Skip to main content

The Importance of Balance

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 times I have felt inspired by hearing what Belles are up to! From baking new recipes to fostering pets to dancing- I always feel motivated to spend more time exploring personal endeavors. Belles are passionate about such a wide variety of topics- from the arts to athletics to spirituality to advocacy. I love learning about everyone's unique interests.

I cultivate balance through hiking, surfing (more like attempting to surf), and cooking. This quarter, I established a goal for myself: spend a few hours during the school week (along with the weekend of course) doing an outdoor activity that I enjoy. This commitment takes some sacrifice like waking up early, but I have never once regretted a morning swim or hiking adventure before class. In fact, I find that these moments fulfill me the most and motivate me throughout the week.

Ultimately, Bruin Belles has helped me understand the importance of valuing our multifaceted identities. Bruin Belles' variety of involvements: Philanthropy, Women's Leadership, Campus Culture, and Social help us spend time doing activities that align with many valuable aspects of life. 

Wishing everyone a joyful, fulfilling, and balanced year!

Anna Baldzikowski
Secretary Distinguished Belle 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

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