It seems as if it were only yesterday that I was writing my first journal entry for our Freshmen Seminar class. Oh how time flies! I can’t believe the first semester of college is already about to come to an end. This first semester has really been very challenging but at the same time I’ve learned a lot.

The Community Service Project has brought our freshmen seminar group closer. At first it seemed like a lot of work and it did not seem easy. But led by Dariya and Mr. Medina who guided us throughout the project, we were able to do a good job. Though it was not easy to come to a decision of where we would like to volunteer, we learned a lot about each other’s interests and passions. The project also led us to learn about the power of teamwork. Though at times it was difficult to reach our other group members, we could not have done such a well job without each other’s help. The project also helped us to realize that working in groups not only is more efficient, it also fosters learning through other’s viewpoints and ideas. Through the research we did for this project I learned how many people in the world really need help and are less fortunate than us. Being part of the honors program where we are endowed with many privileges and advantages that others may not come by easily, I feel we should give back to the community not just to fulfill our requirements but also from the goodness of our hearts because there truly is many people out there that need help.

I was unable to join a club this semester due to time restrictions and also because I wasn’t able to find a club of my interest. However, next semester I do plan on joining a few clubs and next year I plan on trying out for the basketball team here at Baruch which hopefully turns out well for me.

I haven’t found the need to use any of the resources here at Baruch this first semester such as the support centers. However, the library and the honors lounge have been very helpful for me to have some time to catch up on school work. Also I’ve used the gym facilities, especially the basketball courts, to really relieve stress from school work and take a break from reality.

Three years from now I hope to finish my undergraduate studies here at Baruch. I hope to have many internships done through the next three years. I would also like to have done at least a semester of study abroad either in Italy or France. At that time I would be applying for my graduate school studies whether here at Baruch or somewhere else. All this however is pretty far fetched because 3 years down the line is so far away. I hope to get a lot through my college experience here in the next 3 years and I hope to come out of my undergraduate studies as a mature, confident, and independent individual who is ready to face the challenges brought by the working world.