<p>I logged back into CC after 2 years and smiled rereading my past posts.</p>
<p>So for all you Freshmen eagerly waiting to go to CAL here are some thoughts/advice/word vomit in no particular order...</p>
<p>First let me start off by saying I was your token smart kid in high school. Despite participating in sports and ECs, I hid behind the "smart" shield and made little effort to grow in other areas. My first semester here was a slap in the face, but I'm eternally grateful. While I stood there, an empty shell of a person without a shield, I slowly but surly faced everything about myself that I chose not to. It's been brutal but welcomed. CAL does this to you. Don't fight it. It pushes you to define yourself or fall into obscurity. </p>
<p>It's really easily to start comparing yourself to others and feel worthless. DON'T. Look at others for inspiration not as a guideline. You'll be much happier that way. There was a time where I felt like I was making all the wrong choices. I can't speak for others but it's extremely important for me to do something right in a day or I get really sad and unproductive. So I went to the gym everyday I felt worthless. That pushed me out of my gloomy days. If I went to the gym, I did something right and everything else was a bit better. NOTE: Use the RSF people! You won't get another chance when an entire gym is at your disposable for $10 a semester. Use it sooner than later. Want that six pack?? Start now. Don't wait.</p>
<p>Freshmen year you'll meet a lot of people because most stay in dorms. Even if you're not the outgoing type, you'll feel social just because of dorm life. Don't get comfortable because sophomore year is when you find out who your real friends are. Who's going to grab lunch with you when they don't sleep a few doors away? Make time to make real friends. JOIN organizations. There's a rush in the beginning of the year and everything quiets down a month or two in. Ride the wave and join early. NOTE: All those "stupid" dorm activities, GO TO THEM. You'll meet people that way. Everyone's an awkward freshman;) Don't worry.</p>
<p>Don't tell yourself that you can't do something (ie I definitely can't lab assist, can't become a TA, can't join student government, can't get that internship, can't get an A). GRIT people GRIT. Talk to people who have done it and seek their advice. People are talkative when it comes to these things. Work hard and stick with it. On a side note...Delve into low reaching fruit. Don't worry about being rejected from competitive clubs but rather participate in activities that don't require a resume for experience. NOTHING IS BENEATH YOU. </p>
<p>It is pretty easy to not participate and get lulled into academic life. The voice in the back of your head will say "I'm just a freshman. I have loads of time." H*** no. Before you know it, you'll be a junior (ME...). If there's something you want to go to/do DO IT NOW. Oh and just because you live near SF doesn't mean anything. Many don't even go unfortunately, but be on the look out for interesting events and mark your calender (and make an attempt to GO!). You live so close to one of the most amazing cities in the world. Make time for it.</p>
<p>I'll be the millionth person to tell you that Berkeley is hard. It's not a rumor. It can be hard, but there's a reason YOU'RE here. If old study techniques don't work, abandon them ASAP and discover more successful methods. GO TO OFFICE HOURS and don't wait till the week before finals to introduce yourself to professors. </p>
<p>Some of the best opportunities here come by chance. It hurts to hear when you've been told that working hard is everything but that's real life. Work hard but put yourself out there. Internships and interviews will be an easier process if you've met an associate. Go to events and interact. YOU ARE A SMALL FISH in a BIG ocean. This will be a downfall unless you put yourself out there.</p>
<p>NOTHING will come to you. YOU need to get you butt out of your room and make the roads because hey no one really knows you're here. Sad honest truth. When you're a freshman, you're a name with thousands of others that are registered to go to Berkeley, find a community and be something more. </p>
<p>You will meet tons of different people. This is one of the many things that I love about this place. Some people will not like you. Suck it up. I feel like I'm a particularly mild person who goes out of their way to be friendly but even I felt like I made a few "enemies." Friends will come and go. People will change. You will change. Some might not accept the change they see in you. Evaluate and move on. </p>
<p>You deserve to be happy. Find something that gets you to your happy place. Preferably something productive but hey anything works (maybe a few guilty hours of Reddit?? Sure, but you know that there are other sources of happiness. FIND IT). I was (and still sometimes am... but I'm working on it) one of those people who thought that you could only be happy or indulge in "happiness" inducing activities if you were successful and all the "important" parts of your life were in check. Yeah..... didn't work out too well for me. Again, you deserve to be happy. You're much more productive that way. </p>
<p>Something I didn't expect was this culture of "hey-I'm-so-screwed-for this-midterm/final." Many people say this before a test and follow it with a "yeah definitely failed" remark or something to that effect. Yeah tests are hard. It can be easy to then say, "well it was hard for everybody." No, just no. There some classes here that are just notoriously known to give ridiculous tests. Note them but know this is not the norm.. not if you study at least. Berkeley takes a different level of understanding and a depth that many people are not used to studying for. It CAN BE DONE. You'll have to figure out a way to find your bearings but do so instead of accepting that "everybody is failing" because no, that's not true. </p>
<p>Long story short, you're in for a ride. It could be boring as h*** if you choose to lock yourself up and bury yourself in books and/or Reddit all day or it can be one of the most memorable years of your life. But you don't need me to tell you that. Welcome and Good Luck! :D</p>
<p>Wow you read it all the way through :') Awesome! ---</p>