Finding My Family

As an incoming Freshman, I was incredibly anxious about going to college and finding my niche. I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to become involved in or how I was going to even find friends. After passing by the Bruin Belles booth at the Enormous Activity Fair, I immediately knew I wanted to be a Belle. It had already begun to feel like a second home, filled with passionate women with the kindest hearts. I was especially thrilled when I found out that one of my closest friends from elementary school would be in my baby belle class. I was so excited about everything in store for us and the amazing adventures we would have in our first year as Belles.

Fast forward to a year and a half later and I am having the time of my life. I have participated in so many phenomenal philanthropy, women’s leadership, and campus culture events and bonded with all the amazing women apart of my organization. Over the past year as a Belle, I have connected with so many women who have become some of my closest friends. I received an amazing Big who I literally cannot imagine life without and I recently extended my Belle family and received a fabulous Little who inspires me every day.

Ultimately, I am so thankful that I get to give back and serve with these women every week. Every Belle event is filled with so much joy and happiness that it could put a smile on anyone’s face. My fellow Belles never cease to amaze me, from their accomplishments to their passion for service. I have found girls who love me unconditionally and support me in every endeavor- they have become my UCLA family. To be completely honest, joining Bruin Belles is the smartest decision I have made in my college career and I cannot wait to explore the rest of my years as a member of this beautiful organization.

Thank You,

Valerie Agembah

2nd Year

Distinguished Belle- Women's Leadership Office

Comments

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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