Dear incoming NCC 2013 Class
Prepare yourself to gain a comprehensive college experience from Summer Bridge. I can assure you that the program will aid you in your transition from high school to college. From the very first day Summer Bridge, you will attend classes that will raise your research, writing, and quantitative reasoning skills. In addition, you will have plenty of opportunity to “get to know” your peers, professors, and peer mentors. The program also incorporates Student Success Seminar sessions that is designed to fine tune students’ study skills, social awareness, and enlarge your arsenal of tools and resources.
I highly recommend you take full advantage of all the unique tools that NCC offers. Throughout the two weeks, you will be introduced to NYPL and the Branch, the Info Commons, e-Portfolio, Word Excel, and BatchGeo asset map. All these powerful tools are designed to help you become the most efficient college student. E-Portfolio, for example, will enable both you and your professors to keep track of your work progress, as well as to collaborate with you peers on group assignments. Also, e-Portfolio can be a place where you can share your college life with family, friends, or peers. Essentially, e-Portfolio is an academic Facebook. Just be warned that the site is only for academic purposes and college life.
Oh, yeah, and do not forget about the peer mentors. I strongly advise you to take full advantage of your peer mentors! Although they can be pushy at times, they are there for you. And even if you refuse to use them, they are still being paid to work with you. Also, do not forget that these are also full time CUNY students who have generously laid aside time for you. So, why not?
I guess in closing I would only add you should really commit to becoming acquainted with your house and cohort. By the end of the first day, you should plan getting three of you peers contact info. Remember community sparks motivation, inspiration, and success.
--Sam
Respect the Green (RTG)
House 2, Cohort 2
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Samuel van der Swaagh
08/29/12
Benefits of going to Penn Station
The benefits of going to Penn Station are access to great efficient transportation, and getting a glimpse of NYC culture. The station, although not terribly fancy or grand looking, possess an air that electrifies all travellers. The sole aim of the underground station is merely pragmatic: to safely, and most efficiently navigate thousands of commuters from all over the city, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Washington DC to and from their destination. The moment one steps down into the main entrance of Penn Station, the person sees the first floor strewed with commercial restaurants or fast food places, gift shops, and other pitstops that would easily satisfy a traveler's common crave. As one arrives at the lobby, which is also surrounded by Starbucks, McDonalds, and Nathan's, the traveler is forced to stand while waiting for his/her train. In addition to having to deal with noise and hustling of the station, an individual must accurately follow, at times, confusing exit signs. In the midst of this mess, people too often dismiss Penn Station as ugly, dirty, and irksome.
However, as overwhelming as Penn Station might be, one cannot say that the station is utterly devoid of beauty. Along certain walls, pillars and sealing lie artwork that either tell a story or point back to Old Penn Station. Above two parallel terminals there rises archways that have the appearance of early twentieth century architecture. Also, along certain hallways murals line the tiled walls. And hanging on the pillars of the lobby area are photographs of Penn Station during the early to mid twentieth century. These monumental pieces of artwork have the spirit of industrialism (e.g. fragmented train tracks, and dark gray and brown shades), as well as that of pop culture (e.g. painted stairs and posters). The juxtaposition of Penn Station's artwork might be initially jarring, however, a person eventually begins to relate the conflicting categories with city life. In short, it is as if Penn Station's murals, paintings, photographs, and wacky artwork are designed to prepare outsiders for the life upstairs.
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Samuel van der Swaagh
08/27/12
Bryant Park Paper
When I entered Bryant Park, I saw an amateur juggler, a middle aged person playing an accordion, and crowds clustered along the perimeter of the lawn. Also, a carousel caught my eye and fumes of garbage, barbecue, and grass. The atmosphere is filled with conversation, traffic noise, and community. Throughout the day, Bryant Park is a live with speakers, musicians, chess players, and people lunching. In addition, the open square has a steady flow of people, from various ethnicities and racial backgrounds, stopping and traveling through the area. Bryant Park is one of those unique melting pots of NYC that not only exhibits coexistence, but also promotes city life.
While enjoying the lively activity of the park, I felt exposed by the open nature of the square, despite the fact of being inclosed by towering buildings. While observing further the nature of the location, I realised that Bryant Park has contradictory qualities. Although not terribly serene, the park trees, grass, and flowers flourish in an area of pollution and trash. Also, the park offers rest or relief in the midst of commotion. And even at times one can faintly hear chirping birds against the deafening noises of the traffic. But probably the most extraordinary aspect of Bryant Park is its ability to draw hundreds of individuals, from multiple ethnicities and cultures, willingly together into one tight space, where New Yorkers tend to keep to self. Thus, although Bryant Park might not be the most appealing place to be in NYC, I have observed it to possess a certain vibrance.
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Samuel van der Swaagh
08/21/12
New Yorkers & Stereotypes
When I think of a New Yorker, I develop my own stereotype. Unlike the common outsider view or stereotype of New Yorkers, which bluntly presents New Yorkers as either rude, dangerous or condescending, I hold to the opinion that New Yorkers are often courteous, friendly, community promoters, and tolerant. As a New Yorker, my opinion is definitely tainted with a bias. Thus, no matter how much I would like to contradict the frequent negative view of New Yorkers, I perceive New Yorkers from a stereotype. Although my perspective may have more of a basis than most outsiders, my opinion still relies on a sweeping generalisation. There is no chance that I could ever meet and unbiasedly analyse every resident in NYC. Nonetheless, my stereotype of a New Yorker at least gives a person on the street the benefit of a doubt. The formation of stereotypes is always inevitable, but that does not justify blowing a guy down before you actually know him. Intimidated tourists or travellers, who pass through NYC, are often too shocked by busy crowded nature of the city. Also, New Yorkers tend to have a one track mindset while on the street. In other words, New Yorkers have either a specific destination in mind, a strict focus for that day, or simply want their own space (New Yorkers have ownership of so little space). Thus, an overwhelmed stranger in NYC could easily mistaken, through the stereotype of old Broadway movies, courteousness for pushiness, assertiveness for hostility, and friendly assistance for condescension. New Yorkers are kind well intentioned people, you just have to find the right time and setting to properly get to know them. That is, preferably when they are not on the move.
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This graph is data that I have retrieved from http://www.fordhamobserver.com/lincoln-center-area-census-released/, which shows the demographic of Lincoln Center in 2010. The purpose of creating this bargraph was to hone our research skills. Probably the most challenging aspect of this short class assignment was finding good data (i.e. data that could be measured and classified) and organizing it coherently. Also, another challenging aspect of the activity was navigating Excel. Scanning or searching Excel’s ribbon can be extremely annoying. However, after some practice, I became more proficient in using Excel. Word Excel, e-Portfolio, and PowerPoint/Keynote are great tools to have in one’s arsenal, and I am look forward to mastering these powerful applications.
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Analysis of Quantative Data
In the bargraph above, data displays Penn Station’s different monuments. As the data indicates, the graph shows that Penn Station, although ‘historic,’ has few monuments to boast about. In fact, Penn Station technically has no monuments; however, much of the artwork at the station has monumental qualities. Even by just analyzing the monument types of interest one can easily infer that Penn Station lacks the historical grandeur of Grand Central. In addition, consider the actual numbers of each category. The very observation that Penn Station has more photography than murals, tells a person that the station is more of a commuters hub than a historical tourist site.
After visiting Penn Station and gaining a feel for the place, I have two question regarding the station’s history. First, why, when the Railway demolished the original Pennsylvania Station, did the company not think of preserving at least a piece or a legacy of the old station? The only memorial one has of the Beaux-Art palace like station are photographs. And second, does the original location of Penn Station have a monument set in honor of great legacy of the old building? There must be at least a plaque or pillar to signify where the station was originally erected.
Lastly, if I had more time, I would have collected data on the amount of human interactions for all the "monuments," which was actually done by another NCC student. Surprisingly, not many people notice the photography hanging on the pillars near the track gates. It would be interesting to know who on a daily basis gives the artwork a second look, or complements the sculpture with music, or uses a certain site as a rendezvous point. In other words, I would of liked to have quantified people’s awareness of Penn Station’s historical value.
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