Hope you all had a good week 4 so far despite midterms. Hang in there, you got this! Honestly though, week 4 has been pretty hectic as I’m sure you guys are all experiencing as well, and I wanted to share some activities that I’ve been doing to try and take my mind off of school when I can find the time, as well as share these activities in case any of you are looking for new things to do on and off campus!
As I mentioned in my previous post, I recently joined the badminton club. I’ve been playing badminton since freshman year of high school, so I was super excited about being a part of UCI’s badminton team. They’ve got both an A and B Team; one for beginners/rec, and one more advance and competitive. Luckily I was already familiar with the slightly more intensive style of training in A team, so adjusting to playing again after a long period of hiatus wasn’t too bad. On Tuesdays we focus on attack drills and thursday defense drills, and every other week we’ll have a fun hiking social or meet up at UTC where you can get to Know the members which is nice. I’ve only been to one however, so I’ve been struggling to make any connections with members. Not to mention that everyone there is an upperclassman (scary) and that there are practically no girls on the team…so if any girls are interested in joining a sport club…please sign up for badminton club once sign ups open again for winter quarter! But honestly badminton in general has always been such a great way for me to destress and take my mind off of things, really any exercising or outdoor activity is, so if you’ve been feeling overwhelmed these past few days from midterms, try getting some fresh air or exercising your body for even just a bit. It seriously helps clear your mind and keep you from burning out before your next exam. Just make sure to get back to your studies after lol!
Another club I want to quickly recommend even if you have no experience in dancing is UCI’s k-pop dance club Kkap!
They have free workshops every friday where they teach two k-pop dances. (You can check their insta for what dances they’ll be teaching, what time, and location) Everyone is so enthusiastic and welcoming there, it’s a great environment to connect with people, and just to get out and experience something new. I recently went to Kkap’s workshop this previous Friday where we learned Devil by the Window (TXT)! We also all dressed up in our halloween costumes; it was a lot of fun! You can check out the video performances from Kkap workshops on their Kkap TV Youtube channel! If you see a girl with long, blond hair dancing horribly it’s probably me lol!
Next blog I hope to share with you guys the places I’ve been exploring outside of the UCI campus, including the best restaurants, boba shops, and cafes I want to try out! Hopefully, after midterms I’ll actually have time to do all that lol! Until next time! Byeeee 🙂
First off, I can’t believe that I have already completed 4 weeks of my first quarter at UC Irvine! Experiencing the quarter system, it was like everything that has happened so far went by like a blur, especially when you are busy most days catching up on readings and studying (biology and chemistry are killing me :D). There were so many new things that I’ve learned and experienced while living independently on campus, and I can’t wait to share them with you all in this post!
First Weeks Settling In (photo dump)
Here is me all settled in on the right side of the room. Looks like my roommate (on the left) is REALLY settled in too!First Day of School Pic taken by my RA!!!Me hanging out at the William R Mason Regional Park (less than 2 miles away from campus). It is a very open space with many paths, including a huge pond. The grass is so soft that you can sleep on it. There are also a lot of wildlife like ducks and turtles that you can observe. The sunsets are the best part, but that’s when it starts to get EXTREMELY cold.This is a scenic spot and hiking area not too far from campus called Turtle Rock Viewpoint trail. You get a good view of Irvine and the UCI campus. I took this when there was a huge and dense cloud overshadowing the sunset and the rest of the city, but I think it still looks cool because it is like a huge cloud wall.Trying out a restaurant in Irvine known for their Japanese Curry! This spot is called CoCo Ichibanya which is far from campus, so you’ll need a car to get there. I got the chicken katsu curry with vegetables over rice, a very tasty and hearty meal. Just look at all the steam wafting from my dish…
My Club Involvement
All pictures taken by The Hiking Club by UCI photographer, Nicholas Wilson.
Red Rock CanyonOctober 5, 2024Salt Creek TrailOctober 12, 2024Bommer Ridge TrailOctober 26, 2024
These pictures are from all of the hikes that I’ve been on so far. Most trails are usually dirt and have good amounts of inclining hills. We have had a great mix between beach trails and inland trails so far! The Hiking Club at UCI does weekly hikes on Saturday mornings, mainly around Orange County. These hikes range from beaches, to hills, to rocky areas, to desert-like areas, and many more. Trails start off easy at the beginning of the year, then start to progress in difficulty by the end of the year. Joining this club is a great way to stay active and meet new people! So, if you or any friends you know who would be interested, make sure to attend one of the Hiking Club meetings every Monday from 5:30-6:30PM at Rowland Hall room 188!
Midterms!
My first midterms week was probably one of the most stressful things that I’ve experienced so far and the anticipation of them coming up frightened me. My advice is to NOT BE AFRAID! I feel like fear is the biggest factor in negatively affecting your test taking performance, which is what I think impacted me. Going into the exam room thinking more positively and being confident will help keep your head in the game. Knowing that I didn’t do too great, I might have some ideas on what I can tweak to perform better for the next midterm.
Things I will avoid when preparing for an exam:
I feel like the one thing that affected my learning/studying process was not having an effective study plan or utilizing my time efficiently to try out new study methods. I never had a set time of day for a study routine. I was often distracted by my phone, and I barely practiced studying methods like active recall or spaced repetition. I also didn’t fully utilize my resources, such as office hours, TAs, and classmates. I felt like I didn’t seek enough help, limiting my comprehension of the material I was learning.
What I plan to do for next upcoming midterms:
For the next set of midterms, I will be setting an effective study plan, where I will choose specific times throughout the days of the week to study and setting breaks in between them. I will also practice the study methods that I think have worked for me in the past, like spaced repetition and active recall. I will try to practice a bit every day, testing myself using flashcards to help me learn and memorize the material. I often study with other friends and classmates as well, so I might try the teaching method, where I will do my best to convey the material I learned to my peers.
Campus Spaces for Studying
Here are some studying spots on campus that I’ve found and stuck with since week 1!
This is one of the many study spots in the Student Center, located on the 1st floor. This area can be a bit loud sometimes because it is near entrances and can be a heavy traffic hallway since people need to go down it to get to other areas in the Student Center building. I recommend using headphones or earplugs in this area if you can’t stand background noise. The seats are comfortable and there are enough charging ports for everyone!This is another study space that is near the UCI Center of Black Culture located in the Student Center. It is a lot more private, and quieter compared to the study space above, with a very minimal amount of people walking by. Unfortunately, there are a limited number of these study pods that I was working in, but there are many other open study areas nearby! This area also has both snack and drink vending machines just in case if you ever get hungry or thirsty.
I also recommend visiting the Anteater Learning Pavillion (ALP)! I don’t have pictures of the area, but it is an open study space that also has private study rooms, which is great for group work. Keep in mind that there are also a few lecture halls at the ALP, so it can get kind of crowded and noisy before and after lectures.
Conclusion
Well, that has been my UCI experience so far! I really enjoyed exploring the many different parts of Irvine and navigating through college independently. I got off to a bit of a rough start with my academics because of midterms, but I think I have a good idea of what I need to work on to prepare better for the next one. I enjoy the Hiking Club that I’ve been a part of so far and I look forward to many more hikes and meeting new people! I am also thinking of changing up the study areas a bit and try out areas like the Science Library or the Mesa Study rooms. If those don’t work for me, I will always stick with the Student Center as my primary study spot!
Thank you for reading my blog and please stick around to read even more of my Zot Blogs!
Hey everyone! Hope you are doing well. This quarter has been moving so fast. I wanted to share a little bit about my first few weeks on campus. Since we got to move in a little bit before class started, I was able to focus on meeting new people and looking into extracurricular activities. Currently, I am a part of IM soccer, a few business clubs, and the Spike Ball Club. These have helped keep me busy and meet new people.
The first few days of being away from home and my family was hard. To counteract this I would call my parents multiple times a day just to hear their voice, and call my friends at other schools to see how they were doing. One thing that I was hearing about from friends and family a lot, was their weather complaints. I had none, even during the heat wave. The weather is nice down here. Another aspect of college I was worried about was falling asleep at night, but there is so much to do during the day by the evening all I want to do is crash.
A picture of my roommate and me at CDM during Week 1.
The first couple weeks my roommates and I were going Newport or Corona Del Mar a fair amount, but lately, as classes have started to pick up we haven’t been able to. Speaking of classes, MIDTERMS! I hope everyone did well on the ones they have had, and wish them the best of luck for the upcoming ones. Personally, my first mid-term for one of my biology classes was quite difficult, but my econ test was not too bad.
In high school, I could never focus in my room, I would just walk around juggling a soccer ball, playing music wasting a ton of time. In the dorm, I find it a lot easier to focus because there is less space, and when my roommates are there we are often both more productive. However, when I can’t focus in the room or want a new space to study, I prefer the Mesa study room. The libraries are super nice, but I live in Isla, which is at the bottom of the Mesa Classics next to parking lot 5, so they are a far walk.
My desk setup (pretty boring).
Every night I make sure to talk to my parents on the phone, as well one at least one of my friends from back home, get a workout in, and read for a half hour. These are a few of the things that have helped me build a new routine and unwind each day. Overall, I will say I have adjusted to this college life, but know it will still take a bit more time. I hope everyone is also getting comfortable in this new environment, it is a big change, but the best is yet to come.
If you are reading this, it means you have survived midterm season one. Congratulations. I was barely setting up a study routine when I found myself in the Science Library taking a 32-question, 2-hour chemistry exam. Throughout these three weeks, I have gathered enough heads-ups to help you walk victoriously out of this sanguinary season.
My sanctuary at UCI
Your worst enemy: Technical Issues.
Overwhelmed by pop-up links and syllabi on Canvas, I fell into the habit of disregarding resources, left and right. One of the caveats I overlooked was about calculators. Days before the exam, frustrated by doing practice problems and never getting the right answers, I decided to trust myself and doubt the efficiency of my calculator and switched to my phone. For the midterm, I had to use my old one and fix calculator miscalculations. In a midterm and for Canvas, time and accuracy are well defined. Misplaced decimals, ambitious roundings, unanswered questions. Being comfortable with the materials you use, can make the difference in passing or failing an exam. Be aware!
San Joaquin Marsh (across Mesa Court Housing). Relaxing field trip amid midterm season.
Notifications, notifications, notifications.
Don’t attempt to renew yourself at the last minute. In high school, I relied on a physical planner but I concluded that paper-made planners were not an eco-friendly method to reach academic success. Since the beginning of the quarter, I have used a digital planner. I wrestled with how to manipulate the algorithms, and the interface, what happens if I click here? I favored the environment but not my sanity. Along with my virtual planner, I have been using a task tracker (a to-do list that allows you to accommodate by priority). This combo has helped ensure I’m at the right place, at the right time, with the right people. Notifications from both systems have saved me from forgetting about minuscule assignments–“I’ll do it later” I said– and, thus, a zero in the gradebook.
Run, Jump, Organize!
Being the master of your time can be detrimental to your own self. Time, money, and energy are limited as a college student. Lectures and assignments are priority but an appealing resume demands more. Clubs, volunteering, office hours, laundry, eating. Integrating even the most micro-action into your schedule can make you epitome efficient. Set times and be severe about failing to your own schedule. Treat office hours as required, make club meetings and gym sessions mandatory. You will feel more committed and you will end up more satisfied with your progress and the several accomplishments you will harness.
Hares that persecuted me on my way to the Arc (following scheduled workout session)
Dear reader, embrace the process. It is the first step along the way, if you stumble, if you fall, it all adds up to the final goal. Our flaws and mistakes are part of our beauty, they are the traits that make us more unique than anything else, so embrace it and be proud of falling and rising.
What’s up, Anteaters! I’m Bella, and I’ve traveled here all the way from the San Francisco Bay Area and now reside in Middle Earth. Though I came into UCI as undecided, I’m interested in switching to either film or game design. Really anything that lets me be hands on and creative! I’ve had a few experiences in high school working on film productions as part of an internship, so I’m hoping to use what I’ve learned and apply it here at UCI in some way whether that be for the vlog, film club, or for a potential film major.
While moving into my dorm at UCI, I was extremely nervous about having to live on my own without my family and in an unfamiliar environment. However, the orientation and welcome week hosted by the university completely exceeded my expectations and my view on university life took a huge 180. All the events hosted during welcome week showed me how inclusive, engaging, and social UCI is, and it made me eager to branch out and learn more. One of my favorite events was the club fair. There were an absurd amount of clubs scattered across Aldrich park, and I won’t lie it was kind of overwhelming. I didn’t know where to start! Unfortunately, because of my busy course schedule, I couldn’t join too many clubs this quarter. I ended up choosing two clubs which I’m super excited about starting! Since freshman year of high school, I played on my school’s varsity badminton team, and in my sophomore year I was the team captain in our team of about fifty players. I absolutely wanted to continue playing competitively during college and also improve by playing against higher-level athletes, so I joined UCI’s badminton club. Badminton is an extremely fun sport whether you want to play competitively or intramurally, so if any of you are looking for a new way to exercise and make new friends I totally recommend joining UCI’s badminton club! Badminton had taken up a largely significant part of my life in high school, so I didn’t have much time for anything else like joining the school dance team, which I had really wanted to do. So while at UCI I hope to take advantage of the opportunities with their several dance teams. I ended up joining Kkap, one of the dance teams recommended to me by a fellow anteater who I knew in high school. Every Friday they have a free workshop where they focus on learning dances by k-pop bands. I’m super excited to join their first workshop where they’ll be practicing Chk Chk Boom by Stray Kids, and Touch by Katseye. I’ve already started practicing lol! If any of you are in Kkap I’d love to get to meet you!
Here’s a pic of the free albums we got at the Kkap booth during the club fair!
Getting the chance to check out these club booths and also interacting with the club members was such a welcoming experience. And knowing now that there are places and people at UCI who can share my experiences and interests makes me feel more at home, and more eager to be a part of the community. If you haven’t joined any clubs yet, I totally recommend that you do! It may seem daunting at first trying to fit in into your schedule, or even trying to talk to new people, but I assure you it will be rewarding. It’ll help you form a community where you can take a break from the stress of college work, enjoy your interests outside of class work with people who share your passion, and maybe even offer you an opportunity to discover something new you never knew you’d like. Go put yourself out there and give it a shot!
Besides the events during orientation week, I’ve tried to explore around the campus and see what the town of Irvine has to offer. I checked out the University Center (aka UTC) where I found tons of amazing restaurants that offered healthy and delicious food choices such as Tender Greens, or Iro Sushi. If you’re looking for a quick bite to eat, there’s also In-N-Out and Chick Fil A. And of course, since I’m a boba fanatic, I had to check out the several boba shops at the utc! I tried out the fruit tea at Pink Pig (super cute atmosphere with places to sit and study; they also have plushies), Share Tea (it was ok; nowhere to sit, and the kiwi tea I got was…interesting lol), and finally Cha For Tea which I hear is everyone’s favorite (delicious, nice atmosphere with places to sit and study, always crowded lol). I’d say my overall favorite would also be Cha For Tea, but Pink Pig was super cute too! Go check those out!
The owner at Pink Pig gave me a free panda plushie purse!>w<
Anyways! There’s so much more I want to share with you guys about move in week and traveling around the rest of UCI, but I think I’ve written a bit too much already haha. I’m so excited and looking forward to meeting everyone I can at UCI through clubs and classes, as well as exploring more around the city of Irvine! I hope you guys take the chance to explore as well as you will never find so many opportunities sitting in one place waiting for you. Wishing you all a fantastic first week at UCI! Zot Zot Zot!!
