1. Bay Ridge Avenue (Bottom Point)

   “My tongue, every atom of my blood, form’d from this soil, this air,
   Born here of parents born here from parents the same, and their parents the same” (Song of Myself, 1)

   This is the neighborhood I grew up in, the only area that brings me comfort and is my safe space because I know I am home. But, often times I find myself thinking how would life have been different if I was not born here, or if my parents decided to move away from their parents to venture out to another state. These thoughts have been reoccurring due to the curiosity of how different would I have been from the “me” I am now. But this place is the start of my journey, and that is unchangeable. 

2. Pace University (Second Point)

   “He looked down from on high, He beheld but five heaps, and He saw that in their own-being they were empty” (The Heart Sutra)

   Though I am not entirely aware of the meaning behind this line in the poem, this spoke out to me and how I felt at Pace University. At this place, I felt I was being held back from what I was capable of and was always put towards the side like a heap of dirty clothes. Many might argue with me I have it all wrong and I would be able to see the quality and beauty of the school if I tried, but being there I felt empty. While everyone had a specific goal, I was an empty being as I was unsure of what I wanted to be or where I wanted to be. I just knew that I did not want to stay at Pace University any longer leading me to Baruch College.

3. Baruch College (Top Point)

   “You will hardly know who I am or what I mean,
   But I shall be good health to you nevertheless” (Song of Myself, 52)

   This is the place where I am standing in life now. It took me a year and half to finally makeup my mind to switch out from Pace University and attend Baruch College. This was possibly the hardest decision I have made as I had to leave old friends to create new ones. As I’ve only been at Baruch for a semester, I have gained more help from advisors and professors here than I have at my year and half at Pace University. Like the line in the poem, I don’t know Baruch College and how it will be helpful to me, but I do know this is the place I will be seeing for another two years. 

I was unable to attach any type of media, here is the link where you can see the map of my Journey to Baruch: https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1-injYZFH632ssXAqGvgqJhBvniCLlEWwtn1d4ODG-QI/edit?usp=sharing

1. I.S. 98 Bay Academy

“I accept Reality and dare not question it,

Materialism first and last imbuing” (Song Of Myself, 23)

This point in my life I rarely doubted the things I was taught in school. From subject to subject I believed every line of text I read and every word that came from the mouth of my teachers. I had little need for critical thinking and was an adolescent obsessed with toys, video games and sneakers. The system had me in its vices and it would be a few more years till I broke free.

2. Midwood High School

” Therefore, O Sariputra, it is because of his non-attainmentness that a Bodhisattva, through having relied on the

Perfection of Wisdom, dwells without thought-coverings. In the absence of thought-coverings he has not been

made to tremble, he has overcome what can upset, and in the end he attains to Nirvana.” (The Heart Sutra)

At this stage in my life I was finally able to see the world as it really was. My “thought-coverings” were almost entirely removed due to the literature that I read and the topics that I studied and I was able to gather a better understanding of my life and the world around me. My interest in politics, history and culture came about here and allowed me greater insight into humanity.

3. Baruch College

“Walt Whitman, a kosmos, of Manhattan the son,

Turbulent, fleshy, sensual, eating, drinking and breeding,

No sentimentalist, no stander above men and women or apart from them,

No more modest than immodest” (Song Of Myself, 24)

Whitman does a good job of describing my current place in life. I know who I am and what I am and know what I want to study and what I want to delve into in the future. Baruch has allowed me the opportunity to make meaningful connections and study elaborate topics of interest to me. My place in this world for now is concrete and my academic career close to an end. What waits for me on this path is a mystery but one I will happily indulge in, eyes wide open.

Jaclyn Corral

ENG 2850

Journey to Baruch College

Sept 12, 2015

1) “Since we have nothing to do today, let us follow the stream up to its source to have some fun” ( Journey to the west: Chapter 1)

This quote from the first chapter of Journey to the west reminds me of the place I grew up. It is right on a peninsula and completely surrounded by water. When I was younger I would walk with my dad from the beginning of the bay to the end of the ocean and we would watch the birds and the animals swimming in the water. From these adventurous we took when I was younger, grew my deep love for animals and the ocean.

Breezy to Grand Central

2) “Darkness was upon the face of the deep.” (Genesis)

This quote, although it is not exactly how it was meant in Genesis, reminds me of a dark time in my life. My freshman year of college was horrible and I absolutely hated going away. So this quote reminds me of all the times I had to take the train from Grand Central to go back to School, when all I wanted to do was stay in the city.

Grand Central to Baruch College

3) “All those who appear as Buddhas in the three periods of time fully awake to the utmost, right and perfect Enlightenment because they have relied on the Perfection of Wisdom” (The Heart Sutra)

Although I am definitely not a bodhissatva, this quote makes me think of Baruch College, and how it was one of the greatest decisions I ever made. After realizing I did not like where I was freshman year of college, all I could do was study as hard as I could, get good grades, and transfer to Baruch where I knew I would be happier. In choosing to go to school in the city, specifically at Baruch, I bettered my future and made my self a million times happier than I could’ve ever been at my previous college.

“And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. 10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called the Seas: and God saw that it was good.” (Genesis 1 King James Version)

• Long Beach is one of the most scenic places that I’m proud to call my home. In this excerpt from Genesis, God created the Seas. Seeing as the beach is one of the most peaceful places, this passage suits as a good description for Long Beach. Reading this quote illustrates the great feeling of standing on the dry sand and looking out onto the immense sea.

“And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years … And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night … God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness … And the evening and the morning were the fourth day” (Genesis 1 King James Version)

• This passage reminded me of my daily commute on the train to Penn Station. As I am in school for two long days a week, my days start early and end late. Waking up for my 8:00 am train is like getting up with the sun. While leaving school for my 7:00 pm train is like going home as the sun goes down.

“I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey-work of the stars” (Song of Myself, 7)

• Madison Square Park is a place I visit every day on my way to and from school. Being there so often allows me to see the diversity of activities and people that also enjoy the park. I interpreted this line from Song of Myself as celebrating a single blade of grass just as you would celebrate the stars. An individual entity is no more or less important than the whole group of entities. To interpret this literally, the grass, trees, sand and rocks that are all individually existing in the park make up a beautiful place for people to exercise, eat, socialize, and walk. These individual activities make up the parks’ society.

Point A: William and Anita Newman Library

Quote: “I am of old and young, of the foolish as much as the wise” – Song of Myself

Explanation: This quote immediately made me think of the library. I recall moments where I’d do nothing except take a nap or throw paper airplanes to my friends. I felt young, childish. However, I did feel old and wise when it came down to finals week, where I’d study the material intensely without breaking stride.

Point B: Union Square Park

Quote: “Though, I am very happy at the moment, I am a little concerned about the future. Hence! I’m distressed.” – The Journey to the West

Explanation: Union Square Park is where I had a great time hanging out with my friends. It was nothing special but it was calm, fun, and full of joy. I was happy. Just like the monkey though, I worried about the future. For a split second I thought of how when that moment in Union Square ended, so did that happiness I was feeling. I couldn’t help thinking of the fact that everything and there was nothing to stop it. Thus, for a fraction of a second I was “distressed.”

Point C: My Home (Queens)

Quote:

“I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self-contain’d,

I stand and look at them long and long.

They do not sweat and whine about their condition,

They do not lie awake in the dark and weep for their sins,

They do make me sick discussing their duty to God,

Not one is dissatisfied, not one is demented with the mania of owning things,

Not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth.”

– Song of Myself

Explanation: Often when I look at my cat or dog, I feel envious. They are unaware of the problems human beings have to face whether it be a global problem or a personal problem. To me this quote puts into words what I feel when I look at either of my pets and think “I wish I could be a cat/dog.” Without any worries or cares, and quietly happy is what I want to be.

AmTrak Station and Bus terminal – Nothing is impossible…  (Journey to the west)

This may seem a lazy choice, but it is the most fitting I think for me and this station. For me this location is a memory of my first experience going to a distant college, Oswego University. That, was the first taste of freedom and independence that I had completely separate from home and the city. Now (aside from the car) I see this station as a means for escape and ability to do anything.

Lenox Hill Hospital – At length let up again to feel the puzzle of puzzles, And that we call being. (Song of myself)

This quote to me means to come to an understanding of life. As well as to come to a realization of our own mortality, as such Lenox Hill Hospital is a fitting location to deal with the mortality of man and the puzzle of life. For me, it’s where my father passed away, and where I had my first real experience with death.

Astoria – In the beginning god created heaven and earth. (Genisis)

Pretty simple, though not perfect, I grew up in Astoria, so for me it was my beginning. Where I learned about the world around me.

https://instagram.com/p/2J1CgCtdxv/?taken-by=supasadia

Pelham Bay Park

The monkeys said, to each other, “we didn’t know where this water comes from. Since we have nothing to do today, let us follow the stream up to its source to have some fun.” “Reaching its source, they found a great waterfall.” (Journey to the West)

This station is the ultimate source of my exploration, from whether i am going to school or simply to a distant part of NYC that I never even knew about. What better way to show adventure and “reaching” a source than to show what brings us to the destination. On my way to Baruch College, I can simply look out the window of the train and see all the passing stations, places, and faces of all the others going on their “adventures” to their destination. This quote from Journey to the West defines how to feel about the MTA, especially the stop I get on the trains, if i have nothing to do, then I simply take the train and transfer at a different stop than where I usually do, so I can end up at places that didn’t even exist to me until that moment, and no matter where I end up going, even school, every destination for me is an adventure of some sort.

https://instagram.com/p/1OZZCytdz3/?taken-by=supasadia

Underground Train Stations (Ex. 86th St on the Lexington Ave Line)

“Here, O Sariputra, form is emptiness and the very emptiness is form; emptiness does not differ from form, form does not differ from emptiness…” (The Heart Sutra)

Emptiness has a new definition with The Heart Sutra, rather than the usual negative connotation, here emptiness refers to a label-less and non judgmental perspective on daily aspects. Underground, you can see all sorts of people with the widest background variety, none of which judges the others. You will see homeless people sleeping, begging through the trains, children being escorted by their parents, kids going on class trips, couples of all sorts, entertainers such as drummers, singers, and performers, sleepy business folk, you name it you’ll find it looking out the windows of a train. I chose this quote by The Heart Sutra because it shows how New Yorkers have a empty perspective, all the people are on the train together and we are all equal.

https://instagram.com/p/1zUQT0tdxB/?taken-by=supasadia

Baruch College/ Gramercy District

“I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey-work of the stars” (Song of Myself)

This quote exemplifies my final destination on my journey to school, Baruch College in the Gramercy District. This quote shows that the small aspects of life is nothing less than the bigger things in life. Usually when people go to school, they mindlessly follow their muscle memory and walk to Baruch to attend their classes and then potentially leave after their day ends, however this location is much more to me. Although its such a small area in NYC, Gramercy provides a place for me to expand and learn about the small things in life, just like the small hidden theaters, the many delis that are turned into shadows by the large corporations and building surrounding them.

Photos taken by yours truly, SupaSadia.

1. “I resist any thing better than my own diversity, Breathe the air but leave plenty after me, And am not stuck up, and am in my place.” (Whitman, 16)

When I read that quote it reminds me of the first time I went to The High Line, it was magnificent on how a lot of things happen up there I can see someone who sunbath, converse, just enjoying the view of the river or even just to take pictures of the skyscraper buildings across from it. I can see from one thing to another happen in that spacious area, I can see the diversity because of so many kind of people visit it; surprisingly I do not feel suffocated because of how spacy the place is and there is so many things for me to look at and enjoy, I feel like I’m having my own space amongst the crowd.

2. “He made his companions the tiger and the lizard, the wolf and the leopard; he befriended the civet and the deer, and he called the gibbon and baboon his kin.” (Wu Cheng’en, 424)

A quote from “The Journey to the West” that I feel like I can describe about Times Square. Whenever I visit Times Square, I like how the place is. It is the heart of New York; I can say a lot of people want to visit this place. New York City is a diverse city and Times Square is the right place to see it, and the quote tells me that diversity is something important. The more kind of people, the more connection you have with one another without any limitation it will bring you to another level of success that you have never imagined before.

3. “I loafe and invite my soul, I lean and loafe at my ease observing a spear of summer grass.” (Whitman,1)

Central Park is the center of peace in the hectic and a crowded city; it is located in the middle of Manhattan, which makes it convenient to be visited by people. I can find my peacefulness in there, I usually read, listening to music or just enjoying the view and the greenness of it. It is so refreshing for me to be able to release all the stress that might occur in my brain and I would not even feel it until I have the time to do so.

I was not able to post my image so here’s a link for the image:

Image

Image

I couldn’t upload a picture since the storage is full so I hosted the image on another site.

1. “In vain the plutonic rocks send their old heat against my approach, In vain the mastodon retreats beneath its own powder’d bones, In vain objects stand leagues off and assume manifold shapes, In vain the ocean settling in hollows and the great monsters lying low, In vain the buzzard houses herself with the sky, In vain the snake slides through the creepers and logs, In vain the elk takes to the inner passes of the woods” – Whitman, 31

This quote talks about different natures and different animals interacting with their environment. I can feel exactly that by going to the Museum of Natural History. This place attracts many people of different cultures, interacting and admiring the history of mankind. Whether they are a citizen or a tourist, people love to visit this place.

2. “I hear the sound I love, the sound of the human voice, I hear all sounds running together, combined, fused or following, Sounds of the city and sounds out of the city, sounds of the day and night” – Whitman, 26

I chose Time Square for this quote since Time Square is one of the liveliest part of the city. When I go to Time Square, I can feel the city come alive. The combination of the smell, sights, and sounds lets me feel the whole of what New York City has to offer.

3. “I find my familiar woods, I climb the plateaus and scale the peaks, to cut deep dry creepers with my ax. I gather enough to make a load, I stroll singing through the marketplace” – Journey to West, 432

This is how I feel every time I go to Soho. The first part describe how I located my favorite stores then I would have to get through the crowd of people. After doing all this work, I can finally shop in the stores.