Skip to main content

Top Speed Races with Top Notch Friends


Volunteering at the Santa Monica RunFest was the epitome of all the reasons why I love Bruin Belles. The event started super early in the morning (we left at like 5:30!), and took place along the coast of the Santa Monica Beach. The scenery in the early morning was absolutely beautiful and I was able to get a few pictures of the beach before the event started. We were given the responsibility of helping to facilitate the entire event—this included organizing all materials, checking in participants and helping in run errands throughout the run. It was so amazing getting to interact with so many different people, including both runners and the organizers of the event. I even met Howie, the host of Deal or No Deal! He asked me where the start line was for the run, and I was in such great shock, I didn’t know what to say. Instead, I gathered the ability to point toward the starting line (You would think after living 4 years in LA I would get used to being around famous people)! Anyways, the event was truly inspirational. I also met this extremely amazing older man who had run approximately 80 marathons! He was at least 70 years old and still had a huge smile on his face after completing the race. We were able to speak with him for a great deal of time as we got him water, made sure he was okay and walked him to his car. He had so many cool stories and words of encouragement, and it was an extreme pleasure being able to talk to him. As a whole I had so much respect for all the participants of the RunFest. There was a wide range of age groups from little kids running alongside their parents to older individuals. It truly motivated me to set a goal to complete a race. Also, as always, I absolutely loved hanging out with my favorite group of girls and working with them to facilitate this event. This was honestly one of my favorite events of the year. The whole time I kept thinking, “Man, I just love Bruin Belles.” 




Nicole Albanese
Distinguished Belle
Fourth Year Bruin Belle

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Senior's Reflection

A Senior's Reflection   As my time at UCLA and Belles comes to an end, I want to reflect on all the experiences I’ve been lucky enough to have over the past years. I am so grateful to be surrounded by so many great people, many of whom I have found through Belles. This community has given me so much and I could not be more appreciative. It provided such a welcoming and open space for me to grow as a person when I first arrived on campus at UCLA after a full year of online school. With the time I have been given in Westwood,  I have been challenged academically, learned to embrace independence and time alone, and have learned more about myself in the process. That is truly a gift.   That being said, some of my favorite and most impactful Belle events have been Meals on Wheels and Baby2Baby. Meals on Wheels was an amazing experience, and I truly felt like I was making a difference in the community. Through this organization, we packed meals and distributed them to older adu...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Bruin Belles Community

When asked what Bruin Belles is all about, we summarize our focus on community service and women’s leadership, as we are united under these integral fundamentals. Yet, the experience of Bruin Belles extends far beyond those five words. Bruin Belles as an organization and the Belles in it are incredibly well-rounded. Attending community service events, campus sports and arts events, and women’s leadership events throughout every quarter connects Belles to fellow Belles, fellow students, the UCLA community, and the Los Angeles community at large. The wholistic nature of the events and goals of Bruin Belles provides Belles with the opportunity to enrich their UCLA experience. The significance of all the experiences that Bruin Belles provides is augmented by the caliber of the women themselves. Every Belle with whom I’ve had the incredible opportunity of becoming friends with is grounded, passionate, ambitious, and compassionate. I don’t use these words lightly. Regardless of major or inte...
Post a Comment
Read more

A Sense of Belonging

Being surrounded by the incredibly driven, selfless and compassionate individuals that are Bruin Belles has been so fundamental to me finding a sense of belonging at the immensely intimidating and overwhelming institution that is UCLA. I am continually inspired by the ubiquitous drive to serve and learn among belles, despite the wide diversity of academic interests, campus involvements, and career aspirations. BBSA has allowed me to give, learn, and grow in ways I would have never expected, all while having a lot of fun. Some of my best memories range from making meaningful connections over coffee at Kerckhoff, engaging in hands-on philanthropy projects, and networking with incredible alumni and connected professionals.  To be frank, this quarter was both mentally and physically exhausting for me as I continue on my search to find my interests and niche at UCLA. However, seeing Belles every week kept me energized, positive, and motivated as I navigated through draining back-to...
Post a Comment
Read more