Journal #3 – Next Steps…

I can honestly say that in the past, community service to me was just something I did because I had to. After doing research on this on this community service project, however, my perspective definitely has changed. It is no longer something I do to just get it over with. The organization my group chose is called Solar One. It is an organization concentrated on educating everyone about a greener way of life. At first, it did seem a bit boring and bland to me, but as I read more and more about this organization, the more I was hooked. There is more to them than planting a bunch of trees in the park. They host events that are extremely cultural and they’re even solar-powered! They also have education programs specifically targeted at different age groups in order to get ever aware of what is going on in the environment. In order to find this amazing and fun organization to volunteer for, my group and I utilized the skills we learned during our library freshman seminar class.  When first assigned this project, my group was so confused what to do, we all had different ideas and finally after searching for a couple, we came across this one that everyone agreed upon. During my 3 months in College, I have checked out a couple of clubs, most of them sororities. Going to check them out definitely has also helped me with community service, because for all of the sororities, community service is one of their pillars. Almost every other weekend they go out and volunteer at some event and I had participated in some including the Susan G. Komen Race for the cure. The resources given to me at Baruch helps so much and coming into this school I never thought I would get anything like it.

94 comments November 29, 2010 wh113857

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

Baruch students are usually not your typical teenage movie college student. We don’t have the campus, the house parties, the professors that live within walking distance from us. When I first came to Baruch, it was hard to socialize and to make friends. It really did feel like high school all over again but with a ton of more people. However, I have been a college student for a little over 2 months and the experiences I have gone through are priceless. As a Baruch Scholar, I feel that my role is to use all the benefits given to me and to use them as best as I can. I also represent the college as a whole. When you say Baruch College, people just think that it’s some second or third tier college that can’t compete with the Ivy Leagues. Oh man are they wrong. When people told me college was going to be easy, especially Baruch, they were definitely lying to me. The classes here are hard, the workload is a lot and there are enough hardworking and determined people here just like there are in the Ivy Leagues. Being a scholar, I have to prove to others that Baruch does “have game” and we get everything for free (which is always a plus)! Baruch College offers so many services heres, from the many clubs, to the different Greek organizations, the cheap movie tickets, to just about everything you can possibly think of. I am definitely taking advantage in a lot of them and it’s helped me make so many new friends that I will keep for the rest of my life.

November 5, 2010 wh113857

Journal #1: Where have you been and where are you going?

My story, just like everyone else’s, is a complicated one.  I am 18, living with both my parents and my younger sister. I was born and raised in a very traditional Chinese family.  Schoolwork came first.  I had to get the grades in order to have a steady future. I learned to believe in the Holy Trinity: growing up to either be a doctor, lawyer or investment banker, the three most lucrative, sought after jobs in the market. Anything else meant that you had no future or success. To guarantee we did well in school, I had to go to prep school on the weekends in addition to public school. Both gave a ton of homework and I was just in elementary school. After schoolwork, came musical talent. From violin to flute to the piano, Chinese parents expect their children to do well in school and master a musical instrument. My parents decided to choose the piano for me. I started at the age of four and still play to this day.  After musical instrument came artistic talent. Throughout elementary school my weeks were filled. School six days a week, then piano on Saturdays and art classes on Sundays.  There was no time for rest or fun and games. However once I started middle school, my parents decided to give me a bit more freedom. It was not because they felt bad for me, it was becaues maintaining a reputation was key. My friends from middle school were not all asian anymore. They were mainly caucasian and my parents did not want to be the known as the parents that were overbearing and crazy. They also had my younger sister to take care of.  I was finally free to go out and hang out with my friends and do as I please. I wasn’t constantly being watched over anymore. Now that I look back on it, I do not regret the decisions my parents made for me. Because of them, I am the hardworking, driven, and independent person I am today. Even though my parents were strict as I gre older, I have always kept their teachings close to me.  When they were not there to push me, I pushed myself to be better.  I have become a lot more independent because of them.  Also, just like them I believe reputation is key. If a person cannot present him or herself properly, then it is a dealbreaker. This belief makes me always want to striv to be better than what I already am.  It also makes me more of a cautious person.

I’m finally in college now.  One month in. To be honest, Baruch was not my first choice. When I decided to attend, I had no idea what to expect.  I thought it would make me unhappy and I’m not sure why I thought that. I was scared. I remember telling my parents the day before classes that I was terrified for my life. I wanted a learning environment where people were motivated to learn, to question the professor, to be able to feel comfortable sharing their stories and experiences with everyone.  Now that I look back on my first month of college, the Baruch Honors program definitely gave me the environment I wanted. Sure, there is no campus or dorms that are nearby, but in return I get to keep enjoying the city that I love.  I have found friends that make me break away from my comfort zone and make me be the best person I can possibly be. I do not regret choosing to come here.  In my first semester I hope to do well in my classes and just to enjoy learning while having fun. This is all a new experience to me and I will take it day by day because the goods in life do not come easy.

October 1, 2010 wh113857

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2 comments September 9, 2010 wh113857