Darius Muniz

New Student Seminar, Group A

September 20th 2010

                                                Journal Entry 1

1.         Voices across time is a phrase that represents a passing on of knowledge, beliefs, ideas, motivations and passions from one generation to another. We are a species that is constantly evolving, learning from our predecessors to advance our knowledge and understanding of the environment and everything in it. As far as relating to my life, voices across time could be related to my very status as a student and my endeavor to further my knowledge in the pursuit of a Degree. Through my participation, I am furthering a tradition of learning where knowledge and mastery is passed on from professor to student and from student to applied practice. I am walking down a path that many in my field before me have walked and which many after me will also walk, following the paths that have been discovered and carving new ones that will later be improved upon. Voices Across Time will be a constant influence on us all for as long as there is one human being passing on knowledge to another, there will be a need to convey that knowledge and pass it on to future generations.

2.         Adapting has been one of my greatest concerns, but after experiencing NYU hands on and getting to the community in general, a lot of my fears and anxieties have been put to rest. Now that I feel more at ease in my environment, I can utilize personal traits of myself that have allowed me to excel and get to where I am now. I find that a person more at ease with their surroundings will utilize more of their strong qualities without fear of error. I aspire to hand in work assignments that accurately reflect and demonstrate my level of understanding of the topic being taught. Only through mastery of current knowledge can one recognize and identify new chains of thought for the advancement of current knowledge and understanding. I plan on staying current and up to date with my readings in all subjects so that I may follow the structured progression of stages in which knowledge is taught. I will work towards complete understanding of what’s being taught to the level at which I can then use and apply this knowledge practically. To achieve at my known potential and have my academic achievements reflect my capabilities and motivation would be part of my hopes dreams and expectations for this semester and all following thereafter.

3.         My most joyful moment today like most days is seeing that flash of excitement gleaming from my daughters eyes when she gets an answer right on her homework. Seeing the smile that grips her face and expresses the triumph of mastering a new idea or concept, which had earlier been an unknown mystery to her. Watching her reminds me of all of us at a time when life was simple and the important and forgotten simple joys in life were realized. A time when everything struck us with wonder and awe and we then responded with open and unbiased attention. In a way my daughter is also my role model in the sense that I try to mimic her approach for learning and see and experience the world with an open mind and eagerness that is driven by curiosity mixed with the excitement of new experiences.