advice

To negate all the bad luck I feared was coming my way simply for having so many wonderful people in my life, I felt the need to be perfect at everything I did — to work myself in circles so that I would be deserving of them.

I’ve lost a lot of things this past year (money, dignity, sanity, etc etc). Every day was a special battle, and through the rare wins, many losses and quicksand trips down to rock bottom, I’ve cultivated all sorts ways to deal.

There’s so much good and bad to unpack, but I won’t bore you with the particulars. Even though I felt like I was being thrown back and forth a lot, I managed to make it through all right – and I’ve learned some valuable lessons along the way.

Being thrown around by your emotions can feel like you aren’t in control of yourself. Developing new ways to approach emotional breakdowns can make them a lot less draining and more manageable.

If things go sideways, keep in mind that failure is normal. Let the pain come in and eventually it will go away.

Belonging is visceral and tactile, so lick everything and squish your face against every surface.

For UC Berkeley students preparing to live in their first campus apartment this semester, here are things you should and should not bring to your place.

Transferring schools is a significant change that can often be overwhelming. I hope these tips can help alleviate some of that stress and make your first year at UC Berkeley the best.

I realize now that my issue with compliments doesn’t come from a distaste I was born with, but it has a lot to do with my own insecurities.

As the year comes to an end, I want to take the time to reflect by writing down some pieces of advice that I had been given by my friends and family.