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Summer Bridge

 

Summer Bridge is by far one of the most amazing programs I have ever been a part of and I would highly recommend it to any incoming UCI freshman. It’s a program specifically for first generation, low income students to get adjusted to living on campus and taking college classes. Participants get to take two college classes, Bridges to Success and the Making of Modern Science, that covers one GE, to get used to the fast pace and rigor of college classes on the quarter system. These classes were super beneficial to me the eight units, boosted me up to sophomore standing, resulting in an earlier registration window which meant a better schedule and better professors. It also helps that every Summer Bridge student takes the same classes so you can talk to your housemates about the assignments and work together to succeed.

One of the best parts about Summer Bridge is that it is completely free, making it possible for low income, first generation students to make the most of their college experience, without worrying about the cost. Everything is covered from the housing in Arroyo Vista to tuition for the classes. It even includes $450 zot bucks to cover food throughout the summer and a bus pass to get to and from campus. These benefits also extend beyond the program, following you throughout your freshman year. During the year, there are still workshops that work on skills like time management and talking to professors where you can gain skills to excel in college. You also get a peer mentor to help you throughout the year with any questions you may have and a group to bond with. In addition to a peer mentor, you also have a personal guide, either Tamekya or Janet, that checks up on you once a quarter to support you and make your transition smooth. Other benefits during the year include free LARC (usually $110 each quarter), a free book loan program, the opportunity to rent chromebooks, and access to free writing tutors. Summer Bridge offers so many benefits and provides amazing support to its students. But by far, building community is one of the most important parts of Summer Bridge for me.

Moving away and starting college is challenging enough, but when you are a first generation, low income student, it is so easy to feel out of place without a sense of community. Everyone in the program comes from similar socioeconomic backgrounds which makes it easy for you to relate to each other. A majority of people I met were very down to earth and humble due to where they have come from and share many of my values because we realize how lucky we are to have the opportunity to go to college. Because of this, it’s so easy to build a genuine relationship with other students in the program and have a support system that understands many of the issues you may face. This extends to the staff as well, everyone is really adamant about helping you succeed and wants you to do well. This support has gotten me through so much during this first year and I am eternally grateful for this program, hoping to do anything I can to give back to future Summer Bridge Students.

Thanks to Summer Bridge, I was able to ease into college better and get a head start. It helped me to build a community of support that I can relate to and confide in. Additionally, I have so much support from the additional resources available to me through Bridge along with connections to other programs like TRIO! Incoming freshmen: please sign up for Summer Bridge and do not miss this amazing opportunity!u

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Spring Break , Spring Quarter, and New Students

 

Spring break this year was mellow, but enjoyable nonetheless. I was in a situation similar to Nancy, where both of my siblings were still in school, and as a matter of fact, a lot of my friends were as well. Most were either still in school or had just finished break, so I was only able to hang with a few. Either way, it’s always nice to decompress after finals, and just being at home is therapeutic enough. There’s something very comforting about sleeping in your old bed and going through your old routines. I find that when I’m home for break I spend a lot of time reflecting, and something that I’ve been thinking about a lot is how these breaks are some of the last times I’ll be able to spend at home with my family. I mean, I still have a decent amount of time. I’m only eighteen after all. But as I get older and start taking on more responsibilities, I’ll have less opportunities to visit home, and before I know it I’ll be living completely on my own. The though of that actually makes me really sad. Honestly, part of me wishes I could be really young again, just so I could go back and appreciate my home and family more than I did. It’s mostly sad for me because I feel like I took everything back home for granted before I came to college, and I just regret that so much. Now I really want to try and cherish all the time I have left. Although breaks do get boring after some time, I try my best to savor every moment of boredom. I would much rather be bored at home chilling with my dog than in my dorm stressing over finals. And I know once the tests start rolling up, I’ll be wishing I was at home bored out of my mind.

On another note, to any recently admitted UCI students, congratulations! That’s an awesome accomplishment and UCI really is a great school. If you decide to come, I know for sure that you’ll love it. There are so many opportunities to learn and connect with all kinds of different people. In terms of advice, I know you all know how important it is to study hard and study early, so I don’t really want to give academic advice right now. My advice to you as a student preparing to leave home would be to really enjoy the rest of your time in  high school and with your family. You will never get that time back, so make the most of it. Make sure that your parents, or whoever supports you, know that you’re thankful for everything they’ve done for you. As lame and cheesy as that sounds, I think it’s so important and it’s something that I feel we don’t think about enough until we’re out of the house.  I know I certainly didn’t and I really wish I did.

This quarter for me is an important one. At the end of it, I’m going to be applying to get into the business administration major, so it’s more important than ever that I study hard and get good grades. Business administration is one of the most competitive majors here at UCI, so I’m going to need to work hard to get in. It’s exciting though, and I’m looking forward to applying and hopefully getting in. I’m also looking forward to taking ICS 31, the intro computer science class. I’ve always been curious about computer science, and now I finally get to take it. Hopefully I find it’s as interesting as it sounds.

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That One Week of Spring Break

As the title suggests, we only have one week off here at UCI for Spring Break. That being said, I was able to go home and just relax for a while which is a nice change of pace from the usual hustle and bustle of campus. Since I only had a week to do things I just mainly hung out with my friends. That week was actually my birthday week so I celebrated leveling up in the game of Life along with two of my other friends surprisingly. Although their birthday was before mine we all celebrated in the same week so that was a good time. Compared to Winter Break, I’d definitely say that it was less rejuvenating and more of a short break. By that I mean that with the two weeks from Winter Break, I was able to fully unwind and relax but with only a week there was only so much relaxing you can do so what I’m getting at is that it definitely felt too short. This Spring Quarter however, I can look forward to starting to take classes that are related to the Education major I am thinking about attempting alongside my Computer Science major. This will be my first steps towards that goal so I’m hoping that the class will be interesting. Since this is arguably my last quarter as a Freshman here at UCI I believe that I should try and impart some knowledge to the incoming class of 2022.
1. Don’t worry about the stigma of being Undergraduate/Undeclared, it just means you are not sure of what you want to do yet. So take advantage of that and explore!

2. Avoid getting a Reduced Double room if you are in Mesa Court unless you are living with someone who you know well because there is zero extra space in my reduced double at the moment.

3. Participate in some kind of way. By that I mean while you are here at UCI, you are in charge of what kind of experience you are going to get. So be proactive and try new things. Maybe join ZotBlog for those sweet 1.3 course credits every quarter so that you can almost get out of taking another class

4. This one is going to be in regards to food. Yes you will get tired of the Anteatery’s or Pippin’s food after a while but that doesn’t mean you are stuck without options, instead think of combining different ingredients together to make something good. For example the Anteatery has both cheeseburgers and thousand island dressing and you know what you can make with those two? A budget In-n-Out burger that technically didn’t cost you anything! Throw in unlimited fries and you got a meal worthy of any fast food aficionado.

5. This one should go without saying but GO TO LECTURE and TALK TO YOUR CLASSMATES and PROFESSORS. Yes, it will be intimidating to talk to your professors about something and possibly look stupid but so what? After talking to the professor, you are probably going to end up with a better understanding of the subjects than if you didn’t so what is there to lose? Also talk to your classmates because you’re all on that college grind anyway might as well make it as enjoyable as possible. As for attending lectures you already paid for the professor to be there and teach you something so you risk wasting hard-earned money should you skip too often.

That’s all the tips I got for now, I’ll add more in later posts if anything comes to mind.

Zot On!
Josh

 

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Spring Quarter Swing

Spring break felt so well deserved after the stressful winter quarter. This year was the first time my siblings and I had different spring breaks so it was so weird and sad being at home by myself. I went back to visit my high school and I was overcome with some much nostalgia. When I visited, it was the international assembly so I got to see all the performances and be reminded of how lucky I am to grow up in such a diverse community. I really missed high school after that. My high school friends and I finally got to catch up now that most of us were home for spring break. Please cherish the time you have with your high school friends and high school experience because in college, you may not have them with you. One week was definitely enough because I get bored pretty quickly and couldn’t wait to get back to school and be with my friends all the time. Pro tip: please prepare for the quarter during your breaks! Read through your syllabi and block out your schedule. Know what to expect for each class and get notebooks for your classes because I regretted not doing this. I tried to buy college ruled composition books the morning of, and it was a disaster. I went to the UTC Target, the District Target, and Walmart and there were no college ruled notebooks, only wide ruled. It was a disaster, so please avoid this if you can!

Spring quarter is a new quarter and I’m really excited and nervous for my last quarter of freshman year. I’m really looking forward to Vietnamese Culture Night (VCN) because I’ll be performing with the Traditional Dance (Trance) group to showcase our culture and tell our story. It’s one of VSAUCI’s biggest events of the year so I am so excited to be a part of it. If you can, please come out on May 6th to support us! I really want to take advantage of my last quarter living on campus and continue having the time of my life.

On another note, all UCI acceptances are out. Congratulations to everyone who was accepted and welcome to the Anteater family, especially incoming Undecided Undeclared students! I’m so excited for all of you to join us in the fall and I can’t wait to meet all of you. As a UU student, you definitely have the luxury to explore. My friends in a specific major find it hard to switch out and are often stuck taking classes they dread for a quarter. Being UU, I was able to take Biology classes during fall quarter and completely switch to Business Economic classes during the Winter. Take classes that interest you and things will definitely work out. If you have any questions or need advice, please let me know. I’m more than happy to help! Find me on Facebook or email at nancyd2@uci.edu! Welcome to the family, I’ll see you in the fall!

 

 

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Into Nancy’s Brain

Welcome into my mind! It’s split into six major sections: academics, social life, sleep, food, clubs, and money. Let’s break this down to find out what I spend my time thinking and worrying about.

The top is split into academics and social life, split evenly because this is what I think about the most.

Academics: Academics are the most important thing in my life right now, because I’m in college! I’m here first and foremost to get a good education and give myself opportunities for growth. I dedicate a lot of time and brain power to staying on top of my academics to make sure I do well in my classes and learn the material. College can be fun, but in my opinion, academics needs to be my first priority, which is why it’s the first thing in my brain. This brain power is dedicated to planning out my day and deciding the best way to study among others.

 

Social Life: I am a very big people person and I thrive off other people’s energy! College is a totally different environment with so many new people to meet and I really try to meet everyone. My friends actually make fun of me because it seems like I know everyone. Whenever I walk around campus or I’m eating at the Anteatery, I say hi to a lot of people that I know, even though I don’t even live there! I love meeting new people and spending time to really get to know them so my social life is also really important to me. I dedicate a lot of time maintaining these relationships and checking in on my friends to make sure they’re doing okay. I tend to worry about others, because I genuinely care which fills up a significant portion of my brain.

 

Sleep: Academics and social life rest on top of sleep because sleep is so crucial for me to function. I know a lot of people who can run on three hours of sleep each day, but this is not me. I need at least five hours of sleep to function and succeed in my academics and social life. Without enough sleep, I’m easily irritated and can’t focus, harming both my social life and academics. Sleep is essential. I always do the math when I’m studying to see what time I need to sleep at to get my minimum five hours or plan out naps in the day to fill in the holes. College tip: take naps! Listen to your body when it says it’s tired!

 

Food: It’s kind of embarrassing to admit, but I spend a lot of time thinking about when and what I’m going to eat next. Please keep reading so I can explain what I mean! As a busy college student with a lot of clubs and responsibilities, I sometimes forget to eat so I need to think about the next time I have to eat so I can stay energized. Also I love that the dining halls post their menus online so I can see what I’m going to have that day. Sometimes if food at Pippins sounds bad, I’ll plan to walk all the way to the Anteatery for better food. There’s no shame in that. If I’m going to put food into my body, I’d rather have it be something I enjoy eating. I definitely go on the dining hall website more than I should.

 

Clubs: Club meetings are so hard for me to remember if I don’t go consistently because it’s not set in my schedule so I often have to try and remember them. Especially with Trance (Vietnamese Traditional Dance), the practices tend to change so I need to really be on top of it and make sure I don’t miss practices. Some brain power is used to remember the choreography too since I’m pretty forgetful. As an intern, I also need to help come up with new ideas for after events or improvements for future events!

 

$$$: College is expensive. It’s so easy to go out all the time with UTC right there or spend all your money buying food on ring road, but I’m always thinking about how to save money and not spend it unless I need to or it’s a special occasion. I have the dining hall with food I already paid for so I really try to avoid going out and spending money because I feel like I’m wasting the food I already paid for. Also, I always try to save money when I can by using Cartwheel at Target! I would highly recommend it!

 

There’s so many things to think about and keep track of during college, but these are my main six!