Mariam Elba

I remember during the first few weeks of the semester, I felt surprised and almost in awe of all the resources and support centers at Baruch. I was thinking about all these resources that were introduced to us after almost every freshman seminar. The SACC center, library resources, the incredibly easy access to help at any time through either, my peer mentor, or my advisor … really? There wasn’t nearly this many resources in high school!
My group and I are planning on volunteering for Bideawee, which is an animal shelter that focuses on helping animals that have been abandoned, or abused by healing physical wounds, as well as emotional wounds in animals. Our group wouldn’t have been able to find this organization if it weren’t for the library seminar, which gave us several suggestions on search engines for non-profit and charity organizations. Also, if it weren’t for the help of my peer mentor, I wouldn’t have known what direction to take in the community service project.
Adjusting to college life, for me, is hard, and I’m still in the process of adjusting, especially academically. I’ve gone to the SACC center for help with math, and it’s helped me understand concepts that weren’t clear to me before. I’m still struggling with math, but hopefully, with more practice and patience, I’ll improve.
I’ve wanted to join a lot of clubs this semester, but of course, I can’t be active in all of them. I’ve joined American Humanics, and I plan on staying committed to this club simply because it focuses on serving, and helping people, and it’s what I enjoy doing. I’ve wanted to join many others like Model U.N. and Solutions Without Borders, but with all the schoolwork we get, I haven’t been able to commit.
With all the people, and resources that are available to help make our adjustment to college a little easier, it’s made me feel not only less fearful, but very thankful that we have all these resources, and wonderful people more than willing to help us. I honestly don’t know how I would be faring if it weren’t for the help and support of the college resources, my peer mentor, and my advisor. I mean it when I say that I am utterly thankful, especially for John, and Mr. Medina for going out of their way to help us adjust, and make our college transition much easier than others. (I mean it! Thank you so much!)

So what does it mean to serve the community?

The first answer that pops into my head when I think about this question is simply returning the favor.

As Baruch Scholars, we have so much that’s given to us. I feel utterly thankful for all the freebies and opportunities I received over the past few months. During my time here, I want to be involved as much as possible in the clubs and organizations on campus. So far, I’ve joined the American Humanics society, and I hope to become much more active in the community through this club, and maybe joining other clubs that focus on helping other people.

I believe the aim of the Honors program is to help us become better human beings by carrying out community service. For many of us, when we graduate, we won’t see it just as an obligation to stay in the honors program, but as a duty that we would carry out voluntarily. As scholars, I think we need to be giving people. With all the benefits and opportunities that are given to us, it’s necessary to give something back. If we don’t we would be selfish people, and it would be understandable if we were to be dismissed from the honors program. Being an honors student isn’t all about getting those straight A’s, but being a well-rounded, and selfless human being.

The way I see it, becoming involved in the community by helping the surrounding community, or by helping Baruch become a better campus, is a way of giving thanks for all the wonderful things that Baruch has given us for being scholars. I truly do hope to make a difference in the Baruch community, or in the outside community by the time I leave.

This is a difficult question for me to answer; I really don’t know how I came to be the way I am now. Of course, a long series of events and experiences have melded and shaped me to who I am today, but I can’t point out which ones. So as I sit staring at an almost blank screen, thinking of which experiences to write about, and feeling intimidated by some of the really well written blog entries that have already been written, the only thought that comes to mind is growing up in here in a suburban town on Long Island not many have heard of, Levittown.

Growing up in Levittown, I stuck out like a sore thumb. I was the only Muslim, Egyptian-American girl with a stutter, poofy hair, and a name not many could pronounce correctly. Sure, it wasn’t the easiest thing to go through, but looking back, I think it was a blessing for me. Being a foreigner, in what was to me, a foreign environment, helped me to overcome the fear of being different.

I used to have the most stringent  fear of speaking, whether it was in front of  one person, a group of people, or on the phone. A thought like “they’re going to think I forgot my name” or “they’ll think I’m a retard” would always pop in my head, and I would retreat into my little shell. It bothered me. Why was I letting something get in the way form carrying out such a simple, everyday task? I took a chance, enrolled in a public speaking class, addressed and spoke about my stutter, and much to my surprise, I found that there was really nothing to fear. So what if I spoke differently from everyone else? Why would it matter if I had a stutter? Addressing my stutter in front of a group of people who I considered different from myself  had helped me gain self-confidence with speaking, and with being myself.

For the road ahead, I want to continue to become a better person, even if it means putting myself out of my comfort zone. Especially for these next few years, I want to become involved in the community as much as I can and of course, do my very best in excelling academically. I know the road will have many bumps, twists, and turns, but whatever is in store for me, I won’t fear it, I’ll face it with confidence.