student life

Not a house, but a Home

May 2, 2021
Paulina Nguyen

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...

One Bear’s Goodbye to Bear Talk

September 21, 2021
Evelyn Lawrence

Throughout my time at UC Berkeley, I was lucky enough to partake in a wide and wild array of activities. In a single day, I would fly from one end of campus to another, learning, dancing, giving tours, leading my residents, having meetings, and discovering new things. One of the most special activities I participated in, however, was one that I did more quietly. Beginning in the Fall of 2018, I wrote blog posts for this student blog, Bear Talk.

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How to Transition from Online School to In Person Classes

September 26, 2021
Vincent Ooi

Have you been attending Zoom University from your bed this past year? Now that “in-person” school’s back in session, what changes will you need to make to your daily routine? What are the types of habits that are going to make you successful?

student standing in berkeley hills overlooking the bay area

Me in the Berkeley Hills overlooking the Bay Area!

If these are the questions that you’re...

Berkeley Small Businesses to Love and How to Support Them!

October 14, 2021
Dina Katgara

yellow and blue street banner of the campanile at the intersection of telegraph and bancroft

Telegraph and Bancroft

When you first come to Berkeley, you might be bombarded by how much there is to do and see here. From the quirky bookstores to the vegan cupcakes, the city of Berkeley is teeming with unique and cultivated experiences. Working as the lead business and economy reporter for the Daily...

Pick-a-Major: Finding What Works for You

October 21, 2021
Paulina Nguyen

One of the hardest decisions I faced when I entered the College of Letters and Science was figuring out what I wanted to study. With over 80 full majors and over 100 minors to choose from, the possibility of what major to choose results in endless combinations. Not to mention the option of applying to majors between other colleges; actually deciding what path to choose can seem like an insurmountable task. It definitely felt that way when I was a freshman two years ago. It seemed like there were just too many interesting classes to take and not enough time in my schedule.

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Pumpkin to Talk About: Berkeley in Autumn!

October 28, 2021
Cordelia Varona

With the transition of summer into fall comes beautiful color changes, pumpkin-flavored everything, and sweater weather. Let’s celebrate the autumn and Halloween season by taking a look into some of my favorite fall Berkeley activities:

Go for a walk

In my hometown, the weather stays the same all year round – Before I came to Berkeley, I’d never really experienced the four seasons. While one could still argue that seasons in California don’t really count as “true seasons,” they would have to admit that seeing the leaves change color in...

Making the Most of a Bay Area College Experience

November 18, 2021
Paulina Nguyen

One of the best benefits of going to a school like Berkeley, is not just what happens in school, but what happens outside of it. The Bay Area is a diverse area, full of options, from the beaches bordering the chilly northern Pacific, to cities with major metropolitan offerings, to even mountains and beautiful California scenery. With so many different adventures to choose from, I’m here to share my favorite memories.

I’m a big foodie, and I love to try new cuisines from different places. One of the places I love to go with my friends is Fruitvale, a neighborhood in...

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

November 30, 2021
Vincent Ooi

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...

Berkeley: A Concert-lover’s Fantasy

December 2, 2021
Alyssa Hurtado

Being a live music junkie is easy in Berkeley, almost too easy. Being located in the Bay Area, a favorite spot for many artists, makes this the perfect city for concert lovers of all types. Whether you want to attend a small show at Cornerstone, conveniently located right off Shattuck, or you want to Bart over to the Civic Center in San Francisco for a rave at Bill Graham, the opportunities are virtually endless!

Being able to buy a ticket for a friend and I to see one of our favorite artists and know that, one way or another—bus, Uber, or Bart—we’ll...

How I Became the President of 3 Organizations at Cal

December 14, 2021
Vincent Ooi

What is the process of going from a member of an organization into leading it as the President?Is there some kind of secret way on getting to the top? These were all questions I wondered in my first year at UC Berkeley. Before I begin elaborating on my experiences on how I became the president of multiple organizations (the Omniscient Tutor, See the Lord, Student Pre-Medical Advising Network), I would like to mention that you should only commit your time to organizations that you truly care about and would want to make a difference in, specifically within the field...