Skip to main content

Expanding My Horizons

One of best things about attending UCLA is the sheer amount of diversity on our campus. From our student body to the number of majors offered, there are so many unique aspects to being a Bruin. And yet, as a second year pre-medical student, I found myself missing out on all of this. Day in and day out, I would be attending the same science classes, with the same classmates and participating in extracurricular activities with other students that had the same career goals as I did. As much as I loved being a STEM student, I knew I didn’t want to graduate from UCLA without meeting people with different interests, hobbies, career goals, perspectives, and experiences. Bruin Belles was the organization that made that dream a reality.

I remember walking into fall retreat (my first event ever!) for the first time and feeling nervous. I was outside my pre-med, science, healthcare-focused comfort box, and I wasn’t sure how I was going to fit in with all the other Belles. It only took a few minutes to dispel any of those worries. I was so excited to see how genuine and compassionate every single Belle was – about service, about women’s leadership, and about each of their unique passions. It was so refreshing to celebrate our unique backgrounds and interests, while sharing a common love for service and empowerment. The best part? This amazing environment didn’t stop at fall retreat. Without fail, I’ve been surrounded by inspiring, intelligent, and inclusive women at every Belle event I’ve been to. Seeing these women dedicate themselves to a variety of philanthropic causes around Los Angeles has only served to make me appreciate the power of community service even more.

Perhaps one of my favorite memories from Belles was being a part of the Women’s Leadership Conference committee last year. BBSA is so unique in its emphasis on empowering women and I wanted to take the initiative to be a part of that mission. Watching the leadership conference go from a fledgling idea to a full-blown, successful, rousing event was incredible and humbling. Not only did I play a role in inspiring other women on our campus, but I was also inspired myself. The Women’s Leadership Conference reminded me of the work that was yet to be done in the realm of women’s empowerment and the necessity for young women to lead that movement forward. I am committed to furthering this cause as I begin my professional career.   

As a senior reflecting on four years of college, I can honestly say that being a part of Bruin Belles has been so crucial to my undergraduate journey. In addition to participating in service events and fun socials, just being in the presence of friendly and compassionate women helped me develop self-confidence and pride in my abilities. While I’m sad to see my journey as a Belle come to an end, I will always be grateful for everything it has given me.

With Belle love,
Runi Tanna


Comments

Post a Comment

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
Post a Comment
Read more

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
Post a Comment
Read more

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
Post a Comment
Read more