Author: Sabrina

The weeks will fly by faster than you think. It doesn’t seem so long ago that I stepped on campus for orientation, anxiously anticipating the quarter to come. Sure, when you’re watching hours-long lectures, the seconds slowly crawl by. Despite your best efforts to ignore the clock (time always goes faster when you’re not paying attention to it), your eyes constantly flicker to your watch, making the minutes feel even longer. The end of the quarter might seem like an eternity away, but rest assured that the rhythm that you develop as you get accustomed to a college schedule will enable the weeks to dance by quickly.

Granted, the rapid pace of a ten-week quarter is a double-edged sword; as the end of the quarter draws near and the freedom of winter break comes closer to our reach, so does finals week, the cause of the impending doom that many students feel at this time of year. College exams may seem daunting, especially as a first-year student, but believe me when I say that they go better than expected. Your imagination may portray them as fearsome creatures that cannot possibly be slain, but remember that your exams are more afraid of you than you are of them. 

In all seriousness, view finals week as merely the last of many hurdles you will jump over the course of these ten weeks. Surpassing these hurdles, whether as small as a weekly discussion post or as large as a final exam, will inevitably lead to positive growth and change. It may be difficult to detect these changes as you are going through them, but stepping back to realize the accomplishments you will make in such a short period of time can be eye-opening.

In addition to the quarter’s fast pace, you will be surprised by the quality of the instructors and lecturers in your classes. The way they coherently articulate the content taught will inspire awe in you. Their words will sink into your mind and provoke deep, complex thought. This is much different from how you felt in most high school classes, and you will cherish the high quality of education you are receiving. Fall 2021 is only the first quarter of our college career; there will be many more fascinating classes to take, experienced lecturers to listen to, and a diverse range of people to befriend.

Your friendly neighborhood Undeclared major,

Sabrina (your Week 10 self)

During my first quarter at UCI, the Campuswide Honors Collegium (CHC) has maintained a welcoming environment for me and my peers. After attending CHC events like a beach day, I wanted to deepen my involvement with the CHC community as a representative of the Campuswide Honors Student Council (CHSC), a student leadership organization affiliated with the CHC. I received a representative position on the Academic Committee and yesterday, I attended a CHSC meeting and training online. 

We began the meeting with introductions of all CHSC members, and I could sense the CHC’s collaborative atmosphere throughout the meeting. Each of us introduced ourselves in the typical icebreaker fashion (name, pronouns, major), as well as our favorite song — a difficult decision for someone like me, who doesn’t listen to music other than the overplayed pop songs on the car radio. I appreciated the conscious effort made to build camaraderie among representatives, advisors, and officers alike. The shared whispers of “I listen to that artist too” and “I have the same major/minor” embody the connections that the CHSC fosters. It was entertaining to see these connections at work during yesterday’s meeting.

Preceding the meeting was a training session specifically designed to get representatives like myself up to speed with the processes involved in the CHSC. I was impressed with the level of organization that the CHSC resources displayed. One could certainly see the thought and detail put into the procedures we have to follow. It almost felt as if I was glimpsing into the inner workings of a well-oiled machine, each gear turning as it should and every line of communication clear. I hope to continue my participation in the CHSC past my freshman year and encourage my CHC peers to consider becoming more engaged with the CHSC.

Your friendly neighborhood Undeclared major,

Sabrina

“Failed to load page.”

Quite possibly the worst message that could be displayed on your computer screen during an online, timed exam.

The message that appeared in front of me during my first college midterm.

Moments before, I was flying through each question, pressured by the time crunch of 75 multiple-choice questions in 60 minutes. I began to settle into a rhythm of answering questions as quickly and accurately as I could. My nerves calmed; it seemed that the stress festering within me in the nights before the exam was all for naught. Little did I know that the rhythm I had developed thus far would be hurled into cacophony as soon as I clicked to the next question. 

“Failed to load page.”

Upon reading the message, I launched into a full-on panic, desperately clicking the refresh button on the lockdown browser we were required to download for the exam. No matter how many times I clicked, this yielded no response, the cursed message still present on my otherwise blank screen. Its words seemed to morph into lips and taunt my lack of tech-savviness, exacerbating my alarm. The seconds seemed to tick by faster and faster, as if life had been set on 2x, 4x, 6x speed. My breath quickened. I could feel the particles of time slipping through my fingers. Images of a failing midterm grade flashed across my vision, as did the disapproving looks of professors, parents, and peers. 

And in the next moment, I snapped back to the task before me. Something had shaken me on the shoulders, awakening me from the panic. I closed the browser and re-opened my exam with no other issues. To my pleasant surprise, I was able to complete it with time to spare. Perhaps I was simply being dramatic. My professor, who I quickly emailed to inform her of the connectivity issue, was understanding; she even mentioned that several other students had this same problem.

I’m sure we’ve all encountered a similar situation during online classes or exams, especially considering the setting of Zoom University we endured over the past school year. However, I am grateful to have professors who are sympathetic to such technical difficulties, and may have experienced them firsthand as well. To those who are taking a midterm online, prepare yourselves for the possibility of connectivity issues and plan accordingly. Good luck on any midterms you have left, whether in-person or online!

Your friendly neighborhood Undeclared major,

Sabrina

When my Peer Academic Advisor (PAA) first recommended taking Dance 3, my severe lack of coordination, grace, and flexibility rejected the thought of enrolling in a dance class. It seems that my facial expression distorted slightly to suit my initial reluctance, or perhaps my PAA read my mind, quickly assuring me that the class does not involve dancing. This was a relief to hear for someone who struggled in a high school jazz dance class due to subpar technique. 

Despite what its name suggests, this GE course is otherwise known as “Scientific Concepts of Health,” taught by the UCI Dance department. My reluctance persisted. I had taken Health in high school; would it be beneficial to take it in college as well? My PAA’s colorful praises about the class, however, compelled me to enroll in it. After taking approximately four weeks of the class, I have not regretted my decision.

What distinguishes Dance 3 from my other classes is the direct translation of the concepts taught to our daily routines. This is especially relevant due to the highly stressful atmosphere surrounding the current midterm season. I was unsure of what to expect from college exams as a first-year student, exacerbating the anxiety of taking my midterms. This stress oftentimes leads to the neglect of basic necessities like a full night’s sleep and a consistent, balanced diet. Dance 3 equips us with the ability to combat the unhealthy habits that we may adopt as we navigate the pressures of academia. More specifically, a certain piece of advice stood out to me during this week’s guest speaker presentation from Jody Margolis, a nutritionist at the UCI Student Health Center: “Honor your hunger and your emotions, but don’t eat your feelings.”

Echoing my PAA’s recommendation of taking Dance 3, I would encourage anyone grappling with their wellness to enroll in this class if given the opportunity. Don’t be intimidated by its categorization under the Dance department; even non-dancers like me can greatly benefit from the class.

Here are some on-campus mental health resources if you feel the need to reach out:

UCI Student Health Center (https://shc.uci.edu/)

UCI Counseling Center (https://counseling.uci.edu/)

UCI Center for Student Wellness and Health Promotion (http://studentwellness.uci.edu)

Your friendly neighborhood Undeclared major,

Sabrina

“To the Doubtful and the Indecisive”

I can say with certainty that we students are all too familiar with the classic icebreaker question, “What major are you in?” If you’re doubtful and indecisive like me, you dread hearing it.

During a social event I attended during Welcome Week, I was talking to another Undeclared student, who admitted that their response to the dreaded question was often tinged with embarrassment. While our peers respond confidently with “I’m a Computer Science major” or “Engineering” or “Political Science,” we answer with a suppressed sigh, “Oh, I’m Undeclared.” Why do we find shame in being doubtful and indecisive about the academic topic — or career, by extrapolation — that we want to pursue for at least the next four years of our lives?

Even as a child, my doubts and indecision were evident. My vocational aspirations bounced from cowgirl to president to doctor to a role that I had set my eyes on in elementary school: an award-winning author. I believed that I, Sabrina Cheng, was destined to write a series that would surpass “Harry Potter” or “Percy Jackson” in popularity. I enrolled in the Creative Writing conservatory at an arts high school close to my hometown, Tustin, which is about 10 minutes away from campus (as a self-proclaimed tour guide, I’d be happy to show my non-local counterparts the best boba shops around Irvine).

Although I studied Creative Writing for the past four years, my doubts and indecision arose when I considered choosing English as my college major. I yearned to explore academic subjects outside the realm of Creative Writing, such as psychology and related subjects within the social sciences. I look forward to quenching my curiosity during Introduction to Psychology and other classes I will take in quarters to come.

Whenever sentiments of embarrassment arise as I answer the dreaded icebreaker question, I am reminded of advice that my mentor gave me this summer: To the doubtful and the indecisive, take the time that you need to discover and explore the subjects that most pique your intellectual curiosity. Avoid rushing into a major that you are not truly passionate about just because of external pressures to have it all figured out. Rest assured that you, in fact, do not need to have it all figured out.

Your friendly neighborhood Undeclared major,
Sabrina