been active in NYU’s Filipino club, as well as their a cappella group with whom I performed a couple of weeks ago. Each of these people have inspired me in a different way, both by their talents and their demeanor. I seek to learn and grow with these people in the next few years. I wish to pursue more musical endeavors thanks to their inspiration.  By this example I wish to inspire others. I want to help others to inspire them and let them know that their dreams can grow too. It’s a cycle of passing it forward. Thanks to Kate, I was opened up to all of these wonderful experiences before the end of my first semester.  By Citymeals on Wheels specifically, I want to make sure that while everyone is chasing dreams, those who have lived the majority of their lives already are not forgotten.  It is important for everyone to feel cared for. It inspires me to feel that way, and I just want to spread the love.

To server the community is to contribute to it in a positive way. To serve the community is to take initiative and use your gifts and talents to help others and try to make a difference. As Baruch Honors Scholars we are called to serve our communities in every way possible. Not only are we asked to be leading, contributing, involved members of the Baruch community, but we are to be just as positive and instrumental members of society as a whole. I understand that this calling is for me as well, and as much as the Baruch community expects to deliver, I expect even more from myself. Although I appreciate the potential and abilities other people may see within me, I naturally know myself more than anyone else, thus I expect the most from myself.  I know exactly what I am capable of and I know when I am working to the maxima of my own abilities. I am also the only one that can keep myself from working as hard as I can. This is true in reference to all of us, we are all our own worst enemies. I believe that the Baruch Honors Program promotes all of us to essentially overcome ourselves, overcome any shortcomings we think we may hold, and find self earned success. This success is not for just ourselves, however. This success is for our surroundings. Selfish success is hardly success at all, success is only truly worth it when it contributes to the greater good of the community around you.

Who am I? Where am I from? Where am I going?

Do any of us know who we really are? Haha. I’m George. I’m a 17 year old Filipino kid from New Rochelle. That’s in Westchester, just a little north of the Bronx. I went to private Catholic school for pretty much my entire left before coming to Baruch. My high school, Salesian High School, was all guys, some people think that’s weird, but honestly it made things a lot more comfortable. I cannot say enough about how much I loved high school. An all boys school makes you have to “esto vir”, which roughly translates to “man up”.  In high school, I’ve made some of my closest friends and had experiences I’ll never forget. I’ve participated in religious retreats where I met people from across the east coast, and I was even blessed enough to participate in an exchange program with a brother Salesian school in England.  Aside from these more extravagant events, I was really active in high school, particularly in music. I was the marching band president, the lead vocalist in the school’s music ministry group, and in the school’s drama club.  I even won a Metropolitan Theatre award in my senior year for my performance in the school play.  In the end, high school was some of the best four years of my life, solidified with a Silver Eagle Award at graduation, the highest form of award a Salesian school can offer at graduation. Mine was one of only two awarded to my class, the other being awarded one of my good friends.

This leads me to where I want to be going. I want Baruch to take me somewhere new. My years at Salesian took me so many places and brought me so many blessings, I can only imagine how much more college can offer.  I want to make new friends and explore new talents and experiences and just all around have a good time while, most importantly, moving forward. None of us may know where exactly we are going, but as long as you are trying to go somewhere positive, you’re not wasting your time.