Bruin Belles Service Association: Blog

  When I look back at my first two years at UCLA, the differences between the two are immediately noticeable. By the time my second year was in full gear, I was more comfortable, doing better in my classes, and making memories that I knew would stick with me for a lifetime. This change in my college experience was no coincidence- it was a result of joining Bruin Belles.     Freshman year, as it tends to be for many of us, was quite the difficult transition for me to make. Going from living in the same town for my entire life and having been constantly surrounded by family and friends to being on a huge campus over a thousand miles from home was something that I don’t know how I could have prepared myself for. That first year was a lot of trial and error- with extracurriculars, with classes, with my major- any and every part of my life felt like it was undecided and thinking about the future was a daunting task that I avoided at all costs. I often found myself questio...

This year, I was so grateful to have had the opportunity to serve on our Women’s Leadership Conference Outreach, Advertising, and Alumni Relations Committee. With all the changes this year has brought us, we had to find a way to transition our annual conference to be as engaging and impactful on our virtual platforms. Ever since the conference theme was initially announced, I began to reflect more on how I define the terms “interdisciplinary” and “allyship” and what these terms mean to me in my everyday life. During the conference committee meetings, I engaged with fellow Belles who had their unique definitions and perspectives of these terms which motivated me to think more deeply on how I identify with these terms. I realized that to me interdisciplinary education is much more than seeking out new information about different ideas and topics. Rather, intersectionality is the overlap of different cultures, races, socioeconomic status, backgrounds, identities, etc. (the list goes on) a...

Everyone can relate to the feeling of being overwhelmed with work. Of course, there are many joys associated with school and work. Attending UCLA is such a blessing- I am able to study topics that interest me and learn about the world around me amongst some of the most inspiring people I have ever met! However, I believe that it is incredibly important that every person ensures that they find joy, fulfillment, and purpose outside of their schooling and career. Academic and career-related growth is very rewarding, but so is personal and emotional growth. Therefore, it is critical that we spend time discovering our passions and joys outside of the classroom and workplace to live a well-rounded, balanced life and avoid burn-out. Bruin Belles has certainly motivated me to lead a more balanced life. Whenever I attend Bruin Belles events, I often find myself in a conversation with a fellow Belle about what we have been up to lately. I can't even explain how many ...