Adjusting to Life at the World’s No.1 Public University

Lucy Blanchard- UC Berkeley, United States

When I got my letter from the University of California saying I’d been accepted into Berkeley I was, quite frankly, elated. It had been my dream school ever since my first-year self decided she wanted to study abroad. Reading that letter, I felt every bit of self-doubt and stress lift from my shoulders– I did it! I got into Berkeley! All my hard work had paid off. Aside from this, though, nothing could have prepared me for the transition period once I moved. I’m here to tell you about my experience, so you can be well prepared for the first couple of months at your host institution.  

The first thing I noticed about Berkeley is, quite obviously, everyone is very smart. It’s a college full of top-of-the-class students, and with this comes a degree of pressure to succeed. Imposter syndrome is a very real thing, and is something I definitely struggled with when I first got here. People had their whole lives figured out, resumes full of work experience and internships, meanwhile I was just a Brit trying to navigate her way around campus as an international student. My biggest and best advice for this is– just focus on yourself! Getting to know more people, I realised I wasn’t the only one who was struggling, and many other people were still trying to figure their life out, declare a major, or decide on a career path. Don’t rush yourself, go about life at your own pace, regardless of what the people around you are doing.  

After what seemed like forever, orientation week was over and it was time to start classes. One of the first things to note if you are considering applying to Berkeley is that the workload is significantly larger. I spoke to some students before I moved and, in their words, studying at Berkeley is very much “work hard play hard”. Well, having lived here for over 3 months now, I can say they were most definitely right. The fact I have not even had time to write a blog post since arriving here says it all. It is now Thanksgiving break, and for the first time since arriving I have had some time to collect my thoughts and update you on my time here so far. 

This semester I have taken four classes– going from three to four is a surprisingly large jump, especially when the workload, assessments and set reading are so much more frequent. However this isn’t all bad– my favourite thing about going to college in the U.S. is that you are allowed to take classes outside of your declared major. I am an American Studies student, and since being at Berkeley I have enrolled in classes in Gender and Women’s studies, Film and Media, and even Spanish! This is a great way to explore your interests outside of your major and, despite the heavy workload, has been thoroughly enjoyable.

Another significant difference at Berkeley is the clubs. Joining a club here is, I’d say, more like applying to a competitive job. However, once you are past the endless resumes, cover letters and interviews (you heard me, interviews) the clubs, I would say, have been the best part of my experience at Berkeley so far. It can be tough to make friends as an international student, but joining clubs can be a great way to meet new people. After buying a giant suitcase to bring my hockey stick across the pond, I was determined to find a club to play for. I ended up joining Cal Field Hockey Club and met some of my closest friends playing! I also play for their competitive team which has given me the opportunity to travel much of California during my weekends. 

As an aspiring journalist, I wanted to find an opportunity to write outside of my required coursework. I ended up joining the Daily Californian, the student newspaper here at Berkeley. This has not only given me the chance to write and have my work published, but also reacquainted me with a hobby I had buried in the dust– photography. I can now proudly say that I am a photojournalist for the Daily Californian, and taking photos in my spare time has become my way to unwind after a busy week of hard work.

Something I will say about my time at Berkeley so far is that the best experiences have been unplanned, the ones I have stumbled across by chance, or just so happened to fall right in my lap. During welcome week, I was chased down Sproul Plaza (the walkway in the middle of campus– full of tables of clubs during the first month of the semester) with a flyer for a fashion club I had no intention of joining. Well let me tell you, I went to the information session to see what it was all about, and two weeks later I was an official member, working as a fashion photographer with people who I can now call my closest American friends! My advice to take away from this is to say yes to everything that comes your way– sometimes the best experiences are right in front of you without you even realising it.

I can safely say that I am having the time of my life at Berkeley. From the opportunities I’ve had to the people I have met, I am so grateful to have decided to study abroad. For anyone standing on the edge of that decision, take the leap! I can guarantee you won’t regret it. Whilst the adjustment period may be an intimidating, overwhelming wave of emotions, you will soon settle into your host university and wonder why you were ever worried.