Bruin Belles Service Association: Blog

As I reflect upon the past year, my heart swells with gratitude. I am so very thankful to be a part of this community. When people ask me what Bruin Belles is, I always begin with the words passionate, and compassionate. For in our multiplicity of interests, personalities, and ambitions, the shared heart of our organization is service. Whether dressed up in Belle attire or clad in old gardening clothes, some of my fondest college memories have transpired in BBSA, and I know that my time as a Bruin has been made infinitely richer through knowing and serving alongside fellow Belles. I contemplated for a while about what I wanted to share in my blog post, and I arrived at the conclusion that while being a Belle cannot be summed up in any singular experience, one poignant thread of this organization are the car rides we share on our way to, and back from an event. Whether we are squealing with delight over a Belle alumna’s recent grad school acceptance, singing our hearts out to Dan + Shay…

Winter quarter is one of my favorite times in Belles because it means Winter Retreat - my favorite Belles event - and, thus, getting or adding to your Belles family. Coming to UCLA from Houston, Texas, I knew absolutely no one when I moved here. At such a big school, it was a truly intimidating and I constantly wondered how I would find my home here. At yet, within a few weeks at UCLA during my first year, Bruin Belles gave me that home. I immediately felt accepted, and all of the Belles events fulfilled my search to participate in meaningful and exciting activities. 
However, when I got my Belles family winter quarter of my first year, that changed everything for me. Not only did I have this amazing organization to help me find my place at UCLA, I now had a three awesome women who were invested in me and who were there to specifically support me. And, it wasn’t just one way - I was there to support them as we chose to go through the ups and downs of college together. My Belles family …

For the past two years, I have had the immense privilege and opportunity to be surrounded by the most passionate, kind-hearted, genuine, proactive, philanthropically-minded women, who constantly uplift and inspire me. Belles have been a constant source of support and encouragement, a safe space and an oasis away from South Campus weeder classes and the competitive nature of pre-health life. Belles has not only offered limitless community service opportunities, but also countless other ways to learn and grow. From Stop the Bleed’s bystander intervention training to my very first hackathon, I have learned so much more than I ever could in a normal classroom setting. Furthermore, I have had many meaningful and thought-provoking conversations that are often neglected, overlooked, or deemed unimportant to a college student.
Through Belles, I have experienced exponential growth. From showing up to my interview in a sundress with espadrilles—business casual was such a foreign concept—to now u…

The annual Women’s Leadership Conference is an event led by Bruin Belles that shows
the amazing accomplishments of women leaders in our community and amongst our
organization! It is a time where current Belles, Belle alums, and women in our community come together to show their support of women in leadership roles. This conference is a time to focus on leadership, professionalism and personal development, and to create a culture of respect for the women in our community.

One of the first events that I attended as a Belle was the Women’s Leadership
Conference, and it was the event that showed how impactful this organization was to my
community and myself! I was really inspired by the speakers, the dedication of Belles that led the conference, and the environment of women supporting women! It was so inspiring to be amongst so many girl bosses in one room!

This year, as a Distinguished Belle for the Women’s Leadership office, I got the
opportunity to be on committee for the conference and help …

The beginning of week 9… it’s a signal that the seemingly never ending midterms season is finally concluded, which means that it’s time to lift our gazes up from our notebooks and look toward the next daunting milestone in the quarter system: finals. This short transition period this quarter was leaving me with an unshakeable feeling of apprehension. On the Wednesday afternoon of week 9, I did what many of us do when panic sets in: I called my mom.
After venting all of my stresses to my wonderfully listening mother, she asked me if I had any Belles events going on this week. I told her I was going to Challah for Hunger that night, and she said “There you go! You’ll have some great ‘Belle-time’ and everything will be fine again!”
My all-knowing mom was right. Challah for Hunger, an event at UCLA Hillel in which volunteers roll and fold challah bread for a weekly charity bake, has become one of my very favorite Belles events. 
The atmosphere in the room was exceptionally positive. The bake…

As one of the main social events of the quarter, Winter Retreat is a night of activities that aims to strengthen the bonds within the Belles community. With everyone’s busy schedules and packed Google calendars, it can be all too easy to get swept up in academics and extracurriculars. Winter Retreat is a chance to relax for a night and enjoy some quality time running around (in onesies!) with fellow Belles. 
This year, the night kicked off with some classic games: we dashed around Wilson Plaza for Captain’s Orders, laughed through a UCLA-themed game of Pictionary-Telephone, and attempted to channel some Pitch Perfect energy for Riff-Off. My personal favorite activity of the night was the “Tap Someone Who…” activity, where you have a chance to anonymously show your appreciation for Belles by tapping them based on specific statements (e.g., “Tap someone who you admire”, “Tap someone who you learned something from”). It was a moment of reflection on how much the people in the club have im…