Hello there!

I am Ari Himber.

I am very into health, and plan on doing an interdisciplinary major in Nutrition and Exercise Science and Sociology through the CUNY BA program. I wish to work on community-based preventative health systems. My past has formed this desire in many ways.

First, I was born with a non-functional thyroid. I’ve taken a pill every day since I was 7 days old to replace the thyroxine my body cannot synthesize on its own. It made me aware of metabolism and the importance of nutrition at an earlier age than most people.

Second, I have to be careful about what I eat. I am allergic to peanuts and soy, and I grew up eating Kosher, so I have been forced to develop a consciousness of what is in my food and what it will do to me.

Third, I am an “FFK” – a former fat kid. I had asthma and was not nearly active enough in my younger childhood. Finally, in 10th grade, I kicked it: I started biking to school and dropped about 15lbs in around 2.5 months. Since then, I have made sure to keep off the fat and am always working towards a better body.

But anyway… on to other things about me!

I love to debate and discuss issues. I was forced to develop my skills in those areas due to my religious environment growing up. As I am (1) gay and (2) an atheist, I often had to defend myself on multiple fronts to those who did not understand, and worse, to those who did not want to.

I spent much time on music when I was in high school. I sang, I danced, I listened, I played, and I wrote (albeit not so well.) Music was a means for me to stop analyzing and rationalizing everything, and it allowed me to revel in and develop my emotions.

I free reference very well- at times a little too well for my own good. I can be very random and spontaneous. This was my main reason for joining College Bowl (a trivia league) in high school. There, my seemingly-random associations between songs, shows, math, science, writing, etc, were appreciated. In fact, I was one of the four people on our team who competed in a televised trivia competition. While we did not win the competition, it was a great experience 🙂

I am glad to be in college and living on my own, and gladly anticipate the coming years.

Hi I’m Liz. I used to live in Mahopac but I’m dorming in Manhattan right now. I really love going to concerts and crowd surfing and moshing. I also have a passion for hair dye and some of my friends refer to me as the human rainbow. I love exploring and trying new things and I’m really looking forward to the next four years.

Hi, my name is Garrett (all the way on the right) and I’m from Brooklyn. I was born and raised in NYC, so technology is my passion. I love to watch movies, play video games, and sleep. The life of laziness is the life for me, but I’m sure that the many different cultural experiences waiting for me will keep me awake.

My Name is Amy (on the right), and i am from Queens. I love to hang out with my friends and explore new restaurants around NYC. My favorite thing to do is to try out food from different cultures. Lastly, unlike other girls, i hate shopping…

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”

-Dr. Seuss

I am Helen Li (left), a person who is happy 99% of the time. I am an ordinary girl with ordinary dreams living a simple life in an abnormal world.

My name is Aaron Fung, and I am from Brooklyn. I like stories and games, which isn’t uncommon. I enjoy thinking, but I often think too much about things. And I usually try to keep an open mind, as there are always multiple perspectives and different ways of seeing worth considering in art, culture, and other aspects of life. I’m ready to learn about and explore the arts of New York City.

Hi everybody, my name is Owen. I have noticed many music references in the posts so far, so I will keep that theme going and tell you a little bit about myself using music.

Myself in Riverton, Manitoba, Canada, home of the largest moose in Manitoba.

While I do not play a musical instrument per se (although I learned a bunch of Metallica songs on the guitar when I was twelve), the last thing I listened to was Asbury Park by Bruce Springsteen. It’s my favorite album of his, in large part because of all the place-specificity in the lyrics. I also listened to John Prine this morning (like every morning, if I have the time) with my coffee and toast. Here is one of my favorite John Prine songs. But as Dave may already have surmised, my real dream would be to own a car with a stereo so I could blast Hot 97 all day, as most of my neighbors do.

I love recliners

Hi, my name is Kunal Kang and I’m from Staten Island. I love reading, playing my sax, and playing sports. I always try and stay active through sports and love to compete.

In my next few years of college I hope to learn more about the city and all the different types of art it contains.

A summer breeze, a slight chill in the air, an evening out with friends.

I’m pretty busy—and love my work—but when I have a chance to pause with family or friends I grab the moment and cherish it.

I grew up in Queens, but we moved about when I was a teenager. Thinking back, it helped me adjust quickly to new surroundings. One thing I enjoy about the city life now is not having to drive everywhere. Maybe that’s because I’m not the best driver!

I’m excited to get know all of you and exploring the arts together.