Hello Everyone,
Excuses my late response to all the emails. For the past two weeks I was in Mexico and had no access to any technology other than a tv. I hope you all find of great help the feedback I'll provide.
I can summarize my first four quarters of college as great, amazing, stressful, tiring, and fun! For the first week of my freshman year in 2009-2010 I felt very good, although for my parents it was still a bit hard to let go. I had to come back home that first weekend! The Fall 09 quarter was the best. I managed my time very well and had all my work done on time. Writing papers was probably the easiest thing for me, and was actually considering minoring in Creative Writing after my English professor adviced me to consider the possibility. Although I didn't actually pursue that path, it's still in the back of my head. I also had it easy transitioning into living with someone else whom I didn't know at all. My first roommate got moved to another room before we even moved in and I was stuck with a stranger, I think. I accepted it and met her for the first time on the first day. My roommate was not the most neat person in the world, but she was very calm and focused on her own things. I liked my floor mates, but most of the time I didn't spend time in my building Swig. I liked walking around campus, getting to know it better. As the quarter progressed I got involved in Hermanas Unidas. HaU is a latina-based club to empower women to continue getting higher education. We focus on academics, community service and networking. We have all sorts of events in which we also include other on- and off-campus organizations.
By the end of the quarter, I decided to involve myself a little bit more. On campus I applied to go on an Immersion Trip to Puebla, Mexico through an organization called CommunityLinks in Mexico. We basically worked with the community and helped out the children through an after school program called Calpulli de los Niños. I want to go back and work with this community again. During that time we were asked to detach ourselves from all technology possible to really get immersed in the trip. We also kept daily journals of what we had done each day and our reflections on them. It was an amazing trip.
The Winter '10 quarter I think was the worse quarter for me. I took my first hard class in which the work load was triple of that we get in a regular high school. This is when i began to question my major. Even though I was undeclared, I was in the Leavey School of Business and I was thiking of majoring in Management. My Econ 1 class was making me doubt that. I got through with it and signed up to take Econ 2. I was going to attempt to continue with my goal to stay in the business school. Winter quarter I had so many personal problems as well that caused me to not focus as much in school and stress me a lot more than the usual. It was such a tough quarter that near week 8 I was considering dropping out, but I stuck to the mentality of "I am not going to let all those years of education go to waste!"
In the final quarter of my first year I signed up for four classes, but ended up taking three. My Econ 2 class was the hardest again. I struggled a lot and because I got really sick that I missed some classes it was even tougher to catch up with all the information I had missed. I tried as hard as I could, but I failed the class. I felt really bad. This time I really doubted staying in the business school. These were pre-reqs for any major in the business school and I was doing really bad in them. I was not enjoying taking those classes. So Spring '10 quarter ended and I was about done thinking about school when Week 10 was over. So I headed to Mexico for the summer and forgot about SCU for a brief month. Although the year was a tough ride, I really enjoyed being a Bronco.
Aside from all the academics, the clubs on-campus made it fun throughout the whole year. From dances like Spicy Bronco where there's a variety of Latin music, to the midnight breakfasts we have during dead week(the week before Finals), and all the sporting games that were kept alive by the Ruff Riders org. on campus, the year was fun. Life on campus was far better than being a commuter because so many things happen on campus or near it that you cannot experience if you're a commuter. For instance, watching drunk college students trying to make it back to their rooms without getting caught by their CFs (Community Facilitators) and getting fined. There are also times when you get stuck in an elevator with these people and they don't make sense when they're speaking to you. Fun times. So many strange things will happen and you won't regret being part of them at all, not at Santa Clara University.
I hope that this was good feedback on my first year. One thing I can say is: Learn to manage your time sooner than later. And only take classes that interest you and that you will enjoy. As soon as you're in a class, try to find a study group! It will be of great help. Also, get involved!!! Lastly, try to have fun, but only after you have finished all your academic work.
Thanks for all your patience. Again, my apologies for the late response.
Ana Garibo
Sunday, January 23, 2011
A PINOLE VALLEY BRUIN SPEAKS
My first quarter at UCLA has been filled with much discovery, excitement, perseverance - and of course, lots of studying. The transition into college life is much more than dedicating more time into reading and finishing assignments than in high school, but rather adapting into a different environment than one's upbringings.
Upon moving into the campus, my initial perception of living in Los Angeles was far from how I see things now. A solid distance from my parents and unfamiliar surroundings were all components of a life I foresaw to be easy to embrace. Difficulty in accepting these concepts was the last thing in my mind. I always thought of myself as a person open to new things, someone yearning to experience a new adventure, and most of all, a teenager eager to become liberated from all parental restrictions. Instead, these have presented a challenge for me to adapt to this unfamiliar setting. Like anyone who is distant from his or her home for eighteen years, it is common for homesickness to result. This had occurred to me midway through the quarter. Only a few days into my college career, I had developed longings to visit my parents and be home. These emotions only resonated as the weeks passed. It was almost as if I had lost some of the most precious things in my life, but this is when the beauty of college shines brightest: to lose is to gain.
My sentiments had perpetuated me to become a more active member in the school community. I learned that it takes an effort to become more comfortable in a foreign area. This modification in my way of thinking directed me to becoming involved in several UCLA groups and internships. After having much success in the high school newsroom setting, I decided to apply for an internship in the esteemed Daily Bruin, UCLA's student-run newspaper established since the founding of the university. In great disbelief, I was accepted into the group as a design intern for the publication; only a select amount of students were admitted in the quarter, and an even smaller amount for the actual design of the newspaper (some were admitted as designers only for the publication of the school's monthly magazine, Prime). For three Saturdays straight, I attended workshops that lasted all day consisting of an instructor who explained design in a college newspaper context. Once I completed all three training workshops, I shadowed a designer each week to receive a better understanding of a designer's usual functions.
My internship in the Daily Bruin was only a start to experiencing all what UCLA had to offer. In the latter weeks of the quarter, I decided to become more involved with the Filipino community on campus. I joined Samahang Pilipino, the name of the Filipino-American student group at UCLA, and have met a supportive group of people who promote both cultural empowerment and academic success to college students and local community. At the end of the quarter, I applied for an internship with a sub-group within Samahang Pilipino named the Samahang Pilipino Advancing Community Empowerment, known as SPACE. This particular committee helps serve disadvantaged high schools within the LA Area. As an intern for SPACE, I will dedicated myself to tutoring high school students at a particular site, along with helping them understand and achieve the necessary requirements in order to attend a four-year institution. I have chosen to do this because I have been considering a profession in the education field, whether it be teaching or educational public policy. When I graduate, I want to return home and give back to Pinole Valley High School and the rest of the WCCUSD.
This internship is only the beginning of many wonderful opportunities LA has to offer me. When I return to UCLA, I plan to absorb as much as I can from everything I learn. Outside of school, the city of Los Angeles is host to many unique neighborhoods like Hollywood, Santa Monica, downtown Los Angeles that I am ecstatic to further explore. I am also glad to say that in regards to my academics, I am doing fine and will only push myself to do harder. PVHS did well in maturing me into a hard-working, determined person ready to accomplish more.
Yours truly,
Gabriel Augusto Jomdos Sanchez
Upon moving into the campus, my initial perception of living in Los Angeles was far from how I see things now. A solid distance from my parents and unfamiliar surroundings were all components of a life I foresaw to be easy to embrace. Difficulty in accepting these concepts was the last thing in my mind. I always thought of myself as a person open to new things, someone yearning to experience a new adventure, and most of all, a teenager eager to become liberated from all parental restrictions. Instead, these have presented a challenge for me to adapt to this unfamiliar setting. Like anyone who is distant from his or her home for eighteen years, it is common for homesickness to result. This had occurred to me midway through the quarter. Only a few days into my college career, I had developed longings to visit my parents and be home. These emotions only resonated as the weeks passed. It was almost as if I had lost some of the most precious things in my life, but this is when the beauty of college shines brightest: to lose is to gain.
My sentiments had perpetuated me to become a more active member in the school community. I learned that it takes an effort to become more comfortable in a foreign area. This modification in my way of thinking directed me to becoming involved in several UCLA groups and internships. After having much success in the high school newsroom setting, I decided to apply for an internship in the esteemed Daily Bruin, UCLA's student-run newspaper established since the founding of the university. In great disbelief, I was accepted into the group as a design intern for the publication; only a select amount of students were admitted in the quarter, and an even smaller amount for the actual design of the newspaper (some were admitted as designers only for the publication of the school's monthly magazine, Prime). For three Saturdays straight, I attended workshops that lasted all day consisting of an instructor who explained design in a college newspaper context. Once I completed all three training workshops, I shadowed a designer each week to receive a better understanding of a designer's usual functions.
My internship in the Daily Bruin was only a start to experiencing all what UCLA had to offer. In the latter weeks of the quarter, I decided to become more involved with the Filipino community on campus. I joined Samahang Pilipino, the name of the Filipino-American student group at UCLA, and have met a supportive group of people who promote both cultural empowerment and academic success to college students and local community. At the end of the quarter, I applied for an internship with a sub-group within Samahang Pilipino named the Samahang Pilipino Advancing Community Empowerment, known as SPACE. This particular committee helps serve disadvantaged high schools within the LA Area. As an intern for SPACE, I will dedicated myself to tutoring high school students at a particular site, along with helping them understand and achieve the necessary requirements in order to attend a four-year institution. I have chosen to do this because I have been considering a profession in the education field, whether it be teaching or educational public policy. When I graduate, I want to return home and give back to Pinole Valley High School and the rest of the WCCUSD.
This internship is only the beginning of many wonderful opportunities LA has to offer me. When I return to UCLA, I plan to absorb as much as I can from everything I learn. Outside of school, the city of Los Angeles is host to many unique neighborhoods like Hollywood, Santa Monica, downtown Los Angeles that I am ecstatic to further explore. I am also glad to say that in regards to my academics, I am doing fine and will only push myself to do harder. PVHS did well in maturing me into a hard-working, determined person ready to accomplish more.
Yours truly,
Gabriel Augusto Jomdos Sanchez
CHANGE IN PLANS
Dear Mr. Ramsey,
I apologize for my late response to your many emails asking us about our college experiences and I have to say I hesitated in answering for a couple of reasons; one of them being that I would hope all the other ILC students would respond, secondly because I have been preoccupied with other things, but that should not have kept me from writing this simple email and thirdly because I did not want to disappoint you and all the other people who worked hard to help us get to college with what I have to share about my experience and choices at college.
By spring of this year I decided to go to UC Berkeley because I was being offered a full scholarship for all four years and because I thought it would be a great accomplishment to be at a school with a title like Berkeley's. The truth was that I was always known as a “college bound” student in high school, but I was never as enthusiastic about going to college as the rest of my fellow classmates. I think I chose to go to college because that was what was expected of me. This being, mixed with an abundant of other personal reasons drove me to leave Berkeley early November, I did not finish my fall semester there and went home.
I have been working since my time off from school, but I do plan to return. I am not completely ready to take on Berkeley again, that is why I am signed up take classes I want to take at Contra Costa College for the spring semester. If I do choose to go back to Berkeley I will be welcomed back with my placement and scholarship.
If there is anything to take from my experience, I suppose it would be that you should choose the school you want for yourself and not anyone else. You will be a lot happier making decisions based on your interests.
My plans for now are to work and attend community college for a while and maybe, hopefully transfer to the Academy of Arts in San Francisco to study illustration.
The way things went with me was probably not what you expected, but its reality and sometimes things do not go the way you plan. I like to think that things happen for a reason, and I do not let this discourage me at all.
I hope everyone has a happy new year,
Sincerely,
Mercedes Montelongo
I apologize for my late response to your many emails asking us about our college experiences and I have to say I hesitated in answering for a couple of reasons; one of them being that I would hope all the other ILC students would respond, secondly because I have been preoccupied with other things, but that should not have kept me from writing this simple email and thirdly because I did not want to disappoint you and all the other people who worked hard to help us get to college with what I have to share about my experience and choices at college.
By spring of this year I decided to go to UC Berkeley because I was being offered a full scholarship for all four years and because I thought it would be a great accomplishment to be at a school with a title like Berkeley's. The truth was that I was always known as a “college bound” student in high school, but I was never as enthusiastic about going to college as the rest of my fellow classmates. I think I chose to go to college because that was what was expected of me. This being, mixed with an abundant of other personal reasons drove me to leave Berkeley early November, I did not finish my fall semester there and went home.
I have been working since my time off from school, but I do plan to return. I am not completely ready to take on Berkeley again, that is why I am signed up take classes I want to take at Contra Costa College for the spring semester. If I do choose to go back to Berkeley I will be welcomed back with my placement and scholarship.
If there is anything to take from my experience, I suppose it would be that you should choose the school you want for yourself and not anyone else. You will be a lot happier making decisions based on your interests.
My plans for now are to work and attend community college for a while and maybe, hopefully transfer to the Academy of Arts in San Francisco to study illustration.
The way things went with me was probably not what you expected, but its reality and sometimes things do not go the way you plan. I like to think that things happen for a reason, and I do not let this discourage me at all.
I hope everyone has a happy new year,
Sincerely,
Mercedes Montelongo
FROM OCCIDENTAL
Hello Mr. Ramsey and the rest of the ILC,
Once again, I would like to appologize for my delayed response. I currently do
not have internet access, and have been unable to check my emails on a regualr
basis.
First of all, do not underestimate reading and writing at the college level. My
Politics 101 class, for example, required us to read between 2 and 4 chapters
every week. We were then expected to have digested the topics to the point where
we could apply them to between 2 and 5 lectures per week. The lectures were not
about the text - that would be easy. Instead, they were guest lectures about
work in various parts of the political field. We were expected to apply the
reading directly to the practice exemplified through the guests and their
lectures. I know you may be wondering how we had so many lectures for a class
that did not meet every day, (only two days a week to be exact) but many of the
lectures we had to attend in addition to regular class time. The midterm for
that class consisted of two 12 page papers. For the final we were given eight
full essay prompts & told to complete as much as we could in three hours. You'll
find varrying challenges depending on which classes you take; however, they will
all be challenging. Don't underestimate the study skills you learned in high
school, but be prepared to refine them - you'll need to.
Although academics are the main part of college, and should occupy the majority
of your time, there is a lot more to the college experience than going to class
& doing homework. The social aspect, primarily for students who move out of
their homes, is not necessarily easy. Finding one's place amongst a whole new
set of peers is not as simple as it may seem. College is full of student with
extraordinarily different backgrounds; and guess what: you're all smart enough
to get into the same school. People will be very friendly for the first couple
of weeks, until they get settled into their routines. Realistically, you may not
find the people you want to spend time with studying, hanging out, or whatever,
in the first couple of weeks. Do not let this discourage you. Rather than
investing your effort into who you spend time with, focus on what you spend time
doing. Trust me, if it's something you truly enjoy, the people you're with
matters less as you realize that it's not the people around you who dictate your life. Besides, you'll grow into multiple groups: study groups, roommates, dormmates, classmates, ect. This is especially important, because you will not enjoy your college experience as much if you spend all your time doing what someone else wants to do. Be creative and have fun when it comes to ballancing everything. Be wise when it comes to juggling work and play. You will have to spend part of your weekend working, although the fun around you will seem like it never ends. You'll always be able to find people doing both, so don't worry if you can't always go with them. As I alluded to before, you must do what is best for you. Also, remember to keep your
priorities straight. Potentially you'll have four years with these peers,
professors, campus officers, etc., so make the best of it.
Sincerely,
Ramiah Davis
Once again, I would like to appologize for my delayed response. I currently do
not have internet access, and have been unable to check my emails on a regualr
basis.
First of all, do not underestimate reading and writing at the college level. My
Politics 101 class, for example, required us to read between 2 and 4 chapters
every week. We were then expected to have digested the topics to the point where
we could apply them to between 2 and 5 lectures per week. The lectures were not
about the text - that would be easy. Instead, they were guest lectures about
work in various parts of the political field. We were expected to apply the
reading directly to the practice exemplified through the guests and their
lectures. I know you may be wondering how we had so many lectures for a class
that did not meet every day, (only two days a week to be exact) but many of the
lectures we had to attend in addition to regular class time. The midterm for
that class consisted of two 12 page papers. For the final we were given eight
full essay prompts & told to complete as much as we could in three hours. You'll
find varrying challenges depending on which classes you take; however, they will
all be challenging. Don't underestimate the study skills you learned in high
school, but be prepared to refine them - you'll need to.
Although academics are the main part of college, and should occupy the majority
of your time, there is a lot more to the college experience than going to class
& doing homework. The social aspect, primarily for students who move out of
their homes, is not necessarily easy. Finding one's place amongst a whole new
set of peers is not as simple as it may seem. College is full of student with
extraordinarily different backgrounds; and guess what: you're all smart enough
to get into the same school. People will be very friendly for the first couple
of weeks, until they get settled into their routines. Realistically, you may not
find the people you want to spend time with studying, hanging out, or whatever,
in the first couple of weeks. Do not let this discourage you. Rather than
investing your effort into who you spend time with, focus on what you spend time
doing. Trust me, if it's something you truly enjoy, the people you're with
matters less as you realize that it's not the people around you who dictate your life. Besides, you'll grow into multiple groups: study groups, roommates, dormmates, classmates, ect. This is especially important, because you will not enjoy your college experience as much if you spend all your time doing what someone else wants to do. Be creative and have fun when it comes to ballancing everything. Be wise when it comes to juggling work and play. You will have to spend part of your weekend working, although the fun around you will seem like it never ends. You'll always be able to find people doing both, so don't worry if you can't always go with them. As I alluded to before, you must do what is best for you. Also, remember to keep your
priorities straight. Potentially you'll have four years with these peers,
professors, campus officers, etc., so make the best of it.
Sincerely,
Ramiah Davis
THOUHGTS FROM A BEAR
Greetings ILC students!
My name is Lucina Parada and I am currently a sophomore at UC Berkeley. I graduated from Pinole Valley HS, class of 2009 and I was very fortunate to experience the ILC at Cornell University summer of 2008. I’m currently getting all the relaxing in before I go back to school on the 18th and face yet another semester of piles of reading and endless pages of writing. Unlike high school, you’re expected to read approximately 75-150 pages per week for one class. While it’s a daunting task, I enjoy being able to make connections between I learn in the lecture and what I hear in the media. College has taught me a lot about time management, which makes it easier to balance school and extracurricular activities. This year, I joined the Cal Band, which is a huge time commitment but it’s worth it. When you get to college, don’t be afraid to get involved in different activities. It’s a great way to make friends and to make the campus just a bit smaller.
As for the daunting college process that’s ahead, I’ll be the first to say to you, it’ll stress you out. However, think of it not only as a place where you’ll be getting the best education, but where you’ll be the happiest. Take into account what you like the best out of school, be it academics, school spirit, an array of extracurricular activities, etc. When it came to making my decision, it was probably the hardest month of my life. I was taken aback when I received not only an acceptance letter for Berkeley, but one from Cornell University too. I had gotten in to my top two choices and I had the option of staying 30 minutes away from home or moving 3,000 miles across the country and only coming home approximately three times during the entire year. Although I was torn over where to go, I knew I’d get an amazing education at both schools. In the end, I chose Berkeley over Cornell. I knew I wasn’t ready to move across the country when I could take advantage of the world’s best research university. However, I keep Cornell close to my heart because without the experience I had at the university summer 2008, I don’t know that I would be where I am today.
Overall, I’m happy where I am today. I’m living at home and commuting to school everyday, which is a bit of a hassle, but just knowing that I’m getting a great education and I’m representing the university through the Cal Band makes it all worth it.
Good luck this summer and choosing your colleges!
Lucina Parada
My name is Lucina Parada and I am currently a sophomore at UC Berkeley. I graduated from Pinole Valley HS, class of 2009 and I was very fortunate to experience the ILC at Cornell University summer of 2008. I’m currently getting all the relaxing in before I go back to school on the 18th and face yet another semester of piles of reading and endless pages of writing. Unlike high school, you’re expected to read approximately 75-150 pages per week for one class. While it’s a daunting task, I enjoy being able to make connections between I learn in the lecture and what I hear in the media. College has taught me a lot about time management, which makes it easier to balance school and extracurricular activities. This year, I joined the Cal Band, which is a huge time commitment but it’s worth it. When you get to college, don’t be afraid to get involved in different activities. It’s a great way to make friends and to make the campus just a bit smaller.
As for the daunting college process that’s ahead, I’ll be the first to say to you, it’ll stress you out. However, think of it not only as a place where you’ll be getting the best education, but where you’ll be the happiest. Take into account what you like the best out of school, be it academics, school spirit, an array of extracurricular activities, etc. When it came to making my decision, it was probably the hardest month of my life. I was taken aback when I received not only an acceptance letter for Berkeley, but one from Cornell University too. I had gotten in to my top two choices and I had the option of staying 30 minutes away from home or moving 3,000 miles across the country and only coming home approximately three times during the entire year. Although I was torn over where to go, I knew I’d get an amazing education at both schools. In the end, I chose Berkeley over Cornell. I knew I wasn’t ready to move across the country when I could take advantage of the world’s best research university. However, I keep Cornell close to my heart because without the experience I had at the university summer 2008, I don’t know that I would be where I am today.
Overall, I’m happy where I am today. I’m living at home and commuting to school everyday, which is a bit of a hassle, but just knowing that I’m getting a great education and I’m representing the university through the Cal Band makes it all worth it.
Good luck this summer and choosing your colleges!
Lucina Parada
BRUIN EXPERIENCE
I am sorry that this response comes so late! The start of the new quarter has been a little busy, but I finally have time to sit down and write a response about my college experience. So here it goes:
Truthfully, I was really nervous the first day that I started college. There were lots of uncertainties in my head...What would the classes be like?...What if I didn’t get along with anyone there?...How would I be able to stay afloat in all of the students who are at UCLA?...The student body alone has a larger population than my entire suburban community in Hercules. However, now starting the winter quarter in my second year, I’ve learned that although it may not be the easiest thing in the world, overcoming these uncertainties has led me to have some of the greatest experiences.
Academics is the first aspect to consider when making the transition to college. It was a different step to come from classes of 30 students to lecture halls with 200 other classmates. In high school, you become used to having teachers be able to watch over your work individually in class every day. However, in college, I’ve had to learn to be more proactive with my own education. There is plenty of help available to all students, its just becomes your own responsibility to realize when you need it.
Currently I am an Undeclared Life Science major, but have been leaning towards Marine Biology with various options for minors. This means that I have been taking all of the undergraduate science courses such as chemistry, math, physics, and life science in preparation for any of the life science majors. Many of these courses also have lab sections that give a more hands-on learning experience that was only touched on in high school. These classes may have large lecture sessions, but these are supplemented by regular classroom sized discussions of about 20 students that are run by a TA. These additional sections helps to make the material more accessible and make you feel more connected to your courses.
Despite the importance of academics, I think that the true college experience comes from the independence and relationships that are formed on campus. At first, the large number of students was overwhelming, but I soon came to embrace the opportunities this had to offer. I have been able to meet so many people all with different interests, personalities, and goals. Some of my best friends here have the most varied majors possible, ranging from interests like political science, materials science engineering, and ethnomusicology. Currently, I am rooming with a great friend who comes from Delhi who has so many similarities to my own personality that it surprised the both of us. These are just examples of the different types of people that you can easily meet while on campus. I love being able to learn about various cultures and interact with people from all backgrounds.
The best way to make these connections and feel a part of the campus life is to just put yourself out there and try things out. Everyone else is in the same boat as you: in a new environment, willing to make new friends, and wanting to learn. Personally, I have become involved in the Nikkei Student Union which is a club that teaches and promotes Japanese American culture. I started as a general member for the club, but progressed to working backstage for its student-run culture night as well as becoming a staff member for its cultural and community service committee. This year, I have also joined the school newspaper, the Daily Bruin, as an intern copy editor. For this, I have a night shift a week where I go in and fact check and proofread articles for the next day’s paper. These kinds of activities have helped me to extend my circle of friends and make me feel more a part of the community. I love being able to walk on campus and see familiar faces among the rest of the crowd. Other than these outside clubs, the easiest place to meet people is in the dorms. I think that living in the residence-hall style dorms is the best choice to make. Some of my closest friends have come from the floor that I lived on last year. There is a different type of close relationship you can make with people after living with them for an entire year.
Overall, I absolutely love it here at UCLA. College life definitely has its ups and downs, but all of the benefits outweigh the rest. I have been able to learn so much, not just in the classroom, but about myself as well.
I’m glad to share my experience with fellow ILC students. If anyone has any questions or comments about preparing in high school, UCLA, or just college life in general, they can contact me at cimazumi@aol.com.
Sincerely,
Christine Imazumi
2008 ILC Student
Truthfully, I was really nervous the first day that I started college. There were lots of uncertainties in my head...What would the classes be like?...What if I didn’t get along with anyone there?...How would I be able to stay afloat in all of the students who are at UCLA?...The student body alone has a larger population than my entire suburban community in Hercules. However, now starting the winter quarter in my second year, I’ve learned that although it may not be the easiest thing in the world, overcoming these uncertainties has led me to have some of the greatest experiences.
Academics is the first aspect to consider when making the transition to college. It was a different step to come from classes of 30 students to lecture halls with 200 other classmates. In high school, you become used to having teachers be able to watch over your work individually in class every day. However, in college, I’ve had to learn to be more proactive with my own education. There is plenty of help available to all students, its just becomes your own responsibility to realize when you need it.
Currently I am an Undeclared Life Science major, but have been leaning towards Marine Biology with various options for minors. This means that I have been taking all of the undergraduate science courses such as chemistry, math, physics, and life science in preparation for any of the life science majors. Many of these courses also have lab sections that give a more hands-on learning experience that was only touched on in high school. These classes may have large lecture sessions, but these are supplemented by regular classroom sized discussions of about 20 students that are run by a TA. These additional sections helps to make the material more accessible and make you feel more connected to your courses.
Despite the importance of academics, I think that the true college experience comes from the independence and relationships that are formed on campus. At first, the large number of students was overwhelming, but I soon came to embrace the opportunities this had to offer. I have been able to meet so many people all with different interests, personalities, and goals. Some of my best friends here have the most varied majors possible, ranging from interests like political science, materials science engineering, and ethnomusicology. Currently, I am rooming with a great friend who comes from Delhi who has so many similarities to my own personality that it surprised the both of us. These are just examples of the different types of people that you can easily meet while on campus. I love being able to learn about various cultures and interact with people from all backgrounds.
The best way to make these connections and feel a part of the campus life is to just put yourself out there and try things out. Everyone else is in the same boat as you: in a new environment, willing to make new friends, and wanting to learn. Personally, I have become involved in the Nikkei Student Union which is a club that teaches and promotes Japanese American culture. I started as a general member for the club, but progressed to working backstage for its student-run culture night as well as becoming a staff member for its cultural and community service committee. This year, I have also joined the school newspaper, the Daily Bruin, as an intern copy editor. For this, I have a night shift a week where I go in and fact check and proofread articles for the next day’s paper. These kinds of activities have helped me to extend my circle of friends and make me feel more a part of the community. I love being able to walk on campus and see familiar faces among the rest of the crowd. Other than these outside clubs, the easiest place to meet people is in the dorms. I think that living in the residence-hall style dorms is the best choice to make. Some of my closest friends have come from the floor that I lived on last year. There is a different type of close relationship you can make with people after living with them for an entire year.
Overall, I absolutely love it here at UCLA. College life definitely has its ups and downs, but all of the benefits outweigh the rest. I have been able to learn so much, not just in the classroom, but about myself as well.
I’m glad to share my experience with fellow ILC students. If anyone has any questions or comments about preparing in high school, UCLA, or just college life in general, they can contact me at cimazumi@aol.com.
Sincerely,
Christine Imazumi
2008 ILC Student
St. Mary's University - Class of 2013 - WENDY ESPINOZA
I am currently a 2nd semester sophomore at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas. I am pursing a degree in Psychology with a minor in Spanish. I take anywhere from 13- 16 hours of class per semester. I have a work-study position at my school’s information desk where I am responsible for the book keeping and processing the reservations for anyone who wishes to reserve conference rooms on campus. I began working here freshman year and quickly got promoted twice which led me to my current position as a student manager. I typically work 15 hours per week on a Monday-Friday basis.
I am part of the National Society of Leadership & Success (Sigma Alpha Pi). This is a non-Greek organization that promotes leadership skills and action plan creation in order to achieve goals (small or large). I am not only a member but also an officer who plans out where our events will take place. We watch renowned speakers on live broadcast whom we can text message questions to. We learn about financial responsibility, time management, the power of influence and many more topics not discussed in college classes. We are held accountable for the goals we set and we achieve them. The goal I created last spring was to obtain my drivers license and buy a car. In the summer of 2010 I was licensed and driving a bright blue Honda Civic. I truly owe part of this success to this organization. Look for a chapter your campus. (http://www.societyleadership.org/ )
My university’s liberal art program allows me to take either core or classes in my major at any time that I choose to do so, where at other schools you must take many pre requisites that you aren’t even interested in. I have requirements in the English, Math, Science, Social Studies arena, but I get to choose which classes I fill those with. For example I don’t want to take any government, econ, or history classes, so I am filling my social science requirement with Criminal Justice, Sociology and Business.
The best part: my largest class had 25 students in it. This made it easy to ask questions, see the professor for office hours and to get to know classmates for both friendship and networking purposes. I am currently taking a class that teaches about what careers in psychology exist and the requirements to obtain a career in that field.
I plan on going to graduate school after I graduate from St. Mary’s in the spring of 2013. I will work towards a PhD in Industrial/ Organizational psychology. Industrial/Organizational Psychology deals with the relationships of the employees in a company, the improvement of future job candidate selection, creating programs and activities that to enhance the company and research. I am looking to obtain a career in this area of psychology and in the future look into becoming a college professor where I can do research and make discoveries all while sharing my knowledge with students.
I don’t have a set idea on which city or state I will go on to graduate school in, but I’m sure that with an open mind & continued support from my parents will lead me in a perfect Graduate school fit, just as I found St. Mary’s. This university provides thousands of opportunities for advancement, has a tight knit community feel to it, job fairs, research symposiums and more than I can ever say.
So when picking your future university asks yourself many times if the person you are will fit in well in the setting you will choose. Please, consider private schools as an option because they are smaller in size and have abundance in financial aid which could cost less than attending a public school. When you need a recommendation letter for a job or graduate school it will be more likely that your professor knows you better and has more to say about you, than if you attend a large public school where he or she might know your name at most.
This semester I am going to become more involved in psychology courses, new organizations and begin research.
Wendy Espinoza
Pinole Valley High School
Class of 2009
St. Mary's University
Class of 2013
I am part of the National Society of Leadership & Success (Sigma Alpha Pi). This is a non-Greek organization that promotes leadership skills and action plan creation in order to achieve goals (small or large). I am not only a member but also an officer who plans out where our events will take place. We watch renowned speakers on live broadcast whom we can text message questions to. We learn about financial responsibility, time management, the power of influence and many more topics not discussed in college classes. We are held accountable for the goals we set and we achieve them. The goal I created last spring was to obtain my drivers license and buy a car. In the summer of 2010 I was licensed and driving a bright blue Honda Civic. I truly owe part of this success to this organization. Look for a chapter your campus. (http://www.societyleadership.org/ )
My university’s liberal art program allows me to take either core or classes in my major at any time that I choose to do so, where at other schools you must take many pre requisites that you aren’t even interested in. I have requirements in the English, Math, Science, Social Studies arena, but I get to choose which classes I fill those with. For example I don’t want to take any government, econ, or history classes, so I am filling my social science requirement with Criminal Justice, Sociology and Business.
The best part: my largest class had 25 students in it. This made it easy to ask questions, see the professor for office hours and to get to know classmates for both friendship and networking purposes. I am currently taking a class that teaches about what careers in psychology exist and the requirements to obtain a career in that field.
I plan on going to graduate school after I graduate from St. Mary’s in the spring of 2013. I will work towards a PhD in Industrial/ Organizational psychology. Industrial/Organizational Psychology deals with the relationships of the employees in a company, the improvement of future job candidate selection, creating programs and activities that to enhance the company and research. I am looking to obtain a career in this area of psychology and in the future look into becoming a college professor where I can do research and make discoveries all while sharing my knowledge with students.
I don’t have a set idea on which city or state I will go on to graduate school in, but I’m sure that with an open mind & continued support from my parents will lead me in a perfect Graduate school fit, just as I found St. Mary’s. This university provides thousands of opportunities for advancement, has a tight knit community feel to it, job fairs, research symposiums and more than I can ever say.
So when picking your future university asks yourself many times if the person you are will fit in well in the setting you will choose. Please, consider private schools as an option because they are smaller in size and have abundance in financial aid which could cost less than attending a public school. When you need a recommendation letter for a job or graduate school it will be more likely that your professor knows you better and has more to say about you, than if you attend a large public school where he or she might know your name at most.
This semester I am going to become more involved in psychology courses, new organizations and begin research.
Wendy Espinoza
Pinole Valley High School
Class of 2009
St. Mary's University
Class of 2013
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