Skip to main content

The Impact of Others

Looking back upon the my last 3 years at UCLA, it's impossible not to reminisce about the people who have had a powerful impact on my time here thus far. Each and every member of my belles family has inspired me with their passions, taught me something new, and blessed me with their friendship. I am so grateful to have these incredible ladies alongside me! Each of them has something that they care about deeply, and they are willing to sacrifice so much to serve the people around them. 

Some of my best belles memories are when my big belle, baby belle, grand big belle, and all my other family members were revealed! It brings me so much joy to look back on all the memories and laughs we've had and to think of all that is to come. It's the moments like Women's Leadership Conference when you sit alongside each other while learning what it looks like to live empowered lives, like getting to know your future grand big for the first time at Disneyland, and like running around campus in onesies at night with your new family that leave memorable impressions on my mind and heart. 

It's been said that a lot of who we are can be shaped by the people we surround ourselves with. I would consider myself extremely lucky if even a little bit of who I am was shaped by these incredible girls I get to call my belles family. Thank you to each of you for constantly inspiring me and continuing to show me what compassion and selflessness looks like. Your individual gifts, talents, and passions are lights in the world and I'm grateful that I get to see them in all you do. 

Devin Barbin
Distinguished Belle

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

A Senior's Reflection

A Senior's Reflection   As my time at UCLA and Belles comes to an end, I want to reflect on all the experiences I’ve been lucky enough to have over the past years. I am so grateful to be surrounded by so many great people, many of whom I have found through Belles. This community has given me so much and I could not be more appreciative. It provided such a welcoming and open space for me to grow as a person when I first arrived on campus at UCLA after a full year of online school. With the time I have been given in Westwood,  I have been challenged academically, learned to embrace independence and time alone, and have learned more about myself in the process. That is truly a gift.   That being said, some of my favorite and most impactful Belle events have been Meals on Wheels and Baby2Baby. Meals on Wheels was an amazing experience, and I truly felt like I was making a difference in the community. Through this organization, we packed meals and distributed them to older adu...

The Bruin Belles Community

When asked what Bruin Belles is all about, we summarize our focus on community service and women’s leadership, as we are united under these integral fundamentals. Yet, the experience of Bruin Belles extends far beyond those five words. Bruin Belles as an organization and the Belles in it are incredibly well-rounded. Attending community service events, campus sports and arts events, and women’s leadership events throughout every quarter connects Belles to fellow Belles, fellow students, the UCLA community, and the Los Angeles community at large. The wholistic nature of the events and goals of Bruin Belles provides Belles with the opportunity to enrich their UCLA experience. The significance of all the experiences that Bruin Belles provides is augmented by the caliber of the women themselves. Every Belle with whom I’ve had the incredible opportunity of becoming friends with is grounded, passionate, ambitious, and compassionate. I don’t use these words lightly. Regardless of major or inte...

A Sense of Belonging

Being surrounded by the incredibly driven, selfless and compassionate individuals that are Bruin Belles has been so fundamental to me finding a sense of belonging at the immensely intimidating and overwhelming institution that is UCLA. I am continually inspired by the ubiquitous drive to serve and learn among belles, despite the wide diversity of academic interests, campus involvements, and career aspirations. BBSA has allowed me to give, learn, and grow in ways I would have never expected, all while having a lot of fun. Some of my best memories range from making meaningful connections over coffee at Kerckhoff, engaging in hands-on philanthropy projects, and networking with incredible alumni and connected professionals.  To be frank, this quarter was both mentally and physically exhausting for me as I continue on my search to find my interests and niche at UCLA. However, seeing Belles every week kept me energized, positive, and motivated as I navigated through draining back-to...