First semester experiences
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I quickly learned that the key to a functional relationship with your roommates is good communication. I found that I did not have to surrender my lifestyle, but that I did occasionally have to compromise. We devised a great system, and now I would not change my roommates for anything.

--Huda, Public Health/Mass Communications

Public Health/Mass Communications, College of Letters and Science

During the course of my high school career I never had "a school": a university that I absolutely had to get into, that I was passionate about. One main reason is that I did not want to get attached to a place I was not sure I would be attending. However, during my senior year in high school, I saw this begin to change. My cousin was accepted to Cal as a transfer student from southern California, and I took trips to Berkeley to spend time with her. I did not know it then, but by the time UC decisions were released, I realized that I had fallen in love with Berkeley. I had attended Cal events, made new friends, and gotten used to all the great food. I was convinced that my ideal college experience would happen on this campus--so you can imagine my anxiety when decision day came. It was a couple hours before I could bring myself to check the Berkeley site and see if I was accepted. I was! I was filled with joy and excitement, and felt that I had been rewarded for all my hard work and sacrifices. I was hopeful about embarking on the journey of new experiences and life lessons that everyone told me college was about.

Transitioning to Cal was definitely a lot easier for me than it was for most. I lived only an hour away and had visited a lot during my senior year. I was also going to be rooming in the dorms with my best friend from high school. Everything seemed to be going just as I had wanted...until I received my housing assignment. My friend and I were placed in a triple; this was definitely not in the plan. We could not even believe three people could fit in a room so small. Wouldn't it be awkward to have a third person living with two friends? Our efforts to get out of the triple failed, but when move-in time came, we found out that things were not that bad. Our third roommate was someone we had known from our hometown who also had attended CalSO with us. It was challenging to accommodate three people in such a small place, but we were all real and honest with each other from the start. I quickly learned that the key to a functional relationship with your roommates is good communication. I found that I did not have to surrender my lifestyle, but that I did occasionally have to compromise. We devised a great system, and now I would not change my roommates for anything.

Next I had to adjust to college classes, how they work, and how to do well in them. The courses I took were mainly to fulfill general requirements, as I was undecided when I entered Cal. I took General Chemistry to see if I had any interest in a science major, and learned that my strengths did not lie in large, competitive chemistry classes. General Chemistry was a huge struggle, and I realized that college--unlike high school--isn't so much about the little assignments but about studying very well, and understanding core concepts, and applying them to anything. I enjoyed my other classes, which was nice since I began to despise Chem.

Another huge part of my first semester was my involvement in clubs, in particular the Muslim Student Association (MSA). I was appointed to the MSA board as a freshman, and this position led to a lot of responsibilities and time commitments. My involvement in this campus club was beneficial to my transition to Cal; I found a group of people who shared my beliefs and with whom I could build a community. A highlight of this semester was my first encounter with Berkeley activism during Peace Not Prejudice Week, an event that I had a hand in planning through the MSA.

My first semester had a lot of ups and a few downs. I learned a lot about being open to new ideas and meeting new people. Most of all, I discovered the importance of finding a community for myself within the larger Cal community. While I grew socially, I also realized that I needed to strengthen my study habits and put more time into my academics.

Overall, I have no regrets about my decision to come to Cal. I have met people who changed my life, and have partaken in many things that helped me grow as an individual. I wish you all the best of luck, and hope that you come to Cal with an open mind and an open heart.

--Huda, Public Health/Mass Communications
From Tracy, California
Previously attended Merrill F. West High School, Tracy

After arriving, I was a bit overwhelmed by the freedom. While it was refreshing to gain autonomy over certain parts of my life (such as what I did and where I went in my spare time), it was also a bit disconcerting to realize that there was no set path for me to follow anymore.

--Tiffany, Architecture

Architecture, College of Environmental Design

When I first found out that I had been accepted to Berkeley, my excitement was tempered by the fact that I had received my rejection letter from Brown only a few minutes earlier. I spent that night with friends who had also been rejected from their dream schools; we consoled ourselves over fried chicken and mashed potatoes. Soon, however, my delayed enthusiasm kicked in, and I began to look forward to moving up to northern California.

After arriving, I was a bit overwhelmed by my new freedom. While it was refreshing to gain autonomy over certain parts of my life (such as what I did and where I went in my spare time), it was also a bit disconcerting to realize that there was no set path for me to follow anymore. The constrictions of high school meant that I didn't have to think very carefully about how I progressed. But at Berkeley, there were so many possibilities to explore, and I was scared that choosing one path would make me miss out on many others.

Most of my classes during my first semester were breadth courses. I wanted to poke around while I still had the chance, and hoped to immerse myself in the quintessential college experience. While I did get to experience a bit of that, most of the lectures were very large classes, and my discussion sections consisted mostly of my GSI talking. Still, I learned a lot of new material, and became interested in topics that I had never previously considered.

Berkeley is not where I imagined I would be for my first year of college, but I have made the most of it and am looking forward to the new experiences and opportunities that Cal will offer me.

--Tiffany, Architecture
From West Covina, California
Previously attended South Hills High School

After coming from a high school where I knew almost everyone--and where walking into school meant seeing familiar faces--being at a large school in an entirely new state was intimidating.

--Lauren, Chemistry

As an out-of-state student from Colorado, I was especially nervous coming to Berkeley. It wasn't so much the being away from home that scared me, but that I was entering uncharted territory. I wasn't sure where I'd fit in. After coming from a high school where I knew almost everyone--and where walking into school meant seeing familiar faces--being at a large school in an entirely new state was intimidating. I could tell as soon as I walked on campus that I was facing a new culture: I dressed differently, I spoke differently, and I felt like an outsider when other people bonded over shared high schools and mutual friends.

I realized that if Berkeley was going to become my home for four years, I had to make it so. My strategy was to try anything and everything that interested me. I learned to mountain bike with Cal Cycling. I programmed at the Lawrence Hall of Science. I mingled with future engineers at an AICHE meeting. I waited (at five in the morning) at the RSF to sign up my dodgeball team. I played soccer and Frisbee on Maxwell Field. I tried everything and rejected nothing, and I met countless people along the way. It amazed me how a campus that was once full of unfamiliar faces grew smaller and smaller every day; soon it became impossible to walk to class anonymously.

Naturally, some activities fell by the wayside. I realized that mountain biking competitively wasn't for me. I decided I didn't want to be an engineer. But, as it turns out, I loved playing dodgeball, and I loved night games of Frisbee. Most importantly, by involving myself in life at Berkeley, I began to feel like I belonged at this school. I think the most telling moment was during winter break, when I decided to go on a road trip through California. Suddenly, I had new friends all over the state, and that was a great feeling. And while Colorado was still extremely important to me, I began to feel--just a little bit--that I identified with both Berkeley and California as a whole. Coming back after break was like coming home, and that's a feeling I've found only grows as I spend more time here.

--Lauren, Chemistry
From Littleton, Colorado and Portland, Oregon
Previously attended Dakota Ridge High School, Littleton

For a break, I took a DeCal (student-taught) class about Harry Potter, and that was the class that I really looked forward to every week. Having a random, fun class in the middle of the week helps relieve some of the stress, and it's nice to meet people that share your enthusiasm for the same obscure, nerdy subject.

--Jessica, Undeclared

Engineering, Undeclared, College of Engineering

Truthfully, Berkeley wasn't my first choice, though it was definitely one of my top choices. In February, I was selected for an interview for the Regents Scholarship. At the time, I thought that was an opportunity that was offered to everyone. It wasn't until I actually went for the interview that I really understood what was going on. The receptionist congratulated me on my acceptance to Berkeley, and that's when I did a mental happy dance and smiled way too much for the rest of the day. Berkeley has one of the finest engineering programs in the world, and that--combined with the scholarship--made the decision to come here that much easier.

Moving in wasn't hard (except for the whole climbing up three flights of stairs with massive amounts of stuff thing). I chose to live at Clark Kerr because one of my high school teachers lived there when she was an undergrad at Berkeley, and she really enjoyed it. I love how diverse my floor mates are, and I really think that there's no way I would have met these people otherwise. As one of my friends put it, "living at the dorms is like one big sleepover." I'm not one to be homesick, but if I were, living with such cool people would definitely alleviate it.

Taking 18 units my first semester in college didn't sound like the best idea, but I made the situation seem less severe by reminding myself that only 15 of them were real academic units: my math, physics, and engineering classes all counted homework as part of my overall grade. Knowing this helped me transition into the scary idea of college classes, but it was still somewhat alarming to learn that my midterm was 30% of my grade. Those two hours can determine so much! For a break, I took a DeCal (student-taught) class about Harry Potter, and that was the class that I really looked forward to every week. Having a random, fun class in the middle of the week helps relieve some of the stress, and it's nice to meet people that share your enthusiasm for the same obscure, nerdy subject.

Going to a college where you don't really know anyone can be a challenge, and the size of a public university can add to that. Once I learned to take college in little pieces, however, I finally got the hang of things. I decided to join the Berkeley Dragonboat team and the Yongmudo Club (which teaches a type of Korean self defense). I got to meet people in a smaller group setting, which was much less intimidating than trying to meet people in giant lecture halls.

There's definitely room for improvement in my academic life, but overall, I'm very happy with how things turned out during my first semester at Cal. It might not have been my first choice, but it turned into the right choice for me.

--Jessica, Undeclared Engineering
From Temple City, California
Previously attended Temple City High School

I had lived in the same town--and the same house--before attending Cal. In addition, I am a single child, so moving away from home was a huge adjustment.

--Kevin, Neurobiology

I remember choosing to go to Cal based on the location alone. I had never stepped foot on the Berkeley campus; all I knew was that I wanted to go to college somewhere in California but far away from home. In my mind, Cal was the practical choice academically and location-wise.

I had lived in the same town--and the same house--before attending Cal. In addition, I am a single child, so moving away from home was a huge adjustment. I went from having pretty much the whole house to myself to sharing a triple in Unit 2 Davidson. As if that weren't enough, one of my roommates and I had an ongoing personality clash. Also, there was definitely the challenge of adapting to coed bathrooms; it freaked me out knowing that girls could be next to me in the bathroom stall. But in retrospect, I am really glad that I had the opportunity to live outside my comfort zone. I was exposed to a completely new atmosphere...and learned that I can share bathrooms! Furthermore, because it was such a tight living space, everyone in the dorms got to know each other very well. From that living experience I was able to make many friends that I still keep in touch with two years later.

Initially, I felt that classes were not that hard because I came from a very academically grueling high school. What I did find challenging was learning time management. I found the coursework difficult only when I procrastinated and forced myself to be pressed for time. When I first came to Cal, I found many other activities that I wanted to participate in rather than study. It took a whole semester for me to realize there had to be a balance between social life and schoolwork. I finally had a revelation, and discovered the use of the library, which helped me get back on track.

My semester ended with a great feeling of fulfillment. I would not change anything about my first year experience, except maybe getting a double room. I loved the surplus meal points that provided me with a plethora of junk food and the "freshman 15" (the 15 pounds all freshmen supposedly gain when they come to college). I definitely made some mistakes, but learning from your mistakes is what the Berkeley freshman year is all about. It was a great introduction to the vast campus life I would be getting involved in for the next few years to come.

--Kevin, Neurobiology
From San Diego, California
Previously attended La Jolla High School

My decision to come to Cal was initially based on an enormous leap of faith and the desire to go somewhere new. The good news is that, if I could go back, I wouldn't change any of it.

--Adrian, Molecular Toxicology

Molecular Toxicology, College of Natural Resources

"I don't even know where Berkeley is on a map!" That's what I told a friend of mine when I was figuring out which UC campuses to apply to. My plan was simple: if I didn't get into UCLA I was going to Santa Barbara...but then I got accepted to Berkeley. And getting accepted into this school completely changed everything: where I was going to live, what I was going to study, and my plans after college.    

Frankly, I chose to come to Cal on a whim. Berkeley was an area I had never been to before, and I really wanted to be somewhere new (yes, I deliberately put myself way out of my comfort zone). In addition, it was the only college I applied to where I wasn't listed as a Computer Science major (with all respect to Computer Science majors, it's just something I can't do). Lastly, it was a chance to redefine myself as a person. In high school I was not really outgoing, and this sometimes gave the impression that I might be a jerk. When I came here, I wanted to appear to be the exact opposite.

Coming to Cal was a bit of a shock to me--but in a good way! In Los Angeles, I felt that people had a general lack of desire to interact, or only wanted to interact with certain folks. I loved Berkeley because most people I met had a passion for interaction, and always had something interesting to say.

So, I met people easily, but in time I started to realize that my floormates (l lived at Clark Kerr Campus) had something I didn't have, something I resented: a means of going home whenever they wanted. I was used to having family around for anything that I needed, material and immaterial. I "fixed" this by developing relations with those I knew I could trust completely, particularly the Resident Assistants. Of course they couldn't be like a mother, but they were like older brothers and sisters, and they made it feel like home. Homesickness was my big transition problem, but I found ways to come to terms with it, and now I don't have problems calling Cal home (though my mother still does).

My classes--and academic life in general--was a mixture of good and bad experiences. When I applied here I was not totally sure of what I wanted to do. I was not initially aware that I was in a biology and chemistry-oriented college, but I embraced it along with an intended Molecular Toxicology major. I then signed up for classes that got me started on that path and filled my breadth requirements (Chem 1A, Math 16B, Anthropology 2AC, and Nutritional Science 10). As it turns out, I set myself up for a challenging first semester, but the only real trouble I had was with the first class: Chem 1A. I had never taken the AP chemistry exam, and the honors chemistry class I took in high school was...unsatisfactory. I ended up going to multiple office hours just to understand the lab reports. Overall, I did reasonably well, especially considering it was my first semester. During my first semester I discovered something about myself and how I study and learn. It turns out that I am a hands-on learner, not someone who can just chill in a classroom and listen. For me, it's impossible to succeed without going to lecture, reading, and practicing. This semester, I've adjusted better to my course load. I still need to fix a few things about how I work, but I have a better idea of what it takes to succeed at Berkeley.

I got involved in campus life because I wanted to become two things: a CalSO counselor, and a Resident Assistant (RA). I had asked my RA about it, and she recommended that I run for student government in the residence halls (the Hall Association) and for the Residence Hall Assembly (RHA). Both of the jobs I ultimately wanted involved programming and people skills, and student government developed both. I also became friends with the student government president who got me involved in a paid middle school tutoring program. While working for the RHA I got the chance to implement two programs: Bearfest and All-Halloween. Moreover, working with--and for--this group of people actually had an effect on my goals: I get to be a CalSO counselor, and I'm on the brink of becoming an RA. On top of all that I get to work on one of the most popular events of the year: Boatdance! So getting involved not only helped me attain my goals, but also gave me experiences I know I won't forget.

My first semester was not stagnant, that's for sure. I was thrown into an academic level and setting I had never experienced before, and I helped create and execute programs for students. All of this caused me to grow--and I grew well, considering I started from scratch. The only thing I feel I might still be missing is a permanent niche, but that will develop in the semesters ahead.

Overall, my first semester was great! My decision to come to Cal was initially based on an enormous leap of faith and the desire to go somewhere new. The good news is that if I could go back, I wouldn't change any of it.

--Adrian, Molecular Toxicology
From South Gate (Los Angeles), California
Previously attended Southeast High School, South Gate

My classes were pretty tough. It was weird to be in such large classes with hardly any communication between the students and the teacher. I was shocked when I failed my first midterm horribly, and even more surprised when my parents said it was OK and that I was expected to get better later.

--Ali, Plant and Microbial Biology

Plant and Microbial Biology, College of Natural Resources, Out-of-State Student

When I was a little kid I lived in the Bay Area, right above Berkeley in the hills. But when I was seven, I moved to Texas and lived there until I graduated from high school. I always knew that I wanted to go to college in California, and my dad was really pushing Cal because of its prestige. When I got accepted, it was a choice between UCLA, Cal, and UT (where my mom wanted me to go because it was close). I ended up picking Cal because they gave me a generous scholarship and because my dad agreed to pay my tuition for the full four years I was projected to attend.

When I got here, I was really excited--and also really nervous--about the transition. I was leaving behind my family, and I was actually going to be alone for the first time in my life. Because I came from a fairly sheltered family life, I thought the transition would be difficult and was scared when my dad left. As it turned out, the semester did become difficult, but not in the way I thought it would. My classes were pretty tough. It was weird to be in such large classes with hardly any communication between the students and the teacher. I was shocked when I failed my first midterm horribly, and even more surprised when my parents said it was OK and that I was expected to get better later.

After a while, I got used to the course load and made a productive study schedule. Initially, my habits started out strong, and I was studying whenever I had the time. Then I started slacking off, studying less often and putting off assignments to the last minute. Now, I'm trying to use my free time in a more useful way and get work done instead of sitting around watching TV, eating chips, and checking facebook. As much fun as that sounds, it takes up a lot of time that it doesn't need to.

I did not get involved with any on-campus clubs, but I did join a fraternity, Kappa Delta Rho. Through that, I became a lifelong part of something much larger than myself. I also got a job at the campus library as a security monitor, and it is great.

My first semester ended well. I had learned a lot about myself and became, I believe, a better person. While I am looking forward to going home, I am actually really excited about coming back to Cal.

--Ali, Plant and Microbial Biology
From Houston, Texas
Previously attended Lamar High School, Houston