student life

How I Stay Organized at Berkeley as a STEM Student

October 28, 2024
Mallory S.
How I Stay Organized at Berkeley as a STEM Student

Before I came to university, I always considered myself a fairly organized person. In high school, that meant having a different binder for each class and a to-do list in the notes app on my phone. But flash-forward to my first time reading a course syllabus at Berkeley, and I realized that I needed to change my approach.

Firstly, I think it’s incredibly important to put all of your classes into a calendar. Most students use Google Calendar for this. In university, unlike in high school, your...

What I’d do With a Weekend in Northern California—A Love Letter to Home

October 25, 2024
Mallory S.
What I’d do With a Weekend in Northern California—A Love Letter to Home

It’s mid-October right now. The temperatures might drop to the 60s during the day if you’re lucky, but there’s surely still a few scorching days left for those in NorCal. In the high Sierras, mountain tops are receiving their first snowfall, and in the valleys below, trees are turning brilliant shades of orange and yellow before they drop their leaves. Pumpkin patches, corn mazes, and apple orchards are being swarmed before all the attention moves on to Christmas tree farms.

...

How Studying Abroad "At Home" Solved My Identity Crisis

October 23, 2024
Maylis P.
How Studying Abroad "At Home" Solved My Identity Crisis

Everyone says studying abroad changes you. It throws you into a new place—into a new culture —and forces you to learn how to navigate it all while trying to make friends, do well in your classes, and figure out the cheapest grocery store near your new house. And it’s true!!

But for me, it was a little different: I studied abroad at home. I am French, and I chose to spend the 2023-24 academic year living with my family in Paris, a city I am very familiar with after spending every summer...

Flying to Berkeley From LA and Back

October 21, 2024
Madison K.
Flying to Berkeley From LA and Back

When I got to Berkeley, I was so excited, but it also meant that I would have to move away from home. Moving away from home has been a brand new experience, but I have to say that that there truly is nothing like home.

I’m from Southern California, which means it's a six to seven-hour drive or one-hour flight to get to Berkeley. It’s not that far if you compare it to out-of-state students or international students, but for me, it’s more than enough.

The one thing that I...

The Dos and Don’ts of Packing for a Study Abroad Experience

September 18, 2024
Mallory S.

Hello, hello! My name’s Mallory, and I’m currently in my third year at UC Berkeley. As I write this, I’m far, far away from Berkeley’s campus in Reykjavík, Iceland—where I’m studying abroad for the Fall 2024 semester at the University of Iceland. Because of this, I think I have a pretty good sense of what you should and shouldn’t bring for your time abroad! So let’s get into it—

DO- consider the climate of your host city

I know, this one seems obvious. However, this is hugely important to consider and will be the biggest factor in...

Memories and Their Ability to Sweeten Things: My Newfound Love for Evans Hall

September 9, 2024
Jasmin H.
Memories and Their Ability to Sweeten Things: My Newfound Love for Evans Hall

Evans hall used to be the building that would cover the sunset view from my dorm. The building where my math discussions would take place at 9am. The building that dulled in comparison to the physics building. That said, Evans hall has a special place in my heart.

I often think about how places or things can have greater emotional capital depending on the person who is experiencing them. Similar to how the smell of a certain food or thing can unleash feelings of safety and...

An Epicure’s Guide to Berkeley

September 4, 2024
Romina B.
An Epicure’s Guide to Berkeley

There is nothing that I love more than enjoying a savory meal, drink or pastry, so here is my guide to where you MUST check out when you visit UC Berkeley.

1951 Coffee Company, a semi hidden coffee shop located on Channing serves one of the most delicious Iced Honey Lavender Lattes. I like to add extra honey and chocolate foam to my order and this drink is honestly one of the many things that I look forward to having whenever I’m in Berkeley. It is quite important to also add that not only does this coffee shop serve delicious beverages, but it also...

The Many Perspectives I’ve Encountered at Berkeley

August 16, 2024
Kail M.
The Many Perspectives I’ve Encountered at Berkeley

Please note that all names used in this article are fictionized for privacy purposes.

I’ll be entering my third year here at UC Berkeley and I can definitely say I’ve met many interesting people here. Berkeley is full of people from all walks of life, and I’ve learned so much from the perspectives of people I call friends. Many of these perspectives overlap and contradict each other, but that’s what make it real… they are complex like life itself.

Here are some perspectives I’ve...

Focus and Managing Stress During Finals and Midterms at UC Berkeley

August 19, 2024
Anna R.
Focus and Managing Stress During Finals and Midterms at UC Berkeley

Summer sessions at UC Berkeley can be intense. This past summer, I found myself buried under a pile of midterms and finals, all hitting at once. It was overwhelming, to say the least. With everything happening at lightning speed, I barely had time to catch my breath, let alone keep up with the endless stream of assignments, exams, and projects. As the dust settled and the fall semester started to peek around the corner, I figured it was the perfect time to step back, reflect on what I’d just been through, and come up...

Threads of Growth: Weaving Leadership and Community at I-House

August 12, 2024
Anna R.
Threads of Growth: Weaving Leadership and Community at I-House

Yesterday, we hosted an I-House send-off event. I found myself sitting on the Glade, watching the sun dip behind the hills, and I couldn’t help but think about everything that’s happened in just three months. A year ago, I moved from Beijing to Berkeley—two cities that could not be more different. This May, I stepped into my role as an RA at International House.

I-House lounges overlook the San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge, like windows into other worlds, each resident carrying their...