Introduction:
People travel around the world for many reasons. No sooner had I moved to New
York than I realized that education was fundamental and compulsory for everyone. From
learning English language throughout my stay my last semester, LaGuardia Community
College spared no effort to give me the education I needed and a lot of opportunities to
move further confidently. Indeed, I’m very please for achieving an important educational
step in the Barnard College Summer Science Program. Not only was it a social, cultural,
and educational experience, but the Barnard program was also a pre-test, a measurement
of students’ abilities to compete a higher level education. By choosing this program as a
part time internship, I have had the chance to sum up five passionate weeks spent in
Barnard. We were a group of sixteen students living in individual rooms, but worked
together as a team within a harmonic and symbiotic atmosphere. We also had in the
program eleven academic members: four professors, two teacher assistants, two writing
tutors, two counselors, and a residential coordinator. In addition, classes were basically
related to ecologic study of organisms, nutrition and Physiology, and they were given
from Monday to Friday .The weekend was the only time we were “free”. Nevertheless,
the schedule was so tight that we would not even think about going out on the weekend. I
used to joke with my fellow students that our living in Barnard was sort of triangular that
has three angles named residence, class, and restaurant.
0/ Describe your life as a science student at Barnard.
In my life, I have learned many things in a vicarious way. Before I went to
Barnard, I had no clear idea about living on campus. In fact, the Barnard program was my
first time experiencing life on campus. It was oblivious to me that the life in University
like Barnard is far different from the one knew. As a science student, I notice that classes
in Universities are much more intense than they are in two year colleges. For instance,
the biology or physiology classes we were really taking in Barnard were overwhelming at
the beginning of the program. We were asked to read a lot of material and to do an
inclusive learning of the course in a short time. Although I’m a computer science major, I
found the Biology classes very passionate and interesting. In the ecology classes, we
learned how to calculate the population growth of organisms considering its dependent
and independent factors. In fact, it is very important to specify whether the generations of
the population are overlapping (parents go through a binary fission to give birth to kids)
or non-overlapping (where parents generation and kids generations live at the same time).
I also noticed that all science areas follow the same logical procedure. Before assuming
any conclusion in science, it is required to observe, set hypotheses, and then experiment
what we want to explore. I was mesmerized by the Barnard scientific laboratory
equipments. There were adequate materials to accomplish and experiment what we have
learned in class. Indeed, the ecology class labs were based on calculating the population
growth of organisms and the physiology class labs gave us the chance to manipulate
organs in body systems. Also, the Nutrition classes as well as the Physiology classes were
very informative. If I did not take those two classes, I would not know what was in the
food I eat everyday. Since then, I not only evaluate how much carbohydrates or protein I
have in my meal, but I also control the amount of calories I take in daily. In addition to
that I know now where the food goes and what happens to it once in the stomach. This is
the reason why my classmates and I started to read all food labels of any item we take at
the restaurant or at the supermarket nearby our residence.
1/What surprised you about your about your Barnard experience?
I was really surprise by the incredible homogeneity of the group. I thought people from
different background would not be able to integrate so quickly. I was also mesmerized by
the fact that we were tantamount to having close relationship with each other. Instead of
competing each other, the group was working in a symbiosis basis with a slogan no left
behind. Even the director of the program told us one day at the restaurant that he was
fascinated by our group’s behavior. He pointed out that we were the most polite and
collaborative group of all previous groups. In order to understand what might the
motivation of such harmony in a class, I was thinking of three possible reasons: First the
living on campus where we could see each other even late at night. The second reason
could be the fact that we all knew that the program was not looking for the number of one
of the group but how we would perform when adequate condition of study is present.
Thirdly, we all might know that group work was easier way to overcome an overloading
class. Indeed, Barbara corroborates when she was in law school that “One thing I learned
was that you had to talk out the issues, the facts, the cases, the decisions, the process. You
couldn’t just read cases and study alone in your library as I had been doing; and you
couldn’t get it all in the classroom. But once you had talked it out in the study group, it
flowed more easily and made lot more sense” Fjeldstad(16). If all students knew the
efficiency of working in group, they would make their study easier.
2/What was stressful about the experience? How did you cope?
Although we had a variety of delicious food in Barnard, we couldn’t really enjoy it. We
were all suffering from stress which is a mental, emotional or other strain. Our lives in
Barnard were really a brake through an unusual atmosphere, overloading classes with a
short time given. In addition to our classes, we were given with a huge reading part that
needed more time to be done completely. We had major exams every Monday and Friday
and a paper due every class. The time was too short that we didn’t dare to sleep more
than four. After classes, each student had on his or her schedule a meeting with either a
counselor or a tutor. We used to go straight to have dinner before 6:45pm because we had
a mandatory class with the teacher assistants at 7:00 a clock. We normally leave the class
at 11:00 pm. In spite of the fatigue, we never went straight to our rooms but we rush to
the computer lab located in the basement of the residence in order to finish our paper due
or prepare the following day exam. No matter how good we prepared ourselves for the
test we couldn’t have confidence. Quizzes required a strong logic analysis and a deep
understanding of the material.
3/What did you appreciate the most about your Barnard experience?
Margaret Meat and Rhoda Metraux pointed out that “many Americans take the summer
vacations as a special time for forming new friendships” Fjeldstad (103). Similarly,
summer educational programs can also be taken as an adequate time to make friends and
learned new things from others. I believe the Barnard program is a good example of a
best place to meet and interact with strangers. Even after the program, I still keep
wonderful relation with my fellow students in the program. I really appreciate the mutual
support we all had in common. We didn’t want anyone left behind or misunderstand any
material on the classes. I remember having problem to organize my Power Point
presentation about a diet soup; all my classmates came to my room to give me hand. If I
didn’t get their advocacy, I would probably end up with a bad presentation. One of the
other things that really fascinated me was the generosity of Barnard. We had everything,
food, room, and equipment for free. Beside that we all got $500 reward at the end of the
program. Furthermore, we allowed taking two or three classes in Columbia University
with all compulsory books on the courses for free. At banquet on the last day ceremony,
the director of the program mentioned on his speech that the entire program has been
funded a modest billionaire who didn’t spare any effort to enhance community college
students. I was impressed and taught that all have a mission of help our society for
improvement. One of the great things that I love in the United States is the educational
funding ordinary citizens. I wish I could do the same in poor countries like mine.
4/What skill did you develop during this experience?
After the Barnard Program, I did not only my introspection but I also did my self
evaluation. Then I found out that I ignored a lot. I knew that I need to do more work in
order to upgrade my level so that I can be at the University level. Today, I think different
and I act different. I believe that I’m aware of my strengths and weaknesses. Therefore,
I’m more focus and I want to be a better student. I have learned in Barnard that a student
should intensively keep up.
5/in what ways (if any) have you change because of this experience?
It wasn’t until I experience the Barnard program that I realized how much I can improve
my skills and abilities in a short term. Indeed, I take this program as a gift for LaGuardia
students. It not only motivates me to seek higher, but it also gives me the chance to know
how important it is to go to a prestigious university. Furthermore, this program gives me
the great advantage to take free courses in Barnard and open my ambitions widely.
6/If I had to do it over, what would you do difference?
If I had to do the program again I would work smarter and easier. I was working without
management. Many of us made mistake to accumulate days of sleep. I realized at the end
that intensive lack of sleep can lead to inefficiency. If knew that earlier. I wouldn’t
overwhelm myself through a strong anxiety. The other thing that I would do for sure
would be studying with someone from the beginning of the program. Unfortunately, I
knew that important on the third week after I almost killed myself working alone.
7/what advice would you give to students planning to attend next years.
I would advise students planning to attend the program that it would be one the best
decision they ever made in their educational career. I would tell them that the program
would develop their ability to focus and mitigate their weaknesses. I would also tell them
that they would have the chance to experience living campus and see whether they like it
or not. In addition, they would be eligible to take free courses in a prestigious university,
Columbia with no expense. Indeed, who know how many doors of opportunity can be
opened for them once there. Overall, I would highly recommend the Barnard program for
all students of two year college. It would definitely give them a picture of what happen in
four year colleges or universities.
8/ Now that you have had this experience, how do you plan to build on it? What’s
next?
Today not only am I highly motivated to seek further, but I’m more mature regard to
identifying my strength and weakness. I make better decisions. I’m really obsequious to
challenge myself and reach a p.h.d because I know what it takes to get it. I constantly
pray to God to reach there.