It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right, I hope you had the time of your life...Farewell for now, UMIAMI

So as my time as a Miami Hurricane is coming to a close, I thought it would be appropriate to journal the whole experience, from the bumpy beginning to the smooth landing. The bittersweet emotions are finally starting to kick-in, realizing that I am leaving some very respectable, genuine, and intelligent individuals. This flight began with a lot of clouds to overcome, with turbulence disrupting my voyage, but I feel that I am leaving with a clear sky. On January 14, 2008, I entered the gates of Cane Country. Minutes later, I found my home for the next semester, or so I thought, at the Pearson Residential College. I met Kartik, one of the nicest individuals that I've met at the University of Miami. However as a transfer student, I felt that living in a housing unit catered more towards the upper-level students at the University of Miami would be detrimental to my social adaptation at UM. One week later, I moved into the Hecht Residential College. MT2 (McDonald Tower-2) would be my home for the next four months. One of the first people I met at Miami was Robbie Wallace, we became such close friends within a short period of time. However, for undisclosed reasons, Robbie withdrew friend, and I found myself alone. When moving into Hecht, I put myself out there, fleeing from room to room, trying to find an invitation to a party from one of the already formed cliques. However, no one was receptive, and this left me in a very resentful state. For months, I was regretting leaving Maryland, the crazy yet balanced life at College Park. My parents told me to remain patient and things would fall into place, and things started to but at a pace that I was getting frustrated at. You know how you never talked to certain people in high school and then you see them in high school and you just become very friendly with them, we'll that happened to me. In English 105, I met Evan Altman, I've seen her round high school and she was amazingly good friends with some of my closest friends in high schools. It was in the classroom that we bonded and spent many dinners at Subways or in Club Richter writing essays. So I'm starting to meet people and attack potential friends, but this is still no Maryland Terrapin party yet, :(. About a month in, I received a message from Jamie Straz about Shabbat and how he wanted me to come. We'll I could not attend that one, but the next weekend was a HUGE Jewish event called Shabbaton, and we'll this was the opening to my growing love for the Jewish community at the University of Miami.  I met many nice Jewish students and many of these individuals remain some of my closest friends at UM. And most importantly, I met some of the most caring and knowledgeable rabbis, who I know even though I’m leaving, I will spend many Shabbats in the future with. Through JCLE, I met one of my closest friends, Andrew Freeman, who is actually my current roommate. Still, my weekends and social calendar was not mirroring the constant party that I was living at Maryland, and was considering another a move. After five months, a near perfect GPA, I was done with Freshman year. Highlights of freshmen year include all the basketball games, few House parties, inhaling the herbal essences on the rockers in the UC Patio, and many Shabbats and holidays spent at CLE and Hillel.  Still not satisfied with the life I chose to follow, I decided that I would return to Miami, with an optimistic attitude. That summer, before living the life of a Financial Advisor at UBS Financial Services, Inc., I took the trip. It is every naturally-born Jewish individuals’ right to go to the land of Eretz Israel. I went with Rabbi Sprung and a group of college students, the majority being from UMiami. On the trip, I met some people that remain some of my close friends at Miami. Still not satisfied with the choice I made after my first-semester of college, I decided to give Miami another chance. I had one motive entering into my sophomore year of college and that was to relive the life that I had started at Maryland, with intense partying. Part of this formula for me was to go GREEK. I rushed a few fraternities and the ones that I chose to look at were not the right ones for. Here I am, back in square one, bored with the sporadic weekends at Miami. However, I met some amazing people during first-semester and would not trade them for any of the brothers of the fraternities that I rushed in Fall. In the beginning of the Fall semester, I spent a lot of time on the 2^nd floor of Mahoney. On the 2^nd floor, I met some amazing individuals that I hate to leave, including and not limited to Ross Gottlieb, Jonathan Steinman, Alex Baker, Steve Simon, Fabian M., Simone Berger, Kristy Torres, Jacqueline Boss, Li Joan Baculi. Of course, I can’t forget Danielle Weiss. Danielle Weiss, my partner in crime in Ms. Counsil’s 12^th grade Honors English Class. We’d just laugh and trample over the stupidity that inhabited 8113.  Danielle was one of the nicest people to me when I transferred and introduced me to her group of friends and will miss her A LOT. So sophomore year, I lived in Mahoney, on the 6^th floor, and met some of my closest girlfriends only doors away. On Birthright, I met Melissa Levine, the most bubbly and energetic girl, did I mention she’s a dancer and a damn good one too. Within minutes, I became so close with her roommate, Hannah Maurer, and their suitemates, Marie Tranakas and Teddi Thosath, though I could’ve sworn I met Teddi while pulling an all nighter in the library for POL211 Final with Michelle Kling. So things are starting to look up! I’m meeting more and more people, so what, if I’m not GREEK. Nope, not the case. Still my weekends were boring, no one wanted to go to clubbing or partying, kill me NOW! I channeled all my energy into long nights of studying and wound up with a 3.94 GPA for Fall semester, but let’s not end the memories of fall, because there are so many more. I can’t forget to mention, the new head Rabbi of the University of Miami, Rabbi Zvi Katzman. His family, including himself, were some of the most hospitable individuals, and I hope to stay in close contact and share many more religious gathering with them. Almost every weekend, I would spend the beginning of my Friday evening at the Katzman’s MANSION, praying and sharing many stories over delightful home-cooked Shabbos meals. At the mansion and through JCLE, I met so many great individuals, including someone who will always see eye to eye with me and acts as a buffer as we both try to find our purposes in life. We would dance to joyous Jewish songs and just enjoy our heritage. So much has occurred in the past ten nine eight months, and by far, I would have to say that although this is my last semester, it was the BEST semester at UMiami. Digressing back to Fall semester, so many events happened that engulfed the memories of sophomore year. Going all the way back to the fall, these are the memories that remain vivid in my head. Dating all the way back to middle of August, the very beginning of sophomore year, the beginning weeks were jammed packed with rush activities and “parties” for certain fraternities. Beach, bowling events, gatherings at the Cereal Bowl were what the first few weeks of Fall consisted of. Fast forward to a few weeks later and no Greek blood, I joined the University of Miami Democrat’s Club. From that day on, I became very involved with the Barack Obama campaign. Many of my afternoons were spent in the UC Breezeway, yelling and bitching at students to get involved and get their voice out, and VOTE. Skipping Financial Accounting and English 106 with Hannah to see the first black president, presidential candidate at the time, speak at the UM’s very own BUC (Bank United Center). Volunteering at the JAY-Z, Pitbull, and Wyclef Jean OBAMA concert in Miami and getting others to get involved in the upcoming presidential elections. Besides being very political, I continued to do what I did best, donate my time and heart to those in need. As a cancer survivor, I have a passion for sharing my days with other children who have been diagnosed with cancer as well as other medical conditions. I joined Project Sunshine and volunteered at Miami Children’s Hospital every Thursday for three-hours. From the philanthropic days of Fall to the days filled with screaming and yelling. Wherever I go, I always managed to turn into the model school-spirited student, advertising my school colors in every which way I can. One of the best times of the 2009 Football season was the FSU game, it was EPIC. Although it was raining like I’ve never seen before, it was the BEST football game I’ve been to thus far. Participating in the Senior Walk was A LOT of fun too, riding the HUMMER and selling shirts. But still, the memories of fall live on and on! My 20^th birthday, or I should say, the passing of the torch from Alex Baker to me. That night was one of the most fun nights of Fall. Living the life of the rich and famous, driving in our limousine, popping bottles and just living life. Continuing our pretend life for the night with an elaborate feast at Smith and Wollensky’s Steakhouse and finishing our night at he MONSTER party, which ended with me passing out in my bed at 3AM.  Five days later, and the time is finally here, time for me to relive FALL 2007, with a little College Park madness. Visiting my friends, watching the Terrapins annihilate Clemson, and drinking the good remedies and reacting the memories of fall semester, freshmen year. Time to finally return to reality, back at UMiami. That next weekend started out a bit depressing, after returning from an insane weekend the week before, but ended on a somewhat higher note, with Lucas’s and third floor’s wine party. Meeting the people of the third floor was awesome and I wish I could of  The time is finally here when girls dress up in the sluttiest outfits and the men dress up in the perverted ones. What should I be? Maybe a marijuana plant, maybe a man with a huge snake. How about a blowup ostricth, YEP! Halloween was FUN! Partying it up with my bros and Hannah, Melissa, and Marie, fun, fun, fun. It’s almost half-way done the semester, OH HO! The second weekend of November was an eye-changing event for me. SHABBATON at the hotel on NORTH MIAMI BEACH was one of the best times of fall semester. I met so many great kids from FIU, FAU, Lynn, and of course, jewed it up with my close Jewish friends at Miami. I learned so much that weekend and it definitely had a huge impact on the way I lead my life today. Wow it’s almost Thanksgiving, then a few weeks till exams and time from WINTER BREAK. This semester has FLOWN BY! But it wouldn’t be worth it if I didn’t mention some more event. Remember the time I kissed the busgirl at Cheesecake Factory in Dadeland?!!!!! Of course I do, why do you remind me about it everyday, LOL. Hannah’s birthday dinner at Beni-HANA was a good meal too. Enough about food! Other events that are vivid in my memories are Tuesday’s at the Mansion for some grub and hookah, movies on the Green, sneak peaks of kick ass movies at Cosford, basketball games at BUC, weekly learning with Sprung, shabbats on the Beach, and I’m sure there so many more but it would take forever to write and write. I can’t forget to mention meeting other people on my floor who include Amin Jamal, Jackie Sandler, Jennifer Krueger and if I’m forgetting you know that the more important thing is that your in my heart and meeting you has changed me as a person, in some way…  

            Now onto the LAST SEMESTER, which in my opinion, was probably the best one despite being able to share it with certain individuals, Cough, Cough, HANNAH. So wow, I can’t even recap this whole semester, it went by SO FAST and it was SO JAMMED-PACK and the most fun. After returning from an insane UCF end of winter weekend, I began to have second thoughts about Miami. Going into Spring semester, I’ll be honest that I was strongly considering transfer for many reasons and secretly applied to a few universities and have been admitted, and therefore I have chose one of my top choices, UNC. My fall semester was no where as boring as Spring semester at Miami in 2008, but it still was not reflecting the college-experience I began and what I was looking to get out of college. The first weekend back was a bit frustrating, but improved. I started that Friday night out at Katzman’s for dinner and came back and was extremely frustrated when I found out that no one was in the mood to go out and party. I had just come back from partying it up with my high schools bros in UCF and I come back to “college” to be bored, WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT? Then that night improved tremendously when Kristy was feeling the same irritation with the boredom of Miami students, and invited me along with her Li-Joan and two of her other friends to a club in Miami Beach, and that made me feel like I was back in my element. So as you can see, there is this trend where the beginning of the semester always starts off bumpy but manages to transform into a monumental semester. Fast forward to the beginning of February and the colonization of Alpha Epsilon Pi, Lambda Deuteron colony. We’ll before we get to that, let’s rewind to February 7^th, and the Lakewood Shabbaton in Lakewood, NJ. One thing that I must say is that I have regained my strong foundations for Judaism that I sort of lost contact with when I entered high school. Throughout my childhood, I was very involved with Jewish events and organizations, and this continued into the end of middle school. I belonged to my synagogues youth group for many years and met so many wonderful individuals and shared many memories and all in all felt a part of a community. Lakewood, NJ was such an awesome time and I had another eye-opening and life-changing experience. Praying and celebrating with joyous dancing and singing, and enjoying the simple principles of life with your closest friends is what life all about, which is one reason why Miami has not been the best environment for me, but we will not get into that. Fast forward to the next weekend, few days after many AEPi “Rush” Events, such as barbeques, Miami Heat game, etc, and after getting the phone call, I finally found my future at Miami. Before the Miami Beach Shabbaton, after freaking out that everyone except me had gotten the call, the sound of acceptance started ringing and a few seconds later, I was a founding father of the Alpha Epsilon Pi, Lambda Deuteron colony at UMiami. WOW! I’ve got to say that AEPi has been so much fun so far and can’t wait to continue this life at UNC. I’ve met many individuals that I wish I had met sooner, who share the same values and morals as me, and understand me. Patience is a virtue, but within time, everything works out. One of my fellow founding fathers, Robert Murstein, man, I’ll miss that character tremendously. We go all the way back to middle school, and lost touch in high school due to our conflicting schedules, but regained our strong bond as soon as I got to Miami. I could write the names of 32 men that I wish I could take with me to the AEPi fraternity at UNC, but I want them to know that we’re brothers for life, and I’ll be there for the good and the bad times, and if they ever need anything, a favor, need a person to talk to, that I’m here 24/7, a roadtrip, plane-ride, telephone call, or Facebook wall post away. I can’t wait for all the memories we still have left to share when I come for Fall Breaks and other intersession. I know that quite a few of them will be at my wedding. So much has happened in the course of two months, from Purim festivals, beach cleanups, beach socials with other sororities, Shabbats, Poker nights, and the list goes on and on. Marlin’s game and soon to be initiating other chapters of Alpha Epsilon Pi. Apart from all the fun I’ve had with my brothers, there has been so much more that I’ve been involved in this semester and other wonderful individuals that I met. From participating in Relay For Life, watching the very own Ying Yang Twins perform at the UC Patio, various parties, and the list goes on and on. This semester I went to the Grove for the first time and made it a habit for about a month or so to go with Sam Rotenberg, and I can’t lie, partying in the Grove reminded me of the blurry nights I had at Maryland. I’m going to miss chatting with Marie, Melissa, and Teddi, spending our Kosher dining dollars, and making cookies and watching television shows. I’m going to miss so much! It’s best if I don’t continue to list, because my keyboard would become saturated with representation of sadness. Although I am very sad to leave all that I’ve built at Miami, I’m extremely excited to begin building a new tree at the University of North Carolina. I hope these trees continue to sprout and that the branches never fall off.                                In the broadway production, Wicked, they say, “People come into our lifes, for a reason, bringing something we must learn, and we are lead, to those who help us most to grow if we let them and we help them in return…I know who I am today because I met you…because I knew you, I have been changed for good. With that being said, I must say, it is that time, time to say see you later, because it is never goodbye in my eyes, it is only miles and months away, till we meet again.  We’re still going to grow together, it is never GOODBYE. SEE YOU LATER UMIAMI! :(

 

Following in the footsteps of Michael Jordan and living the University of North Carolina Tarheel's LIfe

So after much debate and applying what I learned in Microeconomics to this decision that was engulfing my mind for the past few months, I've decided, I'm ready to return to the college life I had back in the fall semester of Freshmen year at the University of Maryland, College Park. Now don't get me wrong, Miami has served as a stepping stone in my character and intellectual development, but I've realized that Miami caters to a certain segment of students, and I'm not in that target market. For the past eighteen years of my life, despite the four months I spent in Maryland, I've been living in a bubble, one of the safest, cleanest, and most elegant places in the world, we'll, the continental United States. Boca Raton, Florida is not a realistic place for the majority of the world. Driving down Glades Road, it is not abnormal to see luxurious automobiles such as Mercedes Benz, Porsche, BMW, and Lexus, stopped at every stoplight. It is not abnormal for teenage girls to be awarded with breast-implants or other forms of plastic surgery as means of graduation presents. It is not abnormal for five year toddlers to be walking around with Apple iPhones and Coach purses. Religion is more like a competition, which is very apparent, when it comes to the 13th birthdays for Jewish males and females. Bar and Bat Mitzvahs have transformed from religious milestones into huge galas featuring priceless decorations and entertainments, such as performances by some of the hottest performing artists, such as South Florida native FLO-RIDA. I knew there was a reason I left this fantasyland after senior year, yet I took a step backward and returned to this. Coral Gables, another form of Boca Raton, with a lot more Hispanics and Spanish advertisements. This place is the Beverly Hills of Miami. However, now that I think of it, I'm being a little harsh on Coral Gables, because the University of Miami is located in this enclave of wealth and prestige. The town is not catered one bit at all to the college student, which is a tremendous downfall for me. Despite the few UM signs and logos that are scattered throughout the vicinities, it seems like any other neighborhood located outside of a big metropolitan city. The soft, sandy beaches and the crystal-blue, clear water does not do anything for me as I've been brought up on the beach since I was a baby. The hustling nightlife of South Beach is nothing huge for me either, as I've been exposed to this for so long, and I've never got hard for any of it. The University of Miami attracts two types of individuals. One set being the wealthy jet-setters children who have been brought up eating caviar and flying jets, and the on the other spectrum, the struggling middle-class individual children who chose to attend this fine institution due to the generous merit scholarships that are provided to the best and the brightest students. I do not fall into either of those spectrums, as I am not the son of a CEO nor do they have any form of financial aid. The University of Miami is costing my parents a little over $50,000.00 USD annually, but my parents consider me to big one of the biggest assets and investments in their lives, we'll one of three, the two being my older sister and brother. However, for that type of investment, I do not feel it is justifiable for me to stay at this place or in South Florida if I am not getting what I initially wanted to get out of college, that experience that my sister spoke of that she had at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Days that consisted of tailgating from the beginning of the morning to the late hours of the afternoon after the Minuteman beat their opponents. Followed by nights on Fraternity Row, moving from house to house, just consuming cheap tasting brew and getting belligerent with your closet friends. From the moment I hit high school, I knew I wanted a big, public school, and leaving that domain was a big mistake on my part, but I'm glad that I have two more years to continue what I started. I'm looking forward to being able to walk a few feet off campus and being able to get food and alcoholic/ nonalcoholic beverages into the wee hour of the mornings. Looking forward to being able to walk outside my fraternity house and seeing crowds of students getting ready to rebel after a week of tedious and gruesome schoolwork. And lastly, being able witness the Tarheels kick some college-ass in football, only yards away from my fraternity house, after tailgating with my fraternity brothers. Like Asher Roth says, "That party last night was awfully crazy...drink my beer and smoke my weed, but my good friends all need...man I love college. I'm ready to return those parties that are epic and end with me passing out on the floor after singing obscenely drunk on Youtube (inside joke from UMD).  Now, it's a bit of a bittersweet moment, as I'm going to miss my friends and acquaintances at theU, but come back at a later time for a blog about all the memories of Miami.

To Be A Carolina Tarheel, or Remain a Miami Hurricane

There really is no easy way to say this. Back in the beginning of the semester, I applied to a few schools for transfer, once again, I know. I applied to some of the most competitive universities in the nation, we'll probably the world, and surprisingly have been accepted to one of my top choices. Yielding only about a 32% transfer acceptance rate, the University of North Carolina chose me as one of the lucky 950 of 3000 transfer students for the Fall 2009 transfer class. I'm still awaiting a decision from another top university, but for some reason, I have a gut feeling that I will end up in Chapel Hill, North Carolina for the remainder of my college experience. Now, this is no easy decision for me to make, and definitely not one I'll make overnight. There is a lot I have to consider, such as the all the positives and negatives of my present conditions and the positives and negatives of UNC. Before this semester, I would've been ready to pack my bags immediately and leave, but this semester has acted as a turning point in my overall experience at the University of Miami. Within the past three semesters, I've met an immense amount of the student body, and have became close with many of these individuals. One of the major reasons for this sudden twist in the road was with the colonization of the Alpha Epsilon Pi, Lambda Deuteron colony at the University of Miami. Within just a little over a month, I've met over thirty Jewish males, and have become very close with all of these individuals, almost feels as if we've been brothers for longer. Part of me wants me to stay and see what we will grow into, knowing we've already grown so close in such a short time. However, another part of me has been deprived for the past three semesters. Now most of you know that I went to Maryland for one semester, and then decided to throw off the North Face and crush the Turtle. In all honesty, although I do not like to regret anything I do in life, I probably should've stayed at Maryland and learned to love the crime-infested scene of College Park and the blistering weather. However it is in my human character to do things on impulse, so at the last minute of Fall semester, I decided to throw an application into the UMiami Spring 2009 applicant pool, and without a surprise, was offered a spot in the School of Communication. Without careful deliberation, I acted on a whim, and accepted that spot, and three weeks later, I arrived at the University of Miami, as a means of doing anything to get out of the cold and dangers of Maryland. However, thinking about it now, I was so much happier there, with the exception of this semester. Arriving at Miami, I was happy, until I found myself isolated and frustrated with social conditions. I put myself out there and tried everything, but the student body of Miami was just so self-centered and not willing to allow another potential individual to share their memories with. But, now I am socially happy, to a degree, still I feel as if I'm missing an element that was present on the ground of College Park, MD. I miss so much that I had first semester of college. One of the things I mainly miss the college atmosphere. The town that is catered to the striving college students, with streets filled with cheap eateries, bars/ clubs, and windows filled with Terrapin apparel for sale. Another aspect I miss, probably the most, is the GREEK scene. I've just entered that territory, and I miss the whole Fraternity Row and all that, that large public schools have to offer. Those were two essential elements that I wanted out of my college experience. There is so much to consider in this decision. It will be a tough decision, but I know in the end, that there is such a thing as fate, and fate will work it all out and direct me in the right direction. I believe everything happens for a reason, so if I was accepted, then there must be something awaiting me in North Carolina, but I'm unsure as if I want to take that chance, and leave my future in the hands of destiny.