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1/3 of a School Year Older

Week 10 of my first quarter. Already. I cannot believe that I am already a third of my way through my first year at college. It feels like so much has happened within these past ten weeks that it is difficult to summarize it all into one post. There is one thing I can confirm though: the quarter system is fast-paced.

Being a freshman and especially entering as undeclared, I felt lost in such a large, vibrant, and diverse school environment but somewhere and somehow I found my way. The first few weeks of this quarter I was definitely attempting to adapt to this huge transition. As someone who came from northern California I only knew people from my high school and some other students from orientation, and so I really was starting this big journey independently. It was a little scary feeling alone at first, but eventually I settled into this uneasiness and sought out discomfort.

Suddenly after five weeks of putting myself out there, getting involved, and meeting new people I began to feel a sense of community in my school. Getting to know other students here at UCI, especially upperclassmen, provided me insight into the culture and workings of this university. Spending time with other freshmen and living in such a supportive hall, I felt like I had access to a space in which I could find connection, relatability and belonging. 

Academically, I was lucky that I began my college career with classes that were truly fascinating to me. I am the type to want to be creative in my work and I feel that the courses that I took this quarter really allowed for the opportunity for some creative expression.  The drama courses I took, specifically, really confirmed my passion for this art, as there was never a moment when I felt that I wasn’t creatively engaged. This perhaps might be a sign that a new door to a potential major has opened.

So a little message to me at the beginning of the quarter: college is busy. The weeks will fly by quickly and you will meet countless amounts of people. You came here to learn, and you will, as there are so many opportunities for engagement. No matter what nervous thoughts you may have though, you got this. 

If there is something about this quarter that I’d want to emphasize it would be the idea of community. It is easy to get caught up in the pressure and competition of higher education but what I learned from just talking to other students is that everyone is going through their own struggles no matter how well a person might seem to be doing. All students have specific strengths and weaknesses and so to any student out there: do not compare yourself to others and instead, feel accomplished with what you have done. To all the current freshmen completing their first quarter: congratulations, we jumped into something that was new for all of us and have made it this far. Here is to more quarters to come.      

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The Fun of Getting Involved

There is a stigma about UCI where people call the campus “socially dead” because it may not have the most eye-catching student socials. What I realized this quarter is that is not necessarily the case. There are many opportunities for finding events that fit your interests at UCI; it’s a matter of traveling out of your comfort zone and getting involved in these events to discover a community that fosters socialization from your interests. For me, as an ASUCI (Associated Students- UCI) Intern in the Multimedia and Art Lab commissions I help put on events for students’ entertainment. So whether its showcasing art through Art Lab events (this quarter it was the Halloween-themed Dark Lab) or attending a screening of It: Chapter Two with Multimedia, ASUCI events are great opportunities to meet new people or simply find on-campus entertainment. Being a part of the organizations that plan these events makes these events even more enjoyable as the behind-the-scenes process includes group bonding activities that allow me to have a good time with my fellow teammates. The most fascinating aspect of getting involved in clubs on campus is that the student body seems to become more familiar. As you meet new people in your involvements you gain connections to other groups of people on campus and soon your network of acquaintances and friends continues to grow.

If you know me, you know I also like to stay in touch with my creative side. This quarter I am taking drama classes that required students to watch UCI Drama’s production of Company the Musical. Even if attendance to this show was mandatory, I would have watched it regardless because theatrical productions are always fascinating to me. Needless to say, the show did not disappoint. The entire cast and crew involved in the production were all inspirationally talented and their efforts made the show worthwhile. Company wasn’t the only show I was able to watch as by just being a student within the drama department you are introduced to a variety of shows that you can either watch or even be a part of- student-written plays, facility-sponsored projects, you name it.

Involvement overall does not need to mean joining organizations, it could mean supporting on-campus events or even by just being a student of one of the schools at UCI. There is rarely a dull moment at UCI if you just find the resources to guide you to events that keep your social life active- and this is always rewarding in the long run!

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(A Little More Than) A Halfway Through Update

As I am writing this, a couple weeks have passed since week 5 (the week of Halloween!) which also marks the halfway point of my first quarter at UCI. That is crazy to think about because this quarter really has gone by faster than anyone could have expected, and I think all of us freshmen are caught by surprise. Nevertheless, I feel like I have surprisingly managed to find a balance among all the chaos of this quarter.

Despite the many assignments, club events, and personal matters I have had to attend to, I feel relatively accomplished with what I’ve done with my first quarter so far. If you are a student you might be aware of the equilateral triangle meme for students (included below). Many might agree this is pretty accurate- and unfortunately for me, the one that had to go was sleep. Although, I would say that I sleep more now than I did in high school as you are able to pick your own schedule (according to availability of classes, at least) and so if you know you are a night owl (like me) you can decide to take an afternoon class and avoid feeling like a zombie in the morning. 

Sleep-deprivation can be prevented though if you stay organized. Google calendar has continued to be my best friend this quarter as it keeps me notified of due dates for assignments, or events that I may have forgotten about. Looking at my schedule for the week allows me to plan my study days accordingly so I wouldn’t be neglecting any assignments if I were to go to that Halloween party or club social. 

Also, after almost seven weeks of being away from my family I got to travel seven hours back to my hometown to see them in real life rather than through FaceTime. Going back home is a great feeling because something about home cooked meals hits different from the Anteatery (not that the dining hall isn’t great, it’s just that nothing can beat your parents’ cooking).  My friends from high school were also back home for the Veteran’s Day long weekend and so it was great to catch up with all of them and hang out as if we never left for college. 

Overall, the events the past couple weeks have prepared me for this upcoming final stretch of the quarter. I feel like I have gotten my fair share of fun and now as finals week quickly approaches, it is time to get my super productive hat on and make sure to keep staying on track of all my work. Here’s to the rest of the quarter!

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The Midterm Experience From the Outside

Midterms are every college student’s nightmare: a sort of make-or-break exam before the big boss that is the course final. Fortunately for me, I have yet to experience such a task. This quarter I am taking classes that are largely project/participation based so I do not have any big assessments, but rather a research essay or performance to be graded on.

Nevertheless, as midterms began to hit for other students around week 3 I definitely saw a shift in the vibe of the campus. I consider myself to be a night owl so I already prefer to spend late nights doing homework if needed. It was an interesting experience, though, to find other people who developed the same sleeping habits as me- and believe me, there are many. 

Despite what you might think, the whole process of preparing for midterms (based on my observations and the time I spent doing big assignments while everyone studied) isn’t all blood, sweat, and tears- it’s actually pretty entertaining. Everyone has a preferred method of studying or working; for me and those around me it was food and late night hijinks. 

First of all, the Anteatery in Mesa Court (an on-campus residential community) serves a delicious late-night menu from 8pm-12 am so any students planning to stay up can enjoy some potstickers or chilli and fries (sounds yummy doesn’t it?). If the Anteatery happens to close before you can get a bite, worry not because there are also Insomnia Cookies at the University Town Center across campus open until 3am to satisfy your late late night cravings.

So along with food there are other ways of relieving stress. Within my dorm hall the common room will have a show or movie playing for a quick distraction from the textbook. If that’s not enough, I find a friend and dance and laugh our worries away; it’s surprising how amusing jokes can be late at night. I always like to remember that it’s important to keep the mood up during stressful times so finding any reason to spend quality time with others is how I typically de-stress. 

To leave you all off with advice on dealing with midterm season: find what works for you! There are plenty of study areas on campus (libraries, student center, The Court in Mesa Court (open only to residents of Mesa Court)) if you prefer a quiet space and also many people who would love to create a study group- just ask around! 

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Blogger Introduction and UCI First Impressions

What’s up everyone?! My name is Ron and I’m excited to be a new ZotBlogger for the 2019-2020 school year! I can’t wait to be able to share my experiences this year, and for you all to come along this journey as it happens. So without further ado let’s get this started!

As a ZotBlogger I am writing my experiences as a first-year undeclared student here at UCI. If there is one thing to know about me, it is that I am very inquisitive and enjoy interdisciplinary learning, so the majors I am considering pursuing range from drama to informatics. It will be a process trying to find the best major for me this year but nevertheless an enriching one for sure.

Before coming into this position, I was living my best life in the East Bay Area, a region that I am proud to call my home. Moving here to Southern California, though, has been a fun change in my environment and being able to live in such a great city such as Irvine has only made my experience even better. Moreover, actually moving away from my family and starting what I call, “adulting”, or a true, independent lifestyle, has been a positive learning experience for me. 

When it came to networking in a new campus I was fortunate enough that before classes began I was already accepted as an intern for the ASUCI (Associated Students – University of California, Irvine) Art Lab commission where I am happy to say I have met many people of similar interests and personalities (me being a huge performing arts person). There were also already many fun activities planned for week 0 (quick shoutout to ASUCI for a huge success during Welcome Week) which allowed me to meet all sorts of people in the student body. 

After all the fun of week 0, classes began and suddenly I had to juggle my schoolwork along with my social life and “adulting”. It surprised me how busy my days were getting as despite one or two hour-long classes a day, I was still responsible for amounts of homework that I admittedly was not anticipating. I’ve learned that organization will be key to surviving this quarter as with many club meetings and assignment due dates to keep track of, it is important to stay on top of everything (Google Calendar is basically my best friend for keeping my life together). College is definitely different from high school as accountability for your own schedule and time management is even more important and this has taken some getting used to lately. 

Nevertheless, I am enjoying this adjustment into a new school environment. There are many resources that satisfy my love for learning and getting to know people. UCI has some of the best students and faculty so classes and clubs have been nothing but enjoyable. Such a great start only makes me look forward to what is in store for the rest of this school year. With that said, zot zot zot for the start of fall quarter!