My name is Meir Wieder. I grew up on Long Island and went to an all Jewish high school called The Hebrew Academy of Nassau County. Because my high school was a very insulated environment, and everyone from the school came from similar backgrounds, I have never really had a chance to learn about other cultures. One of things I hope to do at Baruch is to learn about other students’ cultures and ways of life, and see how their experiences are similar to, and differ from, mine. I think that this greater understanding of others’ will allow me to better relate to them, and enable me to become a more informed and successful person. In addition, like any other college student, my primary goal for the first semester is to do well in my classes. So far they do not seem too difficult, but I know that I will have to work harder than I did in high school in order to get the grades I want. Furthermore, I hope that I learn more about what I want to do for my career during this year. Although I know that I want to do something that involves math, I am not sure exactly what field I intend to pursue when I graduate. My biggest concern is not doing well in my classes. However, I know that as long as I work hard and manage my time well this should not be a problem. Altogether, I have enjoyed my first few weeks at Baruch and am looking forward to the rest of the semester.