All posts by Victor Kassab

Journal Entry Three

Take Advantage

When doing community service others rely on  me to get what they need. For example, when teaching kids with disabilities, they depend on me to help them do the activities that they can’t do on their own. Even when delivering food, the poor rely on me to get them the food they need and deliver it to them.They rely on my support the same way I rely on the support of others.

Baruch College offers a variety of resources like support centers and more specifically tutoring. I have visited the math tutoring center and I frequently use the writing center. It is a great asset and I have come to rely on the writing center for editing and restructuring various assignments. Doing community service has given me the understanding that it is OK to use the support of others and we should take full advantage in doing so.

I used to believe that doing community service is a nice thing to do and not something that you have to do. In attending Baruch College and working on a community service project, I understand that it is my responsibility to go out and give back to my community and the society that I live in. I now understand that I need to help others, because I may need that help as well. It creates a cycle where by helping others, others are able to help us in return. Therefore, if it wasn’t for community service the needy wouldn’t receive their food and I wouldn’t receive the help that I need.

Journal Entry Two

GIVING BACK

When i was younger i was never a fan of community service. Not until i actually went out and performed some act of kindness. It was a Tuesday night, and for the very first time i was delivering packages of food to the poor. I knocked on the door and was greeted by a middle-aged woman, with several children behind her. When she realized what i had come for, she gave me the biggest smile i had ever seen. It made me feel so special and accomplished. I was really proud of myself. It was at that point that i began to understand community service and the effects it has on others.

Being a member of the Baruch College Honors program, i have a variety of responsibilities. One of the most important responsibilities is giving back to our community. Whether its through tutoring younger children, delivering packages to the poor, or collecting money for the poor, one must give back to society.

As Baruch Honors scholars, a variety of people look up to us. We must set an example for all scholars, whether its current students or future students, and go out and perform these simple acts of kindness. We must not be selfish. People have given us and its now our turn to give back. For those that think twice about doing community service just ask yourself: what if i was in that position?

Journal Entry One

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1 Comment

College has been a totally different experience for me. I come from a high school of just 613 students. Where everyone knew everyone. We were all part of a community and we all lived within a 2 mile radius of each other. College has been much different. There are 13,000 students coming from all over the world to Baruch, the most diverse school in the United States. I grew up with basically the same class mates from kindergarten all the way up to 12th grade. There was never a need to go out there and meet people. There was never a need to introduce yourself and get to know one another. But in college that is a necessity. At my high school everyone was of the same religion as opposed to a public school where kids were of all different races and religions. Coming from such a close knit high school was nice, because its good to know everyone and you make some really close friends however it does pose some challenges when going to college. I remember sitting there at orientation. Just sitting. Not going out there and meeting people. I had the opportunity but the feeling of uncertainty held me back. Maybe if there was a real ice breaker things would have been different, however that’s in the past. Its time to focus on the future. And in the future I will go out and meet as many people as possible because I’d rather not remember the day that once was.