“May
the odds be ever in your favor”. This was the first door dec that greeted me
this fall. Returning as a sophomore, I expected the feeling of being
indifferent. The grounds of Oxford is no longer a novelty after your freshman
year. The “honeymoon” was now over, and there was nothing else to explore.
Somehow,
things felt different. Physically, Oxford was similar in every single way, but
mentally I felt even more connected with the school. The tables have turned,
and I now have to assume the same responsibilities that I once admired my
sophomores for. I now had the chance to explore the same play-field but with a
different view. I’m proud to admit that I’ve learned a lot this semester; both
from my classes and my involvements.
English
Literature class: I consider this class a “pleasant accident”. Come to think of it, the only reason I was tempted to sign
up for this class was the INQ requirement that haunts some people here at
Oxford. We learned about different schools of literary criticism such as
psychoanalysis, marxism, feminism and even liberal-humanism. More than that, I
was exposed to great American literatures in this class, works that I never
would have known existed. Little did I know, that I would soon be addicted to
this class, analysizing stories from different angles. After a semester in this
class, I have to admit that movies or even songs are never going to be the same
again. I cannot resist the temptation of tearing apart and deconstructing the
meaning behind everything I read, watch or listen. An “intellectual-cocaine” as
how I describe this.
Carpe Diem
Philosophy:
I enrolled in this class assuming it would be a fall-back class, or in other
words a GPA-booster. I was embarassed to claim the grade I got in my first
paper. My high academic-ego was severly bruised, which in turn led me to panic
and even consider dropping the class. Fortunately or unfortunately, I was faced
with the option of accepting a “Withdrawal” on my transcript or risking a
low-grade”. Any business school student would know, that a D is far better than
a Withdrawal. So, I continued this class, having the determination to score a
better grade. I scheduled appointments, and even wrote multiple drafts of my
assigned paper. I began to take things seriously and dropped my ego.
Surprisingly, the class that I thought would be completely useless and
agonizing was the class I learned the most out of. I’ve never felt the joy of
being succint and concise until this class. More than that, I value the ability
to take arguments by it’s horn and shake them. Something, I’m truly grateful
for.
Sociology
of Old People: I have this unexplained belief that if you attend Oxford, there
are two professors which you HAVE to take classes from: Dr. McQuiade and Dr.
Shapiro. Two men who have not only excelled in their fields but also inspired
many students to challenge themselves out of their comfort zone. This class,
was my first class encounter with Dr.McQuaide. Half way through this class, I
had an epiphany. I learned about retirement, widowhood and death among older
people, but it had never occurred to me that while I’m here studying for four
years, my parents back home are getting old. I’ve failed to notice how small
things began to change over the course of my college years. My parents are no
longer the same people that I used to know when I was five. They’re old now,
and not many people realize that older people have different needs. This class
highlighted some of the psychological and physical need that I would have never
considered without help. I’ve learned to appreciate my parents and my youth
more than anything else.
Financial
accounting: Some people call this class the “orgo” of business. In plain terms,
this is the one class that many pre-business students dread. To me, this was
the only class I have left to complete my pre-requisites for Goizuetta. All
this while, I claimed that business was not the right thing for me; I had no
option but to continue with this major. Financial accounting was my exposure to
the business world. I’m proud to have said that I enjoyed learning every bit of
journal entries, adjusting entries and even looking at balanced sheets. I’ve
come to realize that financial accouting is a language of it’s own. I’ve never
comprehended how numbers could tell you so much. More than that, I liked how
each transaction was a puzzle, waiting to be solved and recorded in it’s right
place. Although, I do have to admit, financial accounting is definitely not
going to be my choice of concentration, but it was indeed a good first-hand
exposure of what happens behind the scenes of a companies vault.
Hindu
Student Association: Some people call us a fraternity, because the board
members generally keep things among themselves. On the other hand, I consider
this club a family, who bonds over their passion for dances, events and
aarthis. This was my first significant leadership role at Oxford, I’ve never
had the chance to lead a huge club before in this setting before. It took me a
while to adapt to the team dynamics in this club. I’m proud that we have
amazing talents and commitment on the board. More than that I’m thankful that
people who not on the board are even more dedicated to help us with our events.
A few rough bumps were present along the way, but I’ve only looked at it as a
learning opportunity for myself. I’ve had the chance to learn more about
myself. Above all, I find myself asking what kind of a leader do I wish to be
in the future. Not many leadership role is able to question your abilities and
push you forward. I’m proud that I’ve had the chance to do so in this club.
While
I can continue to go on about my semester, I’ve come to realize that most of my
time was spent for self-betterment this semester. I believe challenges and
adversity is necessary for personal growth. More than that, it’s important to
make you realize you still have a lot more to learn.
Carpe Diem
