Freshman year

It’s the lull where you aren’t new anymore, but the end still isn’t in sight. There’s quite a ways to go before graduation, but you already feel as though you’ve matured.

With a string of fizzled friendships and explosive fallouts behind me, I now understand that change doesn’t need to be a big scary thing.

When academic expectations are sky-high and the appetite to grind is insatiable, illness can feel like a thick fog that I should just turn up my collar and trudge through.

I went about my day carrying what felt like a dirty little secret, that I was craving a celebration I didn’t know how to ask for.

As a first year myself who’s still very much learning how to make UC Berkeley their home, I had plenty of expectations before setting foot on campus.

Throughout my freshman year, there was never a dull moment and I learned so much about myself and the entire culture at UC Berkeley. 

For freshmen, bunk beds are an omnipresent feature of college life. No matter who you are, your bed placement often determines your place in the dynamics of the room. 

I felt like I didn’t belong at UC Berkeley just because I didn’t fit the “perfect freshman experience” portrayal I grew up watching.

While I submitted my intent to register more than a year ago, I have only recently settled into and fully accepted my life here at UC Berkeley.

Congratulations on getting into UC Berkeley! With these tips in mind, you should be well-equipped to avoid the pitfalls of your first semester.