Posted on

529 E Peltason Dr, Irvine

Dear Glenda, 

Once more, you are going to realize that you never know enough. Ten weeks ago, you became a college student. It is the moment you ferociously worked for your entire life. Has it been what you expected? No, It has been even more meaningful yet challenging than you visualized it. Academically speaking, the habits you forged throughout the years are still effective. Keep doing spaced studying and encouraging yourself to feel uncomfortable. Periodically refreshing the content you learned through application questions is a scientifically backed-up study strategy. The feeling of frustration or discomfort you get while solving problems is a signal that you are strengthening connections between neurons, the more you recall that memory, the more accessible it becomes, that is how learning feels and looks like. 

Nevertheless, you are going to be challenged. Some core beliefs you have sustained are going to be dismantled. In your Social Problems class – a random elective class you chose–you will dissect a study that contrasts the academic behaviors of low-income students compared to middle-class students. If I ask you how does a successful student behave? You will have in mind someone independent, polite, and responsible–it sounds like you indeed– but in the study, the middle-class students who use so-called strategies of influence (treat teachers as resources, try to avoid consequences of their actions, ask for help), are more academically successful. Furthermore, those who display deference strategies–working-class students– tend to be first-generation college dropouts. Shocking, right? You are going to change your ways dramatically. You are going to have to bomb Professors with questions and urgently demand help and attention every time you are stuck; forget about “being a bother” or wasting valuable time trying to figure it out yourself, you have to become the opposite of what you have been taught your whole life. 

Finally, don’t get desperate about making friends. Changing how you behave academically will also lead you to revamp your social life. You will take the lead to make strangers become intimate friends…and will fail. You will notice that the people you want to be friends with do not align with what you need at the time. Drop your idealizations, respect your priorities, and keep your boundaries in mind–you will find the friends you need. At the same time, I am impressed and proud of how you have worked to reconnect to yourself; keep on giving compliments, turning banal conversations into therapy sessions, prompting doors, reminding people how valuable they are, and doing whatever you find satisfaction in. 

Best wishes, 

Yourself (one day away from finals week). 

Posted on

A Letter to Myself Ten Weeks Ago…

So starting off at UCI ten weeks ago, I was an emotional mess haha. Reality had hit me along with the realization that I would be living far away from my family for the first time, and also every single doubt that came into my mind. I started stressing whether this was the right place for me to be even though the quarter had just barely started, and whether I needed to begin my career search at that very moment before it was too late. It felt like I was just thrown into the college world at the last second; it came up on me way too quickly! I wasn’t ready to start thinking about my career, what I wanted to study, or even what my interests were. I felt behind already. I have a friend who’s currently in their senior year of highschool at the moment who recently got accepted into a university, and she is going through the same dilemma as I had. So I wrote a quick letter of reassurance to her, a letter that I wish I had read myself ten weeks ago: Leaving for college is scary at first. It’ll be like that at first no doubt about it, but. it’ll slowly get much better just give it time to adjust. The great thing I’ve gained so far from my college experience is that it showed me that there was so much opportunity that it provided that I wouldn’t find back home, but it also made me appreciate my home more as well. I originally thought that college would be the time where I had to go off and leave my family and live on my own forever, but that’s not true at all. In fact, college gives you so much more freedom academically and socially. You get to choose what you want to do from now on, you can visit home whenever you want, or learn things that you actually care about. You’re going to have a great time. It’s a chance where you get to find what you really want to do in life and you’ll feel like you’re actually making progress and going places. I know that sounds really corny, but that’s from my experience so far. Also remember that you’re family will always be there for you, and you can go back home anytime you need to. I think probably the most daunting part about college is that it’s the first time that you have to live far away from your family, and also that you feel like there is this expectation that you need to start taking your life seriously. Well, first of all, airplanes exist so please take a speedy flight back home for the holidays to visit your family. And let me tell you right now, even if you have very little idea of what you want to do with your life, what career you want, or what you think your future will look like, that’s completely okay. Right now, I’m literally just taking any classess with subjects of my interests in hopes that one of those subjects will evolve into something more. Do not stress your first year in college. This is a time where you actually get to find out what your interests are and explore them further without worrying so much about focusing soley on what job you need to get once you graduate….save that for your third year self to worry about lol. Have fun your first year, try to make the most out of it. I’m so proud of you.

Posted on

Letter to Self

Dear Lucas, from the beginning of my first quarter at UC Irvine,

Congrats on starting your new academic journey at UCI! I know you might feel a little nervous and overwhelmed by the amount of things you can do as you partake in your first years as an independent person. But don’t you worry, take things one step at a time, and ease your way in. Start by meeting new people, which can include talking to people in your residence hall, going to random club meetings, or just attending UCI events!

You’ve made a few new friends?! Great! Your first midterm is already coming up! Make sure to plan out your days efficiently to ensure that you are on track to understanding all of the material you’re learning in class. The biggest mistake a college student can make is not creating a weekly schedule and following an organized calendar that plans what they will be doing each day. PLANNING IS ESSENTIAL: if you are not setting dedicated hours throughout the day to tasks like studying, trying new things, etc., then you’re not making great use of your time. So, don’t slack off, stay off of social media, and try as many new things as possible!

There are so many new things to do and try during your time at UC Irvine! I know that you’re going to get involved in active life clubs, play basketball, and hit the gym, but did you know there are night classes at the ARC? I know it might be a little far from where you are living, but try committing to at least one activity at the ARC for a quarter to see how you’ll like it. There are so many activities to choose from, ranging from martial arts classes, cooking classes, and the many sports to try out! This is also a great opportunity to meet new people with whom you will share a common interest in doing the same activities.

Although it is a great way to relax by doing fun activities here and there, it is also important to make time for studying and building relationships with your professors and TAs. Going back to planning your weekly/daily planners, I suggest trying to work your daily tasks around TA and professor office hours, so if you need to attend them for extra help, you’ll have the time to do so.

It will seem like a lot at first, but by following a strict schedule, you will meet all of your deadlines for your classes, make lots of time for outside activities, and have days for yourself where you can sit back and relax (just don’t do this too often).

Remember, it is ok if things don’t work out or if you make mistakes—those are all a part of your journey as a college student. Feel good about yourself and treat yourself when you succeed and learn from your mistakes. College will be a great opportunity for both your academic and personal growth, make the most of that while you continue your time at UC Irvine.

Sincerely,

Lucas
Posted on

Home Stretch

Dear Freshman Me,

Congratulations, you are about to step into the college days that you have seen on television growing up. It is now time to leave the place you call home and start getting settled somewhere else. This is going to be a difficult change, but that is part of the process. As you are venturing through your first year as an adult, you need to start this chapter in a new environment. I think Southern California is one of the best places to start this chapter of your life. I think movies and television shows play college out to be a bit overdramatic, with lots of partying, tons of classes, and loud noise all day long on campus. What I have realized so far at school is that all of these do exist, but certainly not for everyone and everywhere. In my first quarter, I had a lot of free time. It is up to me whether to be productive or not, but I do find myself making small decisions that hopefully help me in the future. College is a very self-driven environment because there are so many small temptations that are faced each day that can break the momentum you create for yourself. The first few weeks of college go by fast because you and everyone else are trying to make friends, classes aren’t too difficult yet, and it kind of feels like a vacation (especially when you’re this close to Newport Beach). However, around a month in, classes have ramped up, everyone is more busy with extracurricular activities, and you may start to feel a little homesick. I certainly did. My advice to counter this feeling of homesickness is to build a routine that you can stick to. Every Sunday I would have a list of tasks each day of the week and would check them off accordingly. This list included attending classes, homework assignments, reading, working out, calling home, and other small parts of my day. Each time I would complete one of these tasks, I would feel more accomplished and it would help me stay motivated throughout the rest of the day and week. Overall, staying busy enough where you feel you are moving in the right direction is a major positive, and this feeling is what has helped me overcome my homesickness. While I still make sure to call my parents daily and some of my friends back home once in a while. 

-Rohan

Posted on

It’s Rabies!

Dear Reader, 

These two weeks have been the most chaotic and the ones I have enjoyed the most. After having my appointment with my U/U advisor, I have decided to double major. I have been finding my bio-sci classes fulfilling (even my mood changes after going to lectures), and I feel more knowledgeable and confident about what I want. I have decided to continue with the bio major pathway, specializing in neurobiology and double majoring in Spanish. I headed to the Spanish Department early in the morning to get more guidance. Along the way, I had to stop several times, amazed by the fauna that Aldrich Park houses (see pics attached). A short 10-minute walk cleared up my convoluted mind (I had midterms and quizzes that week). Even though I found that the office was closed, I felt revitalized and motivated to keep shaping my academic journey.

Squirrels, ducks, and birds in Aldrich Park

Later that week, I found another opportunity to boost my college experience: studying abroad. I went to the fair to check out some programs. I collected brochures and stickers and added going abroad to my must-do list.  There were summer, semester, and quarter-long programs for specific majors and specific classes in specific universities. I concluded that taking some G.E classes in the summer can be very strategic, in this way, I don’t have to worry about adjusting my quarterly schedule to semester programs or missing out on my experience at UCI (but I still have some questions about financial aid so I’m going to have an appointment with an academic advisor before making a final decision–all keep you updated).

Brochures and gear from Study Abroad Fair

 I had my last club meetings for the quarter. I am an official member of IMED and Teddy Bear Hospital! In IMED, we had panels going over involvement in research. In my notes, I circled that 1) the fall quarter is the best time to apply 2) when being interviewed, do not pretend to be savvy on matters you are not 3) Be careful about researching Professors (make sure they are main contributors in the publication and that you chose a recent one). On the other hand, with TBH I went over medical study cases. Despite the poor performance and cooperation of my patient and my amateur expertise in medical conditions, I was able to “diagnose” my UCI medical school “patient” with rabies and inquire about his journey. When it comes to volunteering, he advised me to consider commitment over quantity, join a few clubs but stay engaged with them until my undergraduate journey expires. Furthermore, he commented that going to Med school is possible even without publications under your belt unless you have some specific universities in mind. His wisdom alleviated some of the stress that haunted me for not having joined many clubs or labs this quarter; however, this gave some insight in how to adjust my priorities and give more shape into my academic journey. 

Once more and as always, thanks for reading me. Make this journey enjoyable and meaningful to you. Join clubs in which you feel included and do it because you want to be there, not because it will make your resume look better. Appreciate your uniqueness and nourish it by focusing on activities that require you to apply your strengths and enrich your passion. 

Write to you soon, 

Glenda Orozco.