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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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

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

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

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