If you were to ask me what my favorite thing about Berkeley is, it would be my friends. My social circle.
If we’re being honest, I’ve had a complicated history with friendships growing up. I’ve grown to become insecure about them, which went on to affect some of my future relationships. However, after graduating from high school and moving on to community college, I wanted to go in with a new mindset. While I loved attending community college, it was socially dead the majority of the time. It was hard to make friends and I came out of community college with one. Not that I minded, I was living at home, which was a security blanket for my lack of social life, but coming to Berkeley, it was a bit different.
It took me a few months to find my footing here socially. Coming in as a transfer student and living off-campus, I had to make friends from classes or clubs. I’m not the most social person, but I got lucky when meeting Brie. You see, Brie and I met in a study group right before our second exam for English 107, Bible Literature. I was debating whether or not to go to the study session, but I’m so glad I did (obviously). Brie and I bonded quickly when we found out that we were from the same town and went to the same community college. Although that’s not it, we also realized that we had shared the same class during our last semester of community college and had actually met briefly at the beginning of last fall semester when we went to pick up the course reader for the bible literature class. If that isn’t fate, I don’t know what is.
Being friends, Brie introduced me to her two friends that she met in another class: Gwen and Char. They allowed me to join their friend group and when I say that they healed me, I’m not exaggerating. I think for the first time in my life, I have friends who genuinely want to be friends with me, flaws and all.
However at the start of this year, I moved in with Brie and two other girls, Alyssa and Sam, into our apartment, and they too, became close friends. Last year, my roommate–at the time–and I decided not to live together for our senior year and I brought up to Brie that idea of living together and she was all in. We looked at many apartments but found a listing that Alyssa had posted on Instagram and went to take a look. We instantly clicked and decided to move in, then Alyssa found Sam.
This year has been filled with a lot of fun-filled moments at the apartment. The four of us get along great, and not only are we roommates, but we’re also friends, which is a difference in the dynamic. We’ve had late nights out on the town, or in the apartment playing games and eating popcorn. We’ve laughed and cried, supporting each other through the good and the bad.
We’re also all transfers, so that is something that we all have in common. We call ourselves Enchor House, like Anchor House, which is the new apartment complex exclusively for transfer students.
Last fall, I wouldn’t have been able to imagine the type of friends that I have today. I got pretty lucky and I’m forever grateful. Not only for this year but for the future.
This semester has been stressful and busy, but my friends make being at Berkeley just a little more worth it. The nights when we can hang out and have fun, just talking and enjoying each other’s company are my favorite nights of the month.