Reflections from Our 2014 Internal Representative

In my first year as a Bruin Belle, I can truly say that this organization has transformed me more as a leader and a person than any other experience I’ve had. Although I was far from shy when I applied for Belles, I had yet to find my place in the huge, diverse, and slightly intimidating student body at UCLA. Now, with only a few months as a Belle under my belt, I truly feel as though I have gained a family of some of the most passionate, intelligent, and caring girls you can find at UCLA. My fellow Belles inspire me every single day by going above and beyond the amazing philanthropy events we participate in and dedicating even more time to service; whether it’s through a diverse selection of other UCLA clubs, their jobs, or extra volunteering.

It is my belief that one of the best ways to improve yourself as a person is to surround yourself with good people who you can look up to, and this is one of the main ways I think Bruin Belles has shaped me. Spending my time with such well rounded, giving women leaders has helped me develop myself as a leader as well. I recently ran for and was elected Internal Representative of BBSA, a position which I never would have had the courage to pursue without the encouragement and support of my fellow Belles. Bruin Belles inspires me to be the best I can be, and I’m so so happy to be a part of such an incredible group of young women. I look forward to my next two years with Belles, and can’t wait to see how it continues to shape my future.

Katie Gilliland
Internal Representative
First Year Bruin Belle

Katie (right) and her fellow Belles at Disneyland

Comments

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

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

Stepping Outside my Comfort Zone

Spring Retreat 2023 was by far one of the highlights of my BBSA experience, for reasons I never expected. Throughout my second year in Belles I served as a Social DB, and for this retreat, was tasked with the job of heading the Activities Committee. A couple months of planning and preparation later, I was wracked with anxiety about being so in charge– what if nobody had fun? What if we planned too much? Too little? What if someone gets hurt, what if I screw up as a host, what if quite literally anything negative happens? It was a very rigid, unforgiving feeling, and I was then left with the personal expectation that I was going to get there and not be able to enjoy myself because of this pressure. I was terrified of letting anyone down, especially so because this was the first weekend retreat Belles has hosted in years. If anything went awry, I felt fully unprepared to handle it, but at least I could say I had considered the worst. I tried to take solace in that semblance of control,

Bruin Belles Service Association: Blog

Search This Blog