adulting

Living in Berkeley: Ultimate Travel Guide [Part 1]

April 13, 2021

Are you a new or prospective student to UC Berkeley? Or are you a returning student who needs new travel ideas around the Bay Area? Either way, this travel guide will give you a sense of how many options Berkeley really has to offer…I will feature my all time FAVORITE places to hike/visit, restaurants to indulge at, and more!

As an incoming student at Berkeley, you may have done your research on the Internet regarding places to visit. But you might have also wanted an opinion from a fellow golden bear. This is what I’m here for! I’m currently a junior at UC Berkeley who has lived...

Mental Health is Important: Tips to Finding a Therapist

April 27, 2021

Berkeley can be a tough school; and with grinding academics, a vigorous social sphere, and other stress-inducing activities it is so important to take care of your mental health. There are many ways to tend to your needs, but one thing that has worked really well for me is therapy.

Before anything else, it is really important that you understand everyone can benefit from therapy. This means you must debunk any preconceived notions of therapy as something for “mentally ill” people. Therapy comes in all forms and is meant to target and help whoever is attending it....

Not a house, but a Home

May 2, 2021

Contrary to popular belief, I’d say that the most stressful part of going to UC Berkeley is trying to secure housing. Finding the perfect place to live can be a hassle, between finding an apartment or condo the right distance from school or making sure you and your friends can live close by, the sheer amount of options can be overwhelming. But once you do find the perfect place, it may feel more like a temporary residence than a home. And it shouldn’t feel like that! So here’s the story of how I made my apartment something unique.

When I first moved into my apartment...

Everything I Learned Outside of the Classroom

May 11, 2021

In my four years at Berkeley, I learned more than I ever wanted to know about how organic molecules are formed, about the duality of particles acting as waves, and about how chemicals contribute so much to our world, both good and bad. I read thousands of pages of chemistry textbooks, some of which kept me up at night because they fascinated me, many that put me to bed because they were so dry and boring.

But as most soon-to-be college grads will likely agree, I know that I learned far more beyond the classroom. I learned to become a somewhat dysfunctional,...

Communications 101: Running an Organization

September 23, 2021

A university education like Berkeley is made up of so many elements: fascinating lectures pushing us to think more deeply, engaging discourse between people of all different backgrounds, and once in a lifetime experiences with friends. But beyond the bounds of a Cal classroom or a dorm room, you’re able to see the way students come together and form societies and organizations of incredible complexity.

When I first arrived on campus, I had no idea that in three years I would be part of a team that runs one of oldest and one of the most intricate student organizations here: the UC...

Participating in a Virtual Summer Internship

October 7, 2021

I was in the second semester of my sophomore year and had only had two jobs my entire life. Both of those jobs were not part of the fields within my major (Sustainable Environmental Design). I felt like it was finally time to try out something closer to my major and explore what was out there. I was always interested in studying abroad, so I looked into what they had to offer.

Due to the Covid19 pandemic, many programs were being held virtually or were completely canceled for the time being. But then I remembered a newsletter I saw from my college about a virtual...

How Being A Campus Ambassador Has Helped Me

November 16, 2021

Thinking back to when I walked into my campus ambassador job audition my freshman year, I was so nervous. Being surrounded by so many intelligent people at a school that I thought I’d never get into* is intimidating in itself. When you add the opportunity to try to be a representative for the entire school by giving tours, my anxiety skyrocketed. I wasn’t shy, but I was unsure about my value as a student and human being. Becoming a campus ambassador has not only improved my confidence, but also developed skills, helped me make genuine connections, and understand responsibilities....

How to Build your 4 Year Plan as a MCB (Molecular and Cellular Biology) Major

November 30, 2021

Will you be declaring as a MCB (Molecular and Cellular Biology) major? Do you need some help in getting things started with planning out the next four years of your undergraduate career? Well, I’m here to help! As an out of state student who came from Hawaii, I didn’t have any connections in Berkeley so I started planning everything out from scratch. During my freshman year, I was actually required to submit my 4 year plan (the courses that I am taking for each semester) in my 6th week of class due to a requirement that I had to satisfy in my Army ROTC program. Yep, that...

Cal in the Capital: A Summer in DC

July 8, 2022

I was never someone who had a plan to study abroad coming into college. I’ve only traveled to a few states, and have never been out of the country, so the idea of going abroad for a few months was never really on my radar. I used to think that instead of going abroad, I would do a semester at UCDC, a program that allows University of California students to study and intern in Washington DC for a semester. But then with the COVID-19 pandemic beginning halfway through my first year of college and impacting the entire following school year, I felt like so much time at Berkeley had been ripped...

#DormLife: Tips and Tricks for an Easier Move-In Day!

August 8, 2022

Hey you! Guess What? Move-in day is coming up fast! Before you start panicking and raiding your local Target (not sponsored), know that move-in is not at scary as it seems. While this marks the beginning of a new academic year and the next step in your academic journey, #dormlife is not as complicated as it seems and will be an amazing experience. Luckily, you came across this post and are about to learn some amazing tricks from your veteran at #dormlife and first-year resident assistant. Here are the five key things you should know.

You don’t need...