extracurriculars

Top 5 Places to Sing in Berkeley

April 12, 2022

Enjoy singing in the shower and want to upgrade your singing experience? One of my favorite pastimes is finding places on campus that are great for singing, whether it be with your favorite a cappella group or just on your own for fun. After some extensive research and surveying, I’ve compiled a list of the top five places to sing on Berkeley’s campus. Go bears and happy music making!

5: Under Sather Gate

Coming in at number 5 is the beautiful Sather Gate. This is every a cappella group’s home once a week, where performances happen for the...

The 20 Unit Spring: A Cautionary Tale

February 22, 2021

I took 20 units this semester. That’s 5 classes total. The minimum amount of units I have to take in L&S is 13. Most students take 16 units. That’s 4 classes.

Before I get into my experiences, I should explain what units mean exactly. The number of units a class is assigned is based off of hours of work needed to put into each class outside of the predetermined lecture and section time. The reason students usually stick to around 16 is because more than that tends to start to be overwhelming and very time consuming, as I now know first hand.

Disclaimer: 20 units is 100%...

My Internship Search

March 2, 2021

I feel like my parents ask me at least twice a week what job I’ll be able to get with my major and what my career goals are. Both of my majors are incredibly broad and not something you see in a lot of fields. In a previous blog post I talked about my decision to become a geography major on top of my Society & Environment major. Truthfully, with a lot of things academic wise and career wise, I just don’t know what I want. I’m the type of person who gets excited about literally anything and everything but I also get bored easily. I chose my majors because I wanted something that would...

Connecting Through Food

March 8, 2021

This week marks one year since classes at UC Berkeley went online, and since then, it has been difficult to connect with students outside of my apartment. Over the last year, I have learned to appreciate spending time with my housemates, especially cooking dinner with them. Even though things have been online, all of our schedules are still very busy with classes, work, and various student organizations. However, we still make time for what we call “family dinners” at least four days a week, where we all help cook a meal and sit down together at the table to eat.

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No need to lament over learning a new language!

March 15, 2021

Bem-vindo, Bienvenue, Bienvenidos, Welcome. These words in their respective languages all signal to the listener that the space that they are in is hospitable, that the speaker is greeting the listener in a positive manner. This is a common introduction I have heard during my time at Cal learning different languages. I knew I wanted to study another language that would not only be useful for me when I travel, but also in my career field.

So first, I decided that I would strengthen my Spanish knowledge and would learn Portuguese since there are already many...

The View from the Boards: My Experience as a Mic Man

April 24, 2021

You’ve probably heard of a lot of different Cal Spirit Groups on this blog. We have our Cal Band, the Rally Committee, our Cheer and Dance teams, and our loveable mascot, Oski. But as much as the Mic Men get our share of love and affection during game days, it’s sometimes difficult for others to understand what it is that we do and how we fit with Cal Spirit.

The Mic Men are the group responsible for leading the cheers during games and tailgates! We make sure that Cal fans in the audience keep their energy and enthusiasm up for our student-athletes. We’re leading those cheers even...

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...

How to Start Meditating as a Cal Student

October 26, 2021

We are now well into the school year…it’s midterm season every week! And each of us are piling up with work and assignments. Although it’s stressful, there are many positive ways to cope with these types of stresses. One of my most preferred ways to do this is through meditation. If you’d like to learn about the secrets to dealing with a stressful school year, then stay on! You’ll be a master of meditation in no time with this comprehensive guide.

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Becoming a Campus Ambassador

November 2, 2021

Picture this: you’re a freshman at the number one public university in the world. You spend all your free time going to club events and football games, making new friends and truly enjoying your life and where you’re at in it. Three months go by before you remember you kind of need to get a job sometime soon. That was me, I was so wrapped up in the wonders of UC Berkeley, but I couldn’t find a campus job that was equally as exciting.

That is, until a friend of mine told me I would make a good campus ambassador. I spent so long mulling over the application, pouring hours into each...

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....