Journal #3 – Next Steps…

The Community Services Project was a great opportunity to work in a group and draw from the large pool of resources offer at Baruch. In previous situations where I have done group work there really hasn’t been a need to meet off campus. Since we do need to meet at our organization in order to volunteer it’s good to practice coordinating schedules and making sure everyone in the group is accommodated. As a whole, the community service project has given me some new insights as to what it means to volunteer and give back to the community. Being able to impact another person’s life in a positive way is an amazing experience. It allows you to connect with the people in your community and even learn more about your community. On top of that I strongly believe volunteering is a way to learn more about yourself. 

Some of the resources I have discovered as a result of the community service project include the Writing Center, and the STAR Career Development Center. These two departments at Baruch allowed me to learn new ways to find volunteer, intern, and job opportunities. Additionally, the writing center has allowed me to learn new techniques that have improved the way I synthesize writing prompts and write my responses. The skills I have learned have also helped me in my other courses such as English and Business. Writing essays for English and business plans for my business recitation course has been much easier since I attended the writing center. As of today, I have not joined a club. Being that I am still getting adjusted to the structure of college, as well as working after school, I simply have not had the time to look into or attend a club event. Next semester I do plan on taking the time to find a club that interests me. 

Journal #2 – What does it mean to serve your community?

As a Baruch Scholar I believe it is important that we as an Honors Program set an example for our peers, and positively represent our school. One aspect of doing so includes doing community service, and helping out within our communities. In school, I believe there are also many opportunities to serve the community, specifically by helping our classmates. Gestures as simple as helping a peer who appears to be struggling in class can go a long way. Acts like those not only help that person, but hopefully, it motivates them to do the same if they are in the opposite position. Outside of school, it is important to volunteer with organizations that help the people within the community. By doing so we are able to make a positive impact on the community and helping those in need. It gets the Baruch name out into the community, and shows that we, as a school, are devoted to not only developing as individuals, but also as a community. I believe people should volunteer and help the community as often as they can. A strong community is beneficial for everyone. Often people get too caught up in trying to personally develop, and forget that at some point, they will also need help. It isn’t a matter of if, but rather when. By taking the time to help others you are buying into your community, and, in turn, you are creating the opportunity for your community to buy back into you.

Journal #1 – Where Have You Been and Where Are You Going?

I believe I’ve had some very different experiences compared to most of my peers at Baruch. I grew up about an hour and a half outside of NYC. My town was small, you’d see the same people every day, and everything was much further apart. Often I’d joke and say that no matter what you wanted to do, it would always require at least 20 minutes of straight driving first. While I did grow up in a small town I also was able to frequently experience “city life”. My father had an apartment in Manhattan and the rest of my family lived in Yonkers. Being able to experience both styles of living was really important for me. It allowed me to see different cultures and values, and, in turn, develop a unique set of values.

Now being a college student attending school in the city I am able to see how my values compare to my peers. I expect to meet new people, and hopefully grow and diversify my network of friends and professors/ professionals. Being that it is my first semester I am mainly focused on creating a routine that works for me. I try to stay consistent with when I do school work, socialize, go to sleep, and work. I was worried it would be a difficult transition, but I believe its gone smoothly and so far I have been able to stay on top of everything. Another concern I had going into this semester was getting to school. Being that I use the train to commute I was worried there would be delays and things of that nature. Luckily, I have not yet had that problem and hopefully it stays that way!