Reflections from a Second Year Belle: Leah Selby

I constantly tell people that joining Bruin Belles freshman year was arguably the best decision I made that year. I am a second year now and I still think it was my best idea. I remember looking for a way to get involved and Belles jumped out at me at the Activities Fair. What could be more perfect than a group of 90 quirky, beautiful, driven women all bonded together by their love of philanthropy (and sometimes delicious food)? If you find something better, let me know.

It’s hard to pick a favorite Belle event from the past year because there are just too many. The best part is that I get to bond with fellow Belles while doing philanthropy events. I just ran the We Run This City 5k with Belles, which is a fundraiser for the Special Olympics, as well as a competition between UCLA and USC. I think that perfectly embodies Belles. We love UCLA, philanthropy, and each other. I can’t wait for the rest of this year of making amazing memories with the most wonderful group of women.

Leah (center) and her fellow Belles at the We Run This City 5k

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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

One Year Ago, Today

One year ago today, I was working on my application for Bruin Belles. As I think back to that time of my life, I remember the immense sense of uncertainty I felt. Would Belles like me as much as I liked them? I look back at this time of my life, a mere 365 days ago, and hardly recognize the person I was. Belles has been a large part of this personal journey. When I applied to BBSA, I was just beginning my junior year at UCLA. My first year had been cut short because of the Covid-19 pandemic, and my second year of college was entirely online. Determined to make the most out of the later half of my undergraduate career, I applied to Belles. I was resolute on finding a community that made UCLA feel like home (as cliche as it sounds) while supporting my personal and academic growth. After attending my first Belles event, I knew I had found what I was looking for (and more). As an organization, BBSA has given me invaluable opportunities to serve the Los Angeles community, allowed me to le

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