College is praised as a place where you can start fresh. With new surroundings, people and opportunities, college years are claimed to be the “best years of your life.” What people fail to tell you is how uncomfortable your first year can be. We at the Clog want to prepare you for said most uncomfortable years of your life, and maybe even prevent them from being too awkward, especially for our fellow Bears who are starting really fresh.
You literally know no one and no one knows you
Being at one of the most diverse and open-minded college communities in the world is something to take advantage of. At UC Berkeley, you can really reinvent yourself! With no fear of judgments from peers from home, let your inner self blossom.
There’s a club for everyone
Because of its diversity, UC Berkeley really does have clubs for anyone and everyone. Finding a community within a club is a great way to overcome loneliness. Connecting yourself to something you’re passionate about or interested in is a great way to make college a little more familiar. With meetings, events and tabling on Sproul, there’s no way you can be in a club without making a few friends.
Become friends with your roommates
People say that living with a person doesn’t necessarily mean you need to be friends. However, living with someone can start a beautiful friendship. I mean, you literally have to be around each other, so might as well have some laughs, right?
Become friends with your floormates
Living on a floor with 30 other students can be overwhelming, but you have to get past the fact that Chad never puts the toilet seat down in the communal bathrooms. Floormates are great friends because you can see them when you want, but you can also choose to just chill in your room.
Free concerts? Free pizza? Free stuff!
Go to all the fun events that are put on around campus and even in the housing units! Really take advantage of the different events on campus, because once you graduate, you’ll be paying to do fun stuff. You can meet new people who share similar interests and might be introduced to new and unique passions, such as swing dancing!
Breathe
We aren’t going to lie to you. UC Berkeley can be extremely overwhelming and make you feel like a complete loser. With no familiar faces from home, you may feel like college is swallowing you up. All you can do is breathe. Yeah, I know, it sounds lame, but just taking a few seconds to realize that you got into UC Berkeley is so impressive. Everyone who gets to call themselves a Golden Bear should take pride in that! You deserve to be here!
UC Berkeley’s 18.3 percent acceptance rate makes it difficult to come here knowing others from your hometown. If you’re coming from a small town, you may find that you’re the only one becoming a Golden Bear. Starting really fresh here at UC Berkeley is nerve-wracking, but with our loving community, getting over the awkward stage is a breeze! Here’s to a fresh start!
