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Finding Home

I remember going home most weekends when I started my first year at UCLA. I was overwhelmed and felt a little lost (as many freshmen do, even if nobody says so). On one of those weekends at home, I told my mom how I didn’t feel like I had a community that made UCLA feel like home. My parents are both UCLA alum, and she brought up her time in Bruin Belles. She was uncertain if the org was still around, but sure enough, we looked it up and found BBSA thriving. I immediately started going through the website and came across some Blog Posts, like the one you are reading now. After reading about the experiences of previous Belles, I decided to apply. It is crazy to think that I am now sitting here writing my testimony, hoping that it inspires you to join, too!  Bruin Belles has lived up to everything I hoped it would and more. This group is full of the most wonderful women I have ever met, and everybody is so supportive of one another. Everyone is incredibly genuine and just wants the best
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Recent posts

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
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Impact of Bruin Belles

Without a doubt, I don’t think I could have ever imagined my college experience without Belles. The immediate sense of belonging and love I feel from Belles is beyond imaginable and I know applying for Belles was one of my best decisions at UCLA. As an incoming freshman, the year was extremely daunting. I knew practically no one who would be attending UCLA and the only thing I could remember from my first few weeks was my dorm room walls. Being extremely shy, I had yet to establish any secure friendships.  Looking back, I know now that I could have probably tired a little harder, but this also would have never happened without joining BBSA. Upon seeing Belles at the activities fair and then at open house, I was astounded at the sense of sisterhood and support network Belles practically radiated. Even during the interview process (where I’m pretty sure I constantly said “I’m so sorry. I’m so nervous”), every Belle comforted me and allowed me to become more expressive and open.  Upon Fal
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A Sense of Belonging

  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 questioning my decision to
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New Perspectives through WLC

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
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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 inspire
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Belles Through a Different Lense

     This year has been rough! When we're living in a world where it can be scary to go outside and to interact with other humans, it's hard to make and maintain relationships. On top of that fear, it feels like almost every aspect of our lives have changed. Yet the warmth and the love of Belles has remained a constant in my life. I can still feel the impact of Belles through the sweet messages, check-ins, weekly zoom meetings, and coffee chats because Belles has created such an i ncredible network of individuals! It’s almost as good as watching the sunset after Monday Meetings outside of Royce.      I’ve found myself spending a lot of time thinking of the things I will be able to do once the pandemic is over once life returns to “normal”: when I can give my friends hugs, when I can see my grandparents, when I can travel to a new city, when I can study in a library (never thought I’d miss doing that!). But Belles has managed to find a way to continue offering such incredible ev
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