Skip to main content

First Year Belle: Ashlee Barone


Junior Belles at Fall Retreat

Hi everyone! My name is Ashlee Barone and I am a first year Belles! I am a third year transfer, so this is my first quarter at UCLA. Before coming to UCLA, I was definitely terrified. I was leaving the comfort of my hometown, Fresno, California, to move to a huge school in a big city. My first week was spend awkwardly trying to meet other juniors but instead mingling with freshmen that were two years younger than me. It made me for a real lonely time. All I wanted was to find my own place on this campus, somewhere I could feel a part of a little family. Then, I found Belles.

Ever since I joined Belles, my life has been a whirlwind of excitement.  I’ve gotten to do amazing things like working in the Press Box and watching Homecoming game with the best view in the Rose Bowl.  I got to work at the Grand opening of Pauley and speak to Kareem Abdul Jabbar, something that I will forever brag about. Each week, I get to choose from numerous events that bring a huge smile to those in need and also allow me to walk away with the most rewarding feeling--but that’s not it. The best thing about Belles is I get to do all of this stuff with pretty much the sweetest group of women on this planet.  I’ve made so many amazing friends because of BBSA, and for that I am so grateful.

 I finally feel like I’ve found my place.  I walk around campus with my mint green Bruin Belles shirt on, beaming with pride. I love telling loved ones about Belles and all the awesome stuff we are a part of. Each time, they are so jealous of the incredible opportunities BBSA offers.  I love being part of an organization that has a long history of helping others and representing UCLA in such a classy manner.  Joining Belles was the best decision I’ve made since being here.  I can honestly say, pretty much all of my fun, exciting moments that I’ve had at UCLA so far have been because of Belles! So thank you to every one of you gorgeous Belles and can’t wait to make even more amazing memories. I love you all!
Belles at the Grand Reopening of Pauley Pavilion

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Finding Home

I remember going home most weekends when I started my first year at UCLA. I was overwhelmed and felt a little lost (as many freshmen do, even if nobody says so). On one of those weekends at home, I told my mom how I didn’t feel like I had a community that made UCLA feel like home. My parents are both UCLA alum, and she brought up her time in Bruin Belles. She was uncertain if the org was still around, but sure enough, we looked it up and found BBSA thriving. I immediately started going through the website and came across some Blog Posts, like the one you are reading now. After reading about the experiences of previous Belles, I decided to apply. It is crazy to think that I am now sitting here writing my testimony, hoping that it inspires you to join, too!  Bruin Belles has lived up to everything I hoped it would and more. This group is full of the most wonderful women I have ever met, and everybody is so supportive of one another. Everyone is incredibly genuine and just wants the best
Post a Comment
Read more

Finding My Community

Coming onto campus for the first time as a sophomore was especially daunting. Similar to most people, transitioning to in-person classes and dorm life was challenging. As I attended classes and other club meetings, I felt like I might have missed out on opportunities during the online year to reach out to people and make friends. Stuck with random roommates and no close friends on campus, I felt very isolated. This wasn’t the college experience that I had imagined. But then I started attending Belles meetings and events, and things began to slowly click into place.  Bruin Belles is such a uniquely amazing community where everyone is passionate about so many different things in terms of both academics and personal interests. The Belles community inspired me then and continues to encourage me to push the boundaries of my academic and professional pursuit, to put myself out there, and to carry a positive and optimistic attitude into all my endeavors. From volunteering at the LA Times Fest
Post a Comment
Read more

Imposter Syndrome and Finding Myself

The person I was when I stepped on campus 4 years ago is unrecognizable to me now. I came to college knowing that I wanted to be pre-med but having no friends or family following a similar path, I felt so lost in navigating my path on my own. I started college being terrified of failing. I was so naive and so desperate to succeed I was not taking care of myself. My second year was when I reached my lowest point. I was so depressed and lonely, I considered leaving  UCLA. I did not feel smart enough to be there, I didn’t feel likable enough because I didn’t really have friends. Joining Belles in my junior year was a big part of completely transforming my UCLA experience. Belles was the first time I felt completely embraced by a group of people. It was the first space in which I felt like everyone truly wanted the best for each other. The people and the opportunity to help others were exactly what my heart needed at that time in my life. Service is something that is so incredibly importan
Post a Comment
Read more