Cara Trombadore: Four Years of Memories

Bruin Belles has been a huge part of my life as a Bruin.

Since I joined four years ago as an incoming freshman, Belles has given me countless opportunities to explore LA that I otherwise would not have gotten. I studied abroad during my junior year and while I cannot begin to describe what a wonderful experience I had, there was one thing missing during those nine months spent in Europe. That missing piece was Belles. I not only missed all the wonderful girls that make up this organization, but I also missed the service and the culture of giving that is so prominent amongst us. This is why I decided to run for Executive Board upon my return.

Being Social Director has been an amazing new chapter in my life as a Belle. I have learned so much about so many of our members and I cherish every one of them. Whether it's goofing off playing charades, watching some ballers on the basketball court, or running around campus in the rain, the Belle Love electrifies the very air. I am so proud to call myself a Bruin, but I am even more proud of being a Bruin Belle. BBSA creates magic in a community that needs infinite amounts of charity and volunteers to put it back on the right track. I cannot thank this organization enough for the memories it has given me. I will be a Belle now and forever.

Cara Trombadore
Fourth Year Belle | 2012-2013 Social Director

Belles at the Camping Trip in Malibu Creek State Park

Belles at the UCLA vs. USC Football Game - Go Bruins!

A Lovely Sunday Brunch at Lemonade in Brentwood

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What I Didn't Know

What I didn't know The morning after I got the highly anticipated call that I got into Bruin Belles, I found this bell (figure 1) on my dorm door: a door belle…get it? I can still very clearly remember the few weeks surrounding this moment. I wanted it SO BADLY! When I saw the Belles tri-fold at the enormous activities fair, I knew immediately that I needed to be a part of that community. On paper, it sounded like everything I wanted: a group of likeminded passionate women who did community service together and other social events. I worked tirelessly on my application and was so nervous for my interview that I signed up for the very first slot (Monday at 8am… yikes). I got the long-awaited call late on a Friday night. Yashvi, the public relations director at the time, told me that I had gotten in, and while still on the phone I screamed “I GOT IN!” to my roommate. My heart was beating so fast. However, I think if I had known what was to come, my heart would have beat so fast it

Finding My Home

My time as a Bruin Belle has been incredibly transformative. This exceptional group of empowered women has not only enriched my college experience but also inspired me to make a lasting impact on the world. Entering UCLA, I was eager to find a community that aligned with my passion for service and personal growth. Joining the Bruin Belles provided that and more—a warm embrace within the vast UCLA landscape. At the core of our experience is our dedication to service, from local volunteer work to impactful fundraisers. We take action, build connections, and create change within our community. Being a Belle has given me the opportunity to volunteer for initiatives such as dog adoption, environmental activism, food insecurity, education advocacy, and houselessness. Through volunteering in various areas of our community, I have found purpose and a newfound passion for advocacy. Additionally, BBSA is more than a service organization to me; we are a sisterhood that fosters leadership. The s

Stepping Outside my Comfort Zone

Spring Retreat 2023 was by far one of the highlights of my BBSA experience, for reasons I never expected. Throughout my second year in Belles I served as a Social DB, and for this retreat, was tasked with the job of heading the Activities Committee. A couple months of planning and preparation later, I was wracked with anxiety about being so in charge– what if nobody had fun? What if we planned too much? Too little? What if someone gets hurt, what if I screw up as a host, what if quite literally anything negative happens? It was a very rigid, unforgiving feeling, and I was then left with the personal expectation that I was going to get there and not be able to enjoy myself because of this pressure. I was terrified of letting anyone down, especially so because this was the first weekend retreat Belles has hosted in years. If anything went awry, I felt fully unprepared to handle it, but at least I could say I had considered the worst. I tried to take solace in that semblance of control,

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