DC: The “Vacation” that Changed My Life

Posted on July 31, 2012 by rkett

It was the last night in DC. The computer lab is empty. A couple days ago it was packed with people trying to get their papers done. Now, they’re all probably living it up…one last time. I still haven’t gotten a picture of that bright UC logo at the front of the center. It’s getting late. I’d better do it now.

I took the elevator down to the lobby. The doors opened and I ran into Gabby! And Rachael, too. A couple of cute girls from UC Riverside. Looks like they’re going to continue the celebration upstairs. We exchanged farewells. And then, Paul and Paula. Paul’s a cool dude from UC Santa Barbara. Knows a lot about baseball. Glad he was with our group at the Orioles game. I shook his hand. Paula, she’s super sweet. A party animal, but a sweet girl nonetheless.

Paula broke out in tears. She was saying goodbye to Gabby and Rachael, and then all of a sudden, she just started crying. I give her a weak hug and tell her, “Paula, c’mon you should be happy. We all had a great time on this program…” Damn it. I’m not good at this. I’m a guy.

They got inside the elevator. Paula’s bawling her eyes out at this point, head down, hands covering her face. Paul’s doing his best to console her. Before the doors closed, he turned to me and said, “Tydus! Baltimore. Remember!”

“Remember.” Of course I will. How can I ever forget? Not this trip. Not these people. Not this city.

I got a shot of that University of California logo. I guess I’m going home…But then why do I feel like I’m leaving it?

How was DC?!! That’s the question that everyone keeps asking me.

DC? It was UN-FREAKIN’ BELIEVABLE!!

It’s funny. This all started last year, at the end of Fall quarter. I was just walking around campus when something caught the corner of my eye. “UCDC Spring 2012 Deadline Extended” the fold- up sign announced in red and green expo-marker ink.

I’ve always heard good things about DC. Shederick McClendon, director of the Gates Millennium Scholars Leadership Development Program and one of my favorite people on this planet, recommended DC for its “big-yet-not-so-big-like-New York” city feel. My high school physics teacher, Ms. Beck, said the sights are beautiful there…as long as you get out immediately when summer begins unless you want to get stung by mosquitoes the size of your fist!!

Anyway, I attended the orientation and thought, “Why not?” To be honest, I didn’t want my memories of college to be four years of Biological Sciences at UC Irvine. Don’t get me wrong. The research at UCI is incredibly interesting. But I wanted to see more of the world before I go to medical school, or at least more of my country! It was time for a change. A completely new experience. An adventure. So I signed up!!

DC is synonymous with work, so that’s where I’ll start.

The first day I arrived for work at my internship, my supervisor said to me, “Suit up. We’re going over to the Russell Senate Building to sit in on a hearing by the Senate Committee on Appropriations regarding the 2013 budget for the National Institutes of Health.” You can imagine my surprise and excitement at getting the chance to witness the top doctors and physician scientists in America address Congress with hundreds of millions of research money on the line. It was riveting to see the heads of the various departments of the NIH navigate the political play-acting to ensure the survival of basic science and translational research in the US. As it turns out, this eventful first day was just the tip of the ice berg.

For the first time in a long time, I could focus on my work! People in Washington are Workaholics! And I loved them for it. Being surrounded by professionals—and being a young professional myself—made me grow up, fast. It was my first time working nine to five, five days a week, and livin’ it up on the weekends! Admittedly, it was hard getting used to the pace of life in Washington, but once I adjusted, it felt tremendous to be productive. It felt awesome to be working. It felt great to step out of that little college bubble at UCI and see all the cool things that the real world has in store.

My supervisor at the Men’s Health Network was a Southern California native. Maybe that’s why she’s so cool. The first day at work, she flat out told me, “We are here for your education. If there’s any cool events on Capitol Hill that you want to attend, if there’s any meetings or forums you want to check out, if there’s anything we can do to further your education, don’t be afraid to ask.” I love Ana for that. Because she was serious. She kept that promise.

Ana and Scott, our VP, encouraged me to come up with my own research project, so I decided to learn more about the current state of male adolescent health. My research tried to look for federal initiatives and programs that are aimed at getting young men to take care of their health. Needless to say, I did not find much. Surprisingly, I learned that male adolescent health is just as bad, if not more so, than the health of female adolescents in countless areas (sexual/reproductive health, mental health, substance abuse, etc.). (If you don’t believe me, just look up the statistics provided by the Center for Diseases Control and Prevention, their Adolescent Health section). In the end, I got the chance to present my research to the Executive Board and was glad that they found the research provocative and useful.

The rest of my time at the Men’s Health Network was packed-full of fun. From doing the Wobble at the DC Superior Court to attending a forum at the Cato Institute, there was hardly a dull moment. I can still remember my first health fair. I had to wake up at 6AM and lug around a cart full of health publications to catch the subway to the University of Maryland at College Park. Now, I’ve always loved college football. Although the Atlantic Coast Conference isn’t that great for that sport, still, I was looking forward to seeing what the Terrapins have to offer. And it was fantastic! Their football stadium was right in the middle of campus!! It’s not like UCLA or USC, where you have to drive miles and miles to get to where they play. No, the stadium was right next to the student center!!! That was my first time seeing a college football stadium. It was bewilderment mixed with joy.

Enough about work. It was the people in this UCDC program that was the best part.

Hannah was a petite, super cute, super pretty Japanese-American girl from UC Santa Cruz. She has a way with food and dining. My mouth watered whenever she described her cooking. Always a great smile. A bit talkative, but she’s pretty. So watev.

Chris lived in the same apartment. A fellow Anteater. Very nice. Very considerate. He worked on The Hill for Congressman Sherman. The guy loves traveling and big cities, particularly Boston. During the NBA playoffs, I could always count on him as a cheering buddy. He was devastated when the Lakers lost.

Breanne is always considerate. And always adventurous, coming up with cool things for our group to do. She’s a traveling buff as well. She’s been to almost every major US city! Breanne’s set on being a kindergarten teacher. She’ll be a good one. She’s got the patience and the smile for it.

Katrina is an odd one. She tends to look off into the distance whenever we talked. Lol. I’m sure it wasn’t me. But she’s cool. Again, very cute, super cheerful and optimistic. Although she can be a bit down on herself. Oh well, she’s only a second year. She has plenty of time to work on that. Katrina was great company. Her surgeon grandfather in Virginia was quite the character. I’m glad she invited me for the little adventure to Alexandria.

And there were so many more. So many more cool, decent, genuine, interesting people. They made the trip memorable. I could always count on them for a good time. I loved our group.

And now, about the cities themselves.

I haven’t lived in a big city since Ho Chi Minh City when I was five. There’s something about the city. I had to go back to the city. This trip was the perfect opportunity to do just that.

The first thing that hit me when I first arrived in Washington was the architecture. Greek and Roman. Colonial. Victorian. And SO MUCH MORE. It was all so very pretty and classical. There were columns everywhere, on nearly every important structure. Big buildings that you have to strain your neck to check out. Beautiful buildings and monuments that you have to stop and admire: the Capitol, the Jefferson Library of Congress, the Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial, and countless others. Washington was breathtaking.

The subway!!! I never thought I would be glad to leave my car. Until I fell in love with the subways. They made life so much easier. You can go anywhere and never have to worry about parking, which absolutely sucks in Washington. There were many different lines, with all sorts of colors. Transferring from the red line to the orange to the green, waiting for the train to go home after a Wizards game, getting off at the NIH to visit an old friend who’s doing her post-baccalaureate there, taking the subway to Anacostia for the food-truck rally…good times.

And then, the traveling.

Baltimore. New York City. Philadelphia. Boston.

I’ve always had an obsession with big cities. Once I enter medical school, I won’t have time to travel anymore. Therefore, I took the opportunity to see as much of the East Coast as I possibly could.

Traveling to cities that I’ve only read about or seen on television…it was a dream come true. It was an entirely different feeling when I was actually walking the streets of NYC or Philly or Boston. Each city was unique. Each city was memorable.

The Ravens are a respectable football franchise. I nearly jumped out of my seat on the bus when we arrived in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor and I saw M&T Bank Stadium. To think, that’s where Ray Lewis and Ed Reed will retire…Our group was there for an Orioles game. Camden Yards had a great atmosphere. I had heard it was one the classic ball parks. It was a beautiful sunny afternoon. And for my first baseball game, I was ecstatic when the Orioles won the game with a walk-off homerun against the Athletics It was unbelievable!! We were just doing the YMCA before the walk-off. After that, the stadium exploded. I high-fived everyone, even strangers. It didn’t matter. It was so much fun.

I grew up playing all sorts of video games that were based in New York. But to be walking around New York City. To SEE the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, and the World Trade Center site with my own eyes…it was a childhood dream come true. To grab a hot dog at Nathan’s and ride on the Cyclone roller coaster at Coney Island in Brooklyn. To be in the middle of Times Square and realize that it’s brighter and more beautiful than you ever could have imagined. It’s an indescribable feeling. It’s a good feeling.

A friend recommended a place called Cosmi’s Deli in South Philly. He said it’s got great cheesesteaks. It took me an hour jus to find the place. A little out of the way. A tiny corner store. I thought to myself, “This doesn’t look good.” I was dead wrong. It was my first cheesesteak. It was the best cheesesteak. The long walk in the hot Philly afternoon was worth it. Every bite was heaven.

And finally Boston. The New England Clam Chowder at the Union Oyster House was the BOMB!! Now THAT was Boston clam chowder. Got to see Fenway Park. It was much different than Camden Yards. There were restaurants and bars along the sides!! I don’t know how to describe it. Visited Harvard and MIT in Cambridge. Harvard was very old and very beautiful. There’s something about the Ivy’s. They’re very hip, very cool and fun. A big city feel with great hustle and bustle. And MIT was hands down the coolest college campus I’ve ever seen. The Stata Center was the coolest set of buildings I have ever seen to date! It was an awesome mix of art, engineering, technology, architecture, and quirk all rolled up into one mind-boggling structure. Boston was beautiful with all its universities. Its northern side was especially fun to explore.

And then it was back to Washington, DC for the final week.

I didn’t see humongously large mosquitoes while I was in DC, but I did see fireflies for the first time. They were in the grassy area, right next to the National Holocaust Museum. I was walking back from the Jefferson Memorial, which offers an incredible view at sunset. Something caught the corner of my eye. I turned and saw nothing for a moment, just grass in the warm evening. But I knew I had seen something. Something that glowed. I waited. And there they were! Fireflies!!! They were magical. The glows were interspersed by seconds, but somehow the fireflies would always glow at the same time. Mesmerized, I stood there and watched as the sun went down.

How was DC?!! I know how to answer that now.

I grew up in DC. I had the time of my life on the East Coast. It blew my expectations into oblivion.

DC was where I made friends, a group of extremely cool, extremely nice people. We were all looking to have fun. We were all looking for our own adventures.

I will always cherish the memories of my adventures on the East Coast through the UCDC program.

Now, I’m studying hard for my MCAT. It would be great to study medicine on the East Coast. Something tells me there will be even greater adventures then.

Best,

Tydus Thai
Biological Sciences, 3rd Year

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UCI Experience from an International Student

Posted on July 11, 2012 by rkett

UC Irvine was my first choice as a University to pursue Master of Science abroad and today I write this line with a contented and exulted heart that the decision to choose UCI and become a fellow anteater worked out fantastically well! I remember the days in my home country, India when I used to look up on the internet for the webpages of Professors at UCI, research work at several research centers and laboratories at UCI, courses to select as part of my study, attractions around UCI and lastly its proximity to Los Angeles and San Diego. To be frank, I am quite happy that I lived through and followed all of them while staying here in this beautiful city of Irvine.

One of the major elements that drove me towards UCI was the cutting edge and state of the art research in the area of telecommunications and networks at the department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS). An excellent evidence for that are the novel research publications that are coming out every year and the bright scholars that UCI is producing year after year. It is like an amalgamation of knowledge and human brain which can create wonders! The course structure is an added benefit that students get when they learn under Professors who are pioneers in their own fields. I think, with respect to that, UCI has created its own class and niche as a public research university.

Be it the closeness to the beaches, living in one of the America’s safest cities, having the luxury to live in one of the America’s posh residences or to enjoy the great southern California’s weather, the list goes on making anyone urging to settle here and spend the rest of their lives here. Being a student, I was fortunate enough to have lived and experienced every moment of it during the two crucial years of my life at Irvine. Also, staying away from home always has the advantage of learning important lessons of life be it personally or professionally provided one is willing to embrace it with open mind and kind heart. In that sense, Irvine esp. UCI has played a great role in shaping my personality much better!

Being a sole student from my home country in my chosen field of study for the batch of 2010 admitted international students, interactions with fellow students from other nationalities or with the locals was a pure fun. Eating at the University Town Center, enjoying some real merriment at the Anteater Recreation Center (ARC), interacting with people at the Cross Cultural Center, hanging out at the Student Center, putting on the hiking shoes for long hikes, long hours of work at the research labs, taking a stroll through the Aldrich Park, etc. are some of the memorable events that took place. After all, these are the kind of experiences that make people and a place very special. At the same time, I should acknowledge and appreciate the support and help that UCI International Center and UCI – SPICMACAY (Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture among Youth), an on-campus student organization, provided me during my stay at UCI.

In a nutshell, the whole experience at UCI has been incredible, cerebral, electrifying and something which I can always fall back to for happiness, self-motivation and inspiration. Thank you UCI! Zot! Zot! Zot!

Balaji Raao
Electrical Engineering Major
MS in Electrical & Computer Engineering
Class of 2012

 

 

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The Rewards of Service Learning

Posted on July 11, 2012 by rkett

As a student in the Civic & Community Engagement minor, I had to complete a service learning project during my Intro to Civic & Community Engagement course. For this project, I chose to volunteer with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). During that quarter, our goal was to plan, organize, and promote the AFSP’s National Survivors of Suicide Day Conference, which was held on November 20th, 2010, on the University of California, Irvine campus. This experience impacted me immensely, both intellectually and emotionally. Not only did I learn about how a national non-profit organization operates on a local level, and about how the AFSP works to help those impacted by suicide and mental illness, but I also witnessed this effect first-hand and was tremendously moved by the experience.

Academically, I have learned tremendously from my service learning with the AFSP. During my service term, I was given a lot of responsibility in the planning and implementation of the National Survivors of Suicide Day Conference. These tasks included recruiting volunteers, attending planning meetings, offering insight into designing the conference, creating the event program, recording a radio public service announcement promoting the event, printing and distributing flyers, sending out reminders, and inviting panelists to speak at the conference. I was pleased with the level of creativity and involvement I was allowed to have in the planning and execution of the event, and it was exciting to see many of my personal ideas become a reality in the final event. I believe that the work I did this quarter gave me valuable non-profit experience, because I was involved in the process of organizing this important event from start to finish.

On a personal level, I learned about the impact that suicide and mental illness have on our community. I recognized the widespread nature of its effects. The volunteers for AFSP that I worked with – including myself – had all been affected personally by mental illness or suicide, so in a meaningful way, those of us inside the organization had much in common with the people we were serving through our project. We all recognized that one of the biggest problems relating to suicide in our community is the stigma attached to it – too often it gets swept under the radar, because of its sensitive and taboo nature. As a result, survivors of suicide loss and people who experience suicidal ideations are left alone with their emotional struggles. We were drawn to the organization because of a common desire to help make a change in the way that people view suicide and mental illness.

I witnessed this emotional alienation firsthand at the conference, where survivors of suicide loss gathered to listen to our panelists, educate themselves, and remember and mourn their lost loved ones. During the open mic section of the conference, attendees rose and shared each of their stories about their loved ones. At first, people were very hesitant and reluctant to share, but once the first person volunteered to share, people gained courage and the rest followed. At the end, the majority of the people in the room had shared their stories, most of them in tears, but speaking confidently and passionately. This experience demonstrated to me the importance of talking about suicide and mental illness. Taking this kind of initiative gives other people the strength to do the same, and the effect is viral. If we could start this conversation on a community level, many more people would be able to experience this kind of emotional freedom. Judging by the reactions from the participants in the event, that experience of sharing and listening was valuable to them in their personal quests for understanding. At the end, most of them told us that they would join some kind of suicide loss support group after this experience, because they realized how important it was to support each other.

Since 2010 when I began my service with AFSP, I have continued to work with them to implement many more events in Irvine. Through my last years of college, I worked with several other nonprofit organizations, solidifying my interest in nonprofit work as a lifelong mission. After graduating in Spring 2012, I interned at another nonprofit organization, PBS SoCaL. When I reflect back on the path that took me to where I am now, I see my experience working with AFSP in 2010 as a catalyst for my current interests and goals. To any current UCI students reading this: Remember to jump at unique opportunities when they come to you—you never know how they will change your life for the better. That’s certainly what happened to me.

Christine Thrasher
B.A. Global Cultures and German Studies
Class of 2012

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Big Sephora and Little Coco

Posted on May 18, 2012 by fcancian

The Big and Little Sister Program is a great way to integrate into the sorority. Not only did my Big support me emotionally through the intake process but she continues to show her commitment to me as she is determined to keep our sisterly bond strong. Although we are all sisters within our organization, my Big serves as my “go to” sister for anything that I need to talk about. She is there for me emotionally as she helps me solve my problems but is also there to just hang out with me when I am in need of a buddy! Having a Big gives you a sense of security that someone is always looking out for you and will always have your back when need be. On a more fun note, it is really nice to be showered by presents from my Big, be it a milkshake from Wendy’s to cheer up my day or that shirt that I really wanted! It is very important to have strong communication skills in order to make sure that we stay in touch and up to date with each other’s lives due to our hectic school schedules. My Big always makes an effort to text me or call me, especially on those days when we don’t get to see each other! She is a piece of family away from home who I can go and grab coffee with on a cold night, study with during finals week, and then party with after the tests are over! Having a Big is also a great way to expand your friend circle. My Big loves introducing me to her many friends and also tries to incorporate me into her groups. It is an amazing way to make new bonds and network with people! I absolutely love having the Big and Little Program not only because our Bigs help us transition into becoming a sister of Lambda Sigma Gamma Sorority, Inc. as they have been in our situation but also because it is an amazing opportunity to bond with someone who cares so much about your success. I hope that when I get a Little from our future Gamma class, I will be as wonderful of a Big Sister as my Big has been to me!

 Love,

Ankita Bilolikar
Commissioner of Recruitment,
XB #12, Coco, Senior,
Psychology Major, Art History Minor

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My Own UCI Experience

Posted on May 15, 2012 by fcancian

When I first walked through the roads inside of Middle Earth, there was definitely a feeling of individuality: don’t have to check in with parents anymore or tell them what you’re doing, who you’ll be with, etc etc.  At the same time, this is when I got to see who I was outside of the protected bubble of my parents’ home.  I did get involved with a boy who lived in the Bay Area, where I am from, and most weekends I was driving up there just to spend a couple days with him, often missing classes, slacking on my work, and not studying or preparing for midterms and finals like I should have.  It’s easier than people might think to get caught up in something like that, but it’s what you decide to do afterwards that really helps you figure yourself out.

After second year, I moved home for a year and went to community college in my hometown.  Luckily, I was told that I could return toIrvineif I wanted to as long as I fulfilled some academic units and was able to pull myself off of AP (academic probation).  At the same time I was working as a nanny and helping to get some experience in taking charge of myself and taking on new responsibilities.  My year at home was eye opening and helped me to really understand what I wanted from an education and the amount of work I needed to put into it.

I returned for my fourth and final year at UCI and managed to stay on track to graduate.  I took a full course load of 16/20 units during the last three quarters and managed to pull up my poor excuse for a GPA into something I could be a little more proud of. I spoke up more in class, sat in the front, which were two things I never used to do my first two years.

You have to advocate for yourself, you’re an adult now, no one else was going to be there to take care of you and hold your hand.  I frequently went to office hours for my professors and started to build my relationships with them so they would know who I was and not just a name on a roster.

Currently I am getting involved with the workshops offered at the career center, they’re really great!  I took one on job searching which definitely expanded my searching abilities, as well as had my resume critiqued by one of the counselors there. I highly recommend all of these things.

Good luck to all of you out there in the rest of your UCI experience!

Alexa Winter
Class of 2012

 

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A Story of the Anteater Who Used to Spit in Coffee Cups

Posted on May 9, 2012 by fcancian

It’s always weird to think about who I am today and who I was growing up. I was raised inVenice,Californiaand my childhood experience was a little different than most. I was one of two Asian Americans at my middle school, I’d get into fist fights pretty often, I’ve been stabbed in the ribs, I’ve been shot at twice, I’ve been arrested, most of the friends I grew up with are either in jail or have passed away, I would shoplift, I did not care about school at all, and the concept of leadership seemed like a complete waste of time. A lot of us would even boo and throw trash at the Associated Student Body (ASB) officers every time they spoke to us at rallies…I was usually the one leading the booing. The direction that my life was headed towards was not a good one and it wasn’t until I made friends with the right crowd during my senior year of high school that my life changed for the better. They got me to care a little more about my school and as a result my GPA and my sports involvements were good enough to land me a spot here at UC Irvine. One thing led to another and the kid who used to spit in teachers’ coffee cups, punch people in the face, and run from the cops was now starting new student government events, leading discussions, orienting freshmen, volunteering for Alternative Breaks, and planning programs for residents. I know right? What was UCI thinking when they first accepted me? But I’m so thankful that they did because this school, all of the thousands of opportunities that come with it, and the people that go here have literally saved my life and I can only hope that it continues to make a positive impact on future trouble makers.

Keith Smith (Pseudonym)

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Katy’s Take on Personal Happiness

Posted on May 9, 2012 by fcancian

When I ran into Eileen today inWashington,DCas we were leaving to have our pictures taken in front of the White House, she asked me if I would be willing to write an entry for The Main Street Blog. She asked me to think about what is most important to me and I replied “to live with passion”.

I believe very firmly that it is passion that brought me to my journey at UCI and abroad and I’m beginning to realize that my passion for the arts is what will catapult me into my career very soon. Unlike a doctor, scientist, or a businessman or businesswoman, my ideal career holds little security in terms of consistent employment. I’m both excited by, and terrified of, the freelance lifestyle. I know that the future is uncertain for everyone, particularly in this economic climate, but pursuing a career in the arts has got to be at the top of the list of unpromising career paths. But this is my passion. And despite every reason in the world not to do what I am doing (mostly given to me by my family; the ones who love me the most) I’m following this path anyways because I know, without a doubt, that this is the most satisfying and fulfilling option for my future, as I see it right now. A career in the arts encourages change and it’s reassuring to know that I will never be condemned to sit behind the same desk everyday unless I decide that it’s what I truly want. I love working with artists and technicians to create theatre and I consider myself very lucky to have had the clarity of purpose and focus I did at such a young age. I discovered technical theater my last year in high school and I’ve been practicing stage management and basic lighting work ever since. I’m proud to say that I’m one of the few students that never changed majors halfway through college, and this is mainly because I chose, and continue to choose each day, a life of passion instead of security and predictability. I will talk to anyone about plays, playwrights, concepts, and venues if they express an interest and I’m always looking for opportunities to participate in productions on and off campus.

To me, the most important things are the most difficult to decide upon. Going to college and getting a Bachelor’s right out of high school is absurd for my family and the idea of moving out of California (to Italy or DC for instance) is even more so. Although my family wants the best for me, college has shown me that the only person who truly knows what’s best for myself is myself and that my voice is nothing to downplay or ignore. I heard it said that one cannot love others until they love themselves and I find that this rings true in regards to meaningful relationships; not only with one’s self but with others. Meaningful relationships that lend themselves well to passionate people are ones where each person(s) nurtures, encourages, and brings out the best in the other(s). In essence, passion is something everyone must discover for themselves and seek out in those around them; because a life without passion is a life without happiness.

Katy Dominguez
4th Year, Graduating Soon
ClaireTrevorSchoolof the Arts, UCI
Drama Major/Italian Studies Minor

 

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My thoughts on our generation, The Millennials

Posted on May 9, 2012 by fcancian

Unfortunately it seems as if KONY 20121 has damaged and perhaps even forsaken the political involvement of our generation.
As an organization, Invisible Children may be controversial and at times questionable but you can’t deny that their chosen tactic toward bringing awareness was and is perhaps one of the most brilliant schemes of our time.
Marketing an awareness video to the Millennial Generation that played on emotion and crafty camerawork calling for small monetary donations, all-nighters, vandalism and at the very least a simple click, tweet, or reblog?
Pure marketing genius.
And predictably, we fell for it.
What’s worse is that we Millennials embraced it.

They were right to say we prided ourselves on knowledge
We were all searching for our cause.KONY 2012 was the talk around town for a while.
Our most populated towns of Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr.Soon after however, we were immediately chastised for under researching.
We were bombarded with media reports, editorials, opinion pieces, press releases, public statements all criticizing our impulsive and perhaps naive means of action.
We’d been had.
We’d been bamboo.zled.
And anyone in their right mind would get back up and say to themselves, “Alright. I may have approached it wrong but from now on I will do it the right way!”
My fear however, is that we were too fragile.
For some in our generation, the KONY 2012 political awareness campaign was a first step. Perhaps for some it was their first stride toward political participation and in an instant they were shot down.
I hope you don’t give up.
Generation Y, I hope you give caring and doing another try.

Wishful thinking has me under the assumption that it’s not that we don’t care- but rather that we don’t know how to.
Growing up in a society where youth translates to inferiority how are we to grow empowered to make change?
How does any generation learn to step up?
If we examine the current adults aged 40+ we can say that to each they had their own.
They had their riots, boycotts, assassinations and protests.
They’ve had their summers of love, wars of hate, civil rights movements, and marches for suffrage.

We’ve had the war on drugs, the war on terror, and the war on each other.
We’ve had the Occupy Movement, the Patriot Act, Bin Laden, and the passing of Prop 8.

I’m beginning to realize that everything we’ve monumentally had has not condoned nor really encouraged political movement and action (except for Occupy).
Where is our motivation?
Where is our drive?
Where is OUR movement?

I say our generation is still searching for ours.
And we’re close to finding it, we really are.
We just need to look to each other for guidance.
So to this I say that the first step is really just KNOWING.
How to know things? Simple.
NEWS.
Just read, watch or listen.
And if you prefer only the essentials then just follow/subscribe to popular news sources.
Follow newscasters or political leaders on Twitter.
Subscribe to minute news updates on YouTube.
Check out The Daily Show or Colbert Report on Hulu.
JUST LOOK FOR INFORMATION and remember that just like the internet, you can trust no one.

Find ways to get information and once you do, formulate those opinions.
Then get talking.
Similar to rumors, talking just might lead to confrontation.
It might lead to emotions of anger or outrage or even support.
Show it, exclaim it, for goodness sakes, REVEL in it.
Mixing awareness and emotional drive leads to action.
And that’s really what the ticket is.
Action.
The gold and diamonds of our time.
Make strives to make it happen,
Millenials- I believe in you!

Michelle Fong

Class of 2012
Political Science & Sociology
School of Social Sciences

1 KONY 2012 Viral Video campaign launched by Invisible Children in 2012

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Beauty Through Diversity

Posted on May 9, 2012 by fcancian

Diversity is a word that encompasses many things, and has different meanings for every individual. For Lambda Sigma Gamma, it is a word that is central to each and every Sister. Not only do we pride ourselves in openly accepting every ethnicity on campus and not limiting ourselves to a certain group of girls, but we also have our own definition of what it means to be diverse. Our Sisters were born in different parts of the world, speak different languages, were raised in different kinds of households, hold different religious and political beliefs, have different financial statuses, come from different majors, and all have different goals in life. We come in different shapes, sizes, colors, ages, and personalities. In essence, you will never meet the same girl twice in our sorority. Yet despite all of these differences, our letters unite us and remind us that no matter where we come from or where we’re going in life, we will always have each other’s backs. We have created a support system on the UCI campus that allows us to help each other both academically and personally. It is within this system that we are able to make bonds that will undoubtedly last us a lifetime – way past college graduation. In addition to the UCI campus, our chapters all acrossCaliforniaprovide us with an extra means of meeting other Sisters, adding more diversity to our lives. If any of us ever needs help, an opinion, or just a different point of view on a subject, we can turn to any of our Sisters living up and down theCaliforniacoast for some extra help. So you see that it is not only the color of our skin that allows us to call ourselves diverse. We are diverse because each Sister is encouraged to be true to herself and embrace the life she has been given. It is this definition of diversity that allows us to wear our letters with pride and keep Lambda Sigma Gamma strong.

Mary Contreras, Chi Beta #6

 

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Lost At UCI

Posted on March 19, 2012 by rkett

My experience at UCI was an invaluable one.  The knowledge, memories, and friendships are still alive today, more present than ever.

I transferred into UCI from community college, where I was considered a good student.  I walked into the transfer center at Santa Ana College the winter of 1994 asking how close I was to making the big move.  I was told that I could potentially go to UCI that fall.  I hadn’t even had a chance to apply to other colleges, and here I was being given a guarantee of entrance, since I met the criteria, of course.

I had the chance of a lifetime ahead of me and was scared to dive into it.  Before even arriving, I was starting to doubt myself.  How could a normal, humble, poor, young, Mexican immigrant girl have such a grand opportunity like that?  How often does that even happen?  Sure my sister Juana was attending Cal State Fullerton at that time, and my brother Juan was accepted to UCLA around the same time, but, little twenty-two year old me?  I was not sure if I was smart enough, or good enough.

After a few days of pondering and talking to my family, I took the offer.  After all, it was the safest place on Earth.  Things were about to happen for me in a way I couldn’t even imagine that fateful day.  As I filled out paperwork, my counselor printed out transcripts.

Here’s where my journey at UCI begins:

I was a local from Santa Ana, yet I looked into living on campus and learned of Casa Cesar Chavez.  That already sounded ideal to me.  And so it was, that I ended up living in Arroyo Vista at Casa Cesar Chavez with students who shared the same cultural experiences and career goals as myself.

I moved into my dorm room a week or so before classes began.  I met my roommate Vicky the day my mother and sister stopped by quickly to check out my new place, which would now become my home.  Vicky was amiable and talkative.  Soon, I met the rest of my housemates.  Everyone seemed to have a story worth writing.  I was in the presence of so many neat people all in the same home.  I lived there for two years and so I had a second roommate, Angelica, the year after.  My roommates were both very kind to me.  I was not able to get really close to anyone, since I allowed someone else to decide whom I should spend my free time with, my then boyfriend Lalo.  He was not a college student, therefore, his priorities were obviously different.  I tried to own my life and preserve my power by hiding the fact that I had a male platonic relationship with a friend whom I got to know in Lalo’s absence.  We’d study together at times, alongside others from the house.  We would take off to Santa Ana to make a Gallo Giro taco run at midnight.  One evening, several of us crammed into someone’s car and made a group midweek trip to the beach.  That was what college was supposed to be for me and I’m glad I got a little taste.  Although I still keep in touch with a few friends from the “Casa”, I wish my roommates were still in my life today.  I have so much to say to them, now that I’m me.  They watched me throw away the “best years” of my short-lived college life.  I regret not showing a great interest in their own lives and experiences.  I truly missed out on two great, unique human beings.  I pray that they are happy and well somewhere.

In the social and academic arena at UCI, I was involved with Teachers of Tomorrow Club.  I also became a student mentor for incoming freshman young girls in Social Ecology.  It was a true honor to be able to help Latina women become comfortable with college life.  A memorable experience I had was when I attended demonstrations opposing Prop 187.  I witnessed the hunger strike campout while students walking by the tents in their kaki pants and navy vests tossed doughnuts at the demonstrators taunting them without any remorse.  I tried documenting the importance of this historical occurrence, which had me questioning the values and morals of this great American country.  Yet I did not put in the time required to make a good topic into great research.  Consumed with my tumultuous relationship, I was confused and depressed.  My childhood insecurities had left me morally stripped, vulnerable, and insecure.  Again, I gave in to spending my time on an emotional rollercoaster with my boyfriend.

I finally left him, four years after graduating from UCI, and a child later.

In retrospect, if I could, I would go back to those Psychology classes and take notes again, and volunteer answers.  This time around, I’d have a distant relationship with my professors, instead of a nonexistent one.  And I’d ask for moral and psychological support from staff at the Cultural Center, and do valuable research, and possibly go overseas, and study at the library all night.  I could have been a better friend, and fostered more lifelong friendships.  I’d have walked around exploring the campus with no destination in mind, and been a bigger part of the Chicano/Latino community, and certainly strived to get better grades.  But my reality forces me to take responsibility for my adult decision to continue in that relationship for so long, in spite of all the clues that the Universe tried to give me.  I now know that I was needy for closeness with that lost soul, and lost mine in the process.  I have to believe this was, somehow, all meant to be.  After all, I have a beautiful reason to live in the NOW, in the present day, TODAY, and tell this very personal story of the past while at the University of California in Irvine.  She is the happy ending to my story.  And her name is… Brisela.

P.S.  Since UCI, I have been giving back to my community by advocating for underprivileged families while teaching.  I share my life with a great man.  We have two active boys, and my eleven-year-old princess.  I’m grateful that I found myself.

Graciela Sanchez
Class of 1997
School of Social Ecology
BA – Psychology & Social Behavior

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