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Shopping
So, wanna shop around Berkeley? Lots of places to go to. The closest shopping place is on Telegraph Avenue and on Bancroft Street. Besides some well known clothing stores like Adidas, Wet Seal, Urban Outfitter, and Hot Topic, there are unique hat stores, cafes, piercing & tattoo stores, and some local/ethnic clothing stores. Shopping on Telegraph is a great way to get to know the culture and history of Berkeley.
Another place for quick shopping is in Emeryville. You can simply jump on the F bus towards San Francisco and arrive in Emeryville in 20 minutes. Besides many typical stores like Ann Taylor, Abercrombie and Fitch, Gap, Victoria’s Secret, etc, there is the AMC movie theater right next to a Barns and Nobles. To get back from Emeryville to Berkeley, you can take the 57 bus and transfer to a 51 bus to get back.
If you love shopping in large scale shopping malls, take the F bus or the BART to San Francisco! There are all kinds of shopping area in the city. In addition to shopping in SF, you can tour around the city. Some nice spots are Pier 39, Fisherman’s Warf, Ghirardelli, the Japanese Town, the China town, etc. If you are over eighteen/twenty-one, clubbing in SF can be another experience to explore.
Eating
Berkeley is known for its great and wide variety of ethnic foods. Besides the well-known “Asian Ghetto” food court on telegraph, there are a lot of eateries on College Avenue and on Shattuck. You can find almost any kinds of food, with student price, around the campus: Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Taiwanese, Salads, Italian, Ethiopian, Caribbean, Korean….and lots and lots of good cafés!
Hiking/Sports
There is the Tilden Park next to Berkeley. I went camping with my friends on Tilden before. The view was beautiful and it was a good hiking experience. We also went kayaking in the park.
For rock climbing, I heard that Indian Rock Park at Shattuck Avenue is one of the best places to go to around Berkeley.
If you’re out of places to go to, go visit http://events.berkeley.edu. Daily and weekly events are listed there.
Join the new CNR facebook group: The College of Natural Resources (CNR) Network! Be part of this wonderful new group--ask questions, chat with PALs, give advice! We are trying to make this the biggest CNR group on facebook so get all of your friends to join as well!!!
I can’t believe the semester is really coming to an end. I’m so excited to graduate because it is such a huge accomplishment and I am really looking forward to the next chapter in my life, but it is a little bittersweet. I feel like I have finally found myself here in Berkeley and have it all down (managing my time, studying for midterms, taking advantage of what UC Berkeley has to offer besides an incredible education, spending time with friends and experiencing new things) and now it is over. I never imagined all that I would experience here at Cal, it was much more than I expected and honestly some of the best years of my life.
If I could do it all over again, there isn’t much I would change. It would be nice to have the wisdom I have now when I was freaking out about an O-Chem or a math midterm, but that’s life. I think I would have also gotten involved in various extracurriculars earlier on instead of just focusing on school. Even though I highly value my education, there is much more that this campus has to offer and it has enriched my experience so much. In fact, I was just talking to my housemate about all the unique opportunities UC Berkeley students have, like hearing all sorts of famous and influential people give talks on campus. If I could give one word of advice, it would be to not get caught up in school work. Not that I don’t think grades are important (because I definitely do) but I think there is so much more to life than a good grade. Try to seek out every opportunity you can to enrich your experience here.
I have met so many incredible people, learned so much (inside the classroom and out) and grown as a person. I want to thank UC Berkeley, CNR and all the people who have touched my life for the past four years. It has been an amazing experience. Even though I will miss Cal and all the people that have made it so special to me, I am eager to move forward. This summer I plan on traveling through Europe, camping, spending time in Tahoe, wakeboarding, spending time with friends and family and doing everything my heart desires. Then in August I will be moving down to Long Beach for grad school and the dietetic internship. I am looking forward for what the next chapter in my life has to bring.
My third year at Cal is coming to an end! Finals are coming too quickly and I’m going to miss a lot of my friends who are graduating. Looking back, this semester has been really busy for me. I became a PAL (yay!), joined a new club, and took some really challenging courses. It’s sad (and happy, and sort of scary) to think that next Fall and Spring semester will be my last, but I get to look forward to going to optometry school.
This summer will be pretty busy for me too. I plan to take a few classes here at Cal, study for the OAT (Optometry Admissions Test), shadow/volunteer at my uncle’s optometry office, and if I have time, get more sleep! Unfortunately I can’t slack off this summer, but I know it will be worth all the hard work!
Good luck on your finals!
Come to our office hours and tell us how your semester went and what your plans are for the summer!
Berkeley is just an amazing place to be. Although I don’t have much of a social life, I appreciate all the textures the city has to offer. So what do I mean by that?
First of all, a wide, diverse range of food options. Good food is not really hard to find, and there are all kinds of foods from Italian to Japanese to Thai to Indian. Also, many of them are within a decent price range, so the food is quite affordable. I usually try a new restaurant once every week with a couple of friends. And it’s not just Berkeley, although a lot of good food exists locally that you don’t need to travel to San Francisco (and of course San Francisco has some of the best dim summing places).
What I love to do the most is watch artistic performances – dance, music, theater. I try to take advantage of Cal Performances and our 50% discount – it’s really quite awesome, and since I know I’d probably not ever get that sort of chance again to watch people from far, far away, I try to go to as many as I can. Thus far, I have been lucky enough to watch Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble (really truly amazing performance), Alvin Ailey, and a couple of other dance pieces. I have yet to really experience theater, but I hope I can sometime soon. Of course, San Francisco is a great place for these types of performances, and student groups often have many types of performances (for instance Theater Rice and Barestage Productions). Hertz Hall also holds free musical performances by students weekly, and there are so many types of opportunities to watch them, so attend one!
As for films, SUPERB offers a couple of movies for a price of $3. It’s really quite fun and something relaxing to do on a Friday night. The ASUC has been trying to find more ways to provide entertainment for the public, so I think concerts take place on Lower Sproul every Friday at noon. Movie theaters around closest to Berkeley may either hold the most recent films or some independent and less well-known films.
Sports are awesome at Cal. Well, I guess there has been a lot more hype around the football team since Tedford started coaching (and the team has improved considerably). Totally go to one game, or even the Big Game. It’s really quite an experience that I can’t do justice trying to describe. And I’m not much of a sports person, although if you try to explain almost any sport to me and it’s the right season, I can probably be convinced to follow that sport.
Shopping – there are a couple of nice stores around Berkeley, but usually if you are looking for big named stores, San Francisco and Emeryville are just a bus ride (or BART ride) away.
I really just love Berkeley because it’s so vibrant with life. There are farmer’s markets and vendors on the streets of Telegraph and just a whole lot of stuff to do wherever your interest lies.
Berkeley is wonderful because it's a college town. Since being here, I feel like I've been able to cross off so many things off my "To do before I die" list.
Food
Of course there's always asian ghetto. But that's just what it is...ghetto. There are so many nicer restaurants that are just a bus ride away. I always talk about College. There are half a dozen cute, fairly affordable restaurants there. And North Shattuck as well. There's something called the "gourmet ghetto" and a variety of yummy places to eat.
Culture
I love being at Berkeley because it offers such an array of musical/performing arts. Zellerbach has tons of great shows. You should definitely go to a show before you leave college. I've been to some random shows (like Peking acrobats and Flamenco dancing) and I've loved every minute of it. There are also great concerts given by the University Orchestra every so often. And if you didn't know, Hertz Hall has noon concerts every Wednesday. Plus, I love the shows that Superb puts on. They're a great way to see your favorite artists perform as well as explore those genres of music you're not quite familiar with.
The Outdoors
Just a 5 minute bus ride up Euclid Ave is the Rose Garden. It's beautiful when its in bloom (which is right now!) and right across from it there's this cute little park that has an awesome stone slide (It's a bit scary but perfect for the adventurous). And farther north there's Tilden Park. Indian Rock is on northside as well. And there's always the Berkeley Marina and Botanical Gardens.
Shopping
Again, I have to mention College. Jeremy's is a great place to shop. And there a few other nice little boutiques. And if you don't mind used, Telegraph has a great selection of vintage shops. I really like Buffalo Exchange.
So go out and explore what Berkeley has to offer. Especially with finals coming around, it'll be a good excuse for you to take a study break :)
Berkeley is a greeeaaat place!! I must admit that before coming here, i really disliked Berkeley..the college and the city! If you ask me why, i have no clue! but if you ask me whether i like Berkeley now or not, i would say YES!! I LOVE BERKELEY! its great that i chose to come here (or should i say my family forced me to come here).
There is just soooo much going on at Berkeley and there is soooo much to do! One can be kept busy everyday! The food and restaurant is GREAT here with sooooo many unique choices!! i love restaurant hopping so Berkeley is just the right place for me =D
I also live in SF so going to/from home is very very convenient..might i add a bit tooooo convenient =P
but i like it, im able to go home every week and spend time with my mom and enjoy the amazing food SF has to offer!
theres toooo much to explore around Berkeley and i just hope that by the time i graduate, i have explored most of them =D
I honestly don’t even know where to start, there is SO much to do in Berkeley and the Bay Area! Besides getting an amazing education, one of the things I like most about attending UC Berkeley is the fact that there is never a boring day here because there’s so much to do. The outdoors, the city and great food is just the tip of the iceberg.
I love the outdoors and pretty much anything to do with the outdoors. I never really appreciated northern California for its beauty until I spent more time down south. Berkeley is a gorgeous place to live, especially in the spring time when everything is green and blooming. I really enjoy taking hikes and have been to several national parks in the Bay Area. But what is nice about Berkeley is that there are two really great places to hike right here – the fire trials and Tilden Park! I have spent a lot of time hiking/running the fire trails while enjoying the view, but just recently I went to Tilden to go on a hike. It was such a great way to spend my Sunday.
Not only is there so much going on in Berkeley itself, but there’s so much to do right outside of Berkeley. San Francisco is under 15 miles away and has a great deal to offer. Even if you don’t have a car you should check it out because the city is easy to get to using Bart. I really enjoy spending the day in the city to do some shopping, eat at new restaurants or just walk around and explore what it has to offer. There’s the botanical gardens and Golden Gate Park for a relaxing day, Fisherman’s Warf for some fun and good chowder, Hate street for trendy shopping, the theater district for the ballet and musicals and North beach/the Marina for nightlife. Basically anything you’re looking for you can find in the city.
Even though San Francisco has a lot of great food, you don’t have to leave Berkeley to stimulate your taste buds. Coming from a smaller town, I didn’t realize what I was missing out on. The variety of food that Berkeley has to offer is amazing. I have been exposed to a variety of ethnic food and love it. Also, Berkeley is a health conscious city so there’s a plethora of healthy places to choose from when eating out. I don’t think I could ever find as many great places to get a good hardy salad from ever again. Some of my favorite places to eat are, Christopher’s Nothing Fancy (Mexican food, located on San Pablo), the Thai House (Thai food, located on Durant), Intermezzos and Smart Alec’s (Deliciously healthy food/salads, located on Telegraph) and La Note (French food, located on Shattuck). I also love the Sushi House, but this restaurant is actually located in Alameda. I will definitely miss the food here at Berkeley!
If you want to share what you like to do around Berkeley and the Bay Area, feel free to come chat with me at office hours.
Choosing a major is not always the easiest thing to do. Rarely do I met someone who has it all figured out from the get go, and I think coming to Berkeley ready to explore your interests is a great approach. A useful thing you can do is to take classes in subject areas you enjoyed in high school, and even some in areas you know little to nothing about. Declared freshman should consider this as well, because there could be another major waiting for you that fits your interests even better than the one you are intent on now. Researching different majors and the careers they can lead to on the career website can also help if you have any career goals in mind.
When I came to Berkeley, I was very intent on a biology major, and because I was told at CalSo that most biology majors are in MCB or IB, I decided to go along with that track. However, I was a little worried that these intensions would cause me to miss a major that would have been perfect for me. I also didn’t care for the competitive nature of these majors and decided to do some research on other majors and keep my eyes open for something that fit me better. I took classes outside my major like French, linguistics, and music, and finally discovered CNR. Here was a wealth of biology related majors that had never been presented to me, and coming in with an open attitude prevented me from overlooking a major that was perfect for me: Environmental Science. I still wonder if I would have been just as happy as an Urban Studies, or Anthropology major, two areas of study which fascinate me to no end, however I can always pursue a graduate degree in these areas or study them outside of classes. Ultimately I am very happy with my choice and hope that after some careful thought and exploration that you will also find a major that challenges and captivates you.
It has been my goal since coming to Cal to try something new every semester. My first semester here, after being in wind ensembles since 5th grade and studying jazz in middle and high school, I decided to join the Cal Band. I had never marched in a marching band, but I picked up things quickly and really enjoyed having so many friends right off the bat. Today I am still in the band and can’t wait for the opening Tennessee game next year. If marching isn’t your thing, you can also get involved musically in the university wind ensembles, jazz ensembles, a capella groups and vocal jazz groups.
The YWCA is another great place to explore your interests in their dance, aerobics, and yoga classes. I took a yoga class there last summer and plan to take a dance class before I graduate. If you are into art, I would also recommend the ASUC art studio. I have taken a pottery class and a pastels class and really enjoyed having a break from school during the day where I could relax and do something creative.
Balancing all these activities with school can be challenging, however I think that students are really missing out on a lot by only doing school work at Cal. Classes must come first, but taking time to try something new and find something you are passionate about can really add to your college experience and help you grow. Besides, having something to relieve stress from finals studying can be an invaluable thing here at Berkeley.
Choosing a major can be a difficult process, but luckily for me, I knew what I was going to major in. The problem was if I wanted to switch majors because of other interests, making sure I wanted to be in the major, or double majoring. Read about why I choose to major in Genetics and Plant Biology in this post.
When I think about choosing a major, of course I think of my own experiences, but I am reminded of one of my friends. I knew what I wanted to study, and I knew that I had many different pathways I could choose from after I graduated that had to do with what I was studying (and they seem pretty solid pathways like medicine or research or teaching). But that's not the case for everyone. I'm sure many (not all) students have discussions and arguments about choosing a major and the chances of someone getting a job after graduating. Parents do
have a lot of influence over what we as students should study. I will admit that although I am lucky to be studying what I want to study, I am financially dependent on my parents for my education (and I know this isn't the case for most students). Because of this, sometimes I feel like I must choose something that my parents and I will not regret spending money on because this is an investment for them as well.
Striking that balance is difficult. I actually don't have much to add to from what the other peer advisors have been posting, so check out their blogs. But I would definitely use these tips below to convince your parents about the subject you want to study:
1) Talk to the major advisor and get more information about the major itself as well as the possible careers after graduation (or a conversation about the different paths one can take). For instance, a person can be a biology major, but s/he can be really interested in law – well, do biology as an undergrad and go to law school and specialize in patented law. Also, I had to convince my dad that my major was actually very similar to all the other people majoring in
MCB so that the opportunities for me were exactly the same as those for MCB majors because we take many of the same classes.
2) Look at the Career Center website. They have a ton of great resources such as stats of how many students applied and got into med school and what alumni are doing now. With this resource, you might be able to convince your parents that the major you are interested also has many possible career options.
3) If possible, keep an open dialogue with your parents about your interests and experiences. It will be a waste of their money (if you are financially dependent on them like I am) if you aren't interested in what you study, and you end up doing something that receiving a degree in that major will not help you in any way.
I sincerely hope that each of you find a major you are interested in and enjoy your college experience! Also, there is always the possibility of minors, so check those out!
It is difficult as a high school student to select one's major out of hundreds when you come to the online page where titled "Major." How do you do it? For one, there are many resources one could take advantage of at the library or the bookstore that tells you "how to pick your major" or which is "the best major for you." Personally, I have never read these books--not only are they a bit pricy, but they weigh a ton and are usually larger than my chemistry textbook.
However, upon retrospect, I have found that flipping through one while browsing the bookstore is handy. I never found the urge to look through one while I was in high school though. Perhaps this was because as a freshman, my high school required that we choose one of two tracks: business or health. I naturally floated toward health, as this was the side I was interested in. And then, it took me about ten minutes to decide my major at each of the UCs I applied to. I checked off some kind of biology--microbiology, human biology, biological sciences--I didn't really know the differences. When I came to Berkeley, I saw something cool called Molecular Environmental Biology. I thought, hm, I never heard of that before...and it sounds pretty awesome since it has to do with the environment, an aspect of my major I know love. There was a bonus: it offered a B.S. degree. That pretty much did it for me, and the rest was history.
Now, I'm not saying you shouldn't take your time to read into the description of your major, or even your curriculum. It is hard as a high school student to understand what the classes you will have to take in four to five years mean, but it is good to get a general feel of whether this would be a subject you would want to study for four years. The College of Natural Resources has such a wide breadth of majors and topics you could study that I feel I am more than satisfied with my choice. I think MEB is the best kept secret, because someone could choose to be pre-vet, pre-med, or just be gungho about the environment. You could specialize in biodiversity, environmental and human health, insects, ecology, or microbiology. I wish I had the time to do more than one specialty, because there are so many different classes I want to take here while I'm at Cal!
One complaint I commonly hear from those deciding between MCB and MEB is that "there are too many classes required to take" as an MEB major. I don't believe that this is true. I am currently a few classes away from being done with my upper division curriculum, and am still taking classes that have nothing to do with my area of study that draw my interest. With careful planning, one could even double major in MEB and another area of study. I advise to make use of your faculty and major advisors here at CNR, as they are extremely helpful in helping to determine your schedules here at Cal.
Sometimes I find that I am studying too hard and that I need a break from the library. There are many things that one can do in Berkeley, although it might not seem this way in the beginning. Most people just hop on BART and go to San Francisco, but before you do this I ask you to visit these great places in Berkeley. My favorite place to go when it's a nice sunny day is the Berkeley Rose Garden, which is up Euclid Ave. on Northside. If you're into a steep climb, just walk straight up Euclid. If you are more lazy, like some of my friends, you can take the AC Transit bus 65 up to the garden. It is a great place to meditate, study, or just walk around and "smell the roses".
Another place that I would recommend for those who love the outdoors is Tilden Park, which you can also take the 65 bus to. They even have a golf course if you enjoy the game.
If you are more interested in partying or clubbing, SF is probably your best bet. But, Blakes on Telegraph occasionally has great people playing and it's relatively cheaper than most SF clubs. It's also a lot closer to your house after you've had a long night of dancing away.
Also, I love food. There are some really great restaurants in Berkeley. Whether you want a five star meal from Chez Panisse or a quick dollar noodle box from the Asian Ghetto, Berkeley has a lot to offer a hungry tummy. If you are in the mood for a great salad, Cafe Intermezzo has many options and the salads are huge! If you want an authentic 1950's style burger and fries, hit up Oscar's on Northside at Shattuck and Hearst. The atmosphere reminds me of a diner. Just explore all the food Berkeley has to offer!! You most likely will not be disappointed.
I often take BART home on the weekends, but when I stay in Berkeley there is often plenty of exciting things that are going on. Telegraph often has an open street market and there are many activities always going on on campus and if you want to take the trip to SF you will not be disappointed either.
Berkeley and the surrounding area have a wealth of activities and I am lucky that I am able to take advantage of them as a Berkeley student!
How do you pick just one or two majors? When first coming to college, it may seem very overwhelming since at UC Berkeley there are hundreds of different majors, so one may feel as if they don't know where to start. However, I believe that the most important part about picking a major is chosing something that you have an interest in. Do not chose something because your parents, your boyfriends, or your family want you to do. Do something that YOU want to do. I know, this may sound trite and obvious, but you know, there are pressures out there from our loved ones telling us that they want us to do this, but really, who are you living for? You are living for you and only you.
How I went about chosing my major is similar to my why CNR blog on how I became to be in the college of natural resources. I chose it because I did not know that it was in CNR or a different college from L&S. However, I realized how interesting the biology majors in CNR are. The one I chose, Microbial Biology interests me because it is about the study of viruses and bacteria and how they may affect us. Since I have an interest in becoming a pediatrician and going into medicine, I figured that this major would perfectly suit my interests.
So I know a lot of us come to Berkeley thinking solely about doing well in academics and not doing any other extracurricular acitivities. However, if all of us did that, wouldn't our lives be boring, just studying and doing nothing else to look forward to? So like many Berkeley students, I found that a balance between extracurriculars and academics is great, not only for our social skills, but also for our own sake with regards to not living a boring college career. So what are the extracurriculars I do for my sanity and for my improving my social skills?
I do many things. First, I'll start with the obvious one. I am a peer advisor for CNR (ya duh, right?). Well, I truly enjoy doing this and helping people who may feel lost within our CNR family. Ultimately I wish to become a pediatric doctor (rheumatologist to be exact...but thats another story..) and so by interacting with my peers, it helps not only my mind grow and open up more, but also helps my inter-personal skills when trying to "diagnose" problems or concerns that may arise within students. As well as being a peer advisor, I am very very very involved with the Arthritis Foundation of Northern California. Last summer, I interned at the arthritis foundation and was able to build bridges with various rheumatologists throughout the greater Northern California area and so they can be informed of our activities and programs that we have to offer. Also, over the summer, I volunteered as a counselor at the day camp they have for children. It was truly an amazing experience being able to motivate children who now have arthritis to still go for their goals of whatever they may be. Montly, I attend juvenile arthritis committee meetings where we advise the community programs manager and help plan the juvenile arthritis activities such as JA Day, JA Family Education Day, JA Teen Retreat, and Camp Milagros. Also, this coming summer, I will be researching at UC San Francisco about arthritis. If any of my extracurricular activities interest you, feel free to contact me or come to my office hours to hear how you can get involved in these activities!
So, this may sound like a pathetic story of "why CNR" but here it goes. So when applying for Berkeley and filling out the application, I checked on Genetics and Plant Biology, not knowing that it was either in CNR, or that it was different from the MCB major with an emphasis on genetics. So after attending CalSO on June 6-7, I realized that genetics and plant biology was mainly about plants (I know.. it seems pretty obvious from the title of the major..but I was a stupid senior maybe?) and that it was in the college of natural resources. I wasn't really sure what to think about being accepted to the college of natural resources. I actually wasn't even aware that there was more than one college in all of UC Berkeley. So when I got into a different college than L&S, I wasn't sure how to feel. So what did I do?
I immediately started researching the college of natural resources website and learned some more about the college at CalSO. After hearing from current students and browsing the website, I learned what a great "mistake" I had made in checking the wrong major, and I guess not doing my research before applying. I realized how small of a college it was, and how much of an opportunity to excell in it was. I realized that CNR is a small college within a large university, so you are able to get the best of both worlds. Not only do you get the opportunity to join a variety of different clubs, but also get the opportunity to talk to your counselors when you may need some help with either classes or major advising. Also, at CalSO, I switched my major to Microbial Biology, because I found it to better suit my interests in medicine in the future. I get to study lovely viruses and bacteria and how they may affect us, and other animals and organisms. :) So, if you are a newly admitted student who may have made the same mistake I did, then I encourage you to research this website (although if you have fallen upon this page, I am sure you already have..) and also to not just right away want to switch out. Instead, give CNR a chance to get to know, and try to get to know its resources and opportunities in this large university.
CNR certainly does have plenty of majors to choose from, especially if you are looking for something in the biological sciences. Ultimately, it comes down to which fields and subjects interest you the most, as well as your postgraduate career goals...
Interested in biology at the microscopic level? Consider microbial biology, one of the larger majors in CNR that involves...you guessed it, microbes! Microbio is a great major especially if you plan to pursue professional school, as well has graduate work in the sciences. If the environment peaks your interest, CNR has a host of majors that you should check out, including environmental sciences, forestry, conservation resource studies, society and environment, forestry, and molecular environmental biology. Note that each of these majors have different emphases or "tracks"; for example, forestry has a social sciences track versus a biological sciences track. Review them carefully, as their requirements are quite different, especially at the upper division level.
My own biased opinion, however, will lead me to recommend nutritional sciences...my own major, ahem. The department has three tracks: physiology and metabolism (for students planning for professional or graduate school), dietetics (which specifically trains students for a career as a dietician), and toxicology (which is also a great major for professional and graduate school).
Confused about which major suits you best? Talk to your faculty advisors, or drop by our own PAL office hours to chat.
I chose to pursue the dietetics major because I knew I wanted to work in a health field that dealt with how food impacts our body. With a food allergy, I was especially sensitive to what food was made of and what negative effects could have arisen, had I consumed that food. Having this awareness made me want to share my experiences with others, and becoming a dietitian seemed to fit my desire. Fortunately, my passion has not changed since freshman year, and I still hope to be a person who can educate and inform others about the nutritional implications of a person’s diet.
However, even in my first few years at Berkeley, I was very uncertain about whether or not my major was the right one, whether I should just forget the sciences and pursue a music degree, or a if I should choose a different career path. I decided to investigate all of my insecurities by taking a few classes to test my appetite.
Because I was so interested in music theory and improving my musical skills as a singer, I thought that I might double major in music. However, after taking a few music classes and seeing how many classes I would have to take in addition to the nutrition classes, I decided that I could satisfy my musical desires by joining musical groups outside of the classroom.
I also considered becoming a pharmacist, after achieving my BS in nutritional science. However, I realized that this goal was only encouraged by my parents, by the money a pharmacist can make and by the practicality of the job. For me, my passion did not lie in making money or choosing a path made by my parents. I knew that my enthusiasm lied in nutrition and becoming a registered dietitian would allow me to share that.
In the end, I learned that determining my major was a matter of knowing what I wanted, why I wanted it and who I was trying to please. After exploring all my opportunities with different volunteer experiences and talking to various people, I could identify my interests more clearly. I highly encourage you to explore different clubs or organizations to get a better idea of what your interests are. Feel free to read our past blogs to get ideas on extracurricular opportunities if you are still searching. And as always, we have our open office hours where you can talk about your concerns about choosing the right major for you!
So what should my major be in CNR? There are sooo many to choose from!! I will say, pick the one that most intrigues you-the ones that you think you will enjoy and learn a lot from instead of having burdens of taking specific class requirements,etc. You should have a fun fun time in all your classes and feel that studying is a priviledge. You should not be too stressed about your major after determining one and enjoy every aspect of it.
What is my major and why did i choose it? Im a nutrisci-physiology and metabolism major and the reason i chose it was because im just absolutely fascinated and excited when it comes to talking about food and nutrition and body. I love all the classes im taking and enjoy everything that I am learning! It is very interested and fun!
A funny story actually made me decide to major in nutrisci instead of other pre-med majors like MCB: one day i was watching TV and a couple of food scientists for Baskin Robbins were trying to come up with new flavors in the food lab. That became a dream job because not only do i get to come up with cool flavors, i will get to taste and critique it afterwards! Also, because of my love for food and how it affects the body really makes me talk all day.
so yeah, if you have any questions on nutrisci majors..esp physiology and metabolism, im surely here to try my best to help! =D
Why did I pick my major?
For all of the UCs that I applied to, I put the usual molecular biology down, but Cal offered something different: Molecular Environmental Biology. I chose MEB because it sounded interesting. I knew I wanted to do something in science, but at the time that I was applying, I didn’t know exactly what yet. I looked online for more information about the major and instantly knew that MEB was exactly what I wanted to do. It mixed two things I am really interested in: environmental issues and public health/science.
One thing I really like about MEB, now that I am in it, is that it isn’t specifically a pre-med major; there are lots of career options for me to choose from. The courses offered in MEB are so vast that I feel I have a better overall understanding of many health and environment issues, rather than focusing on something specific. I take the classes that a lot of MCB and IB students are taking, but I also take the classes that let me apply that science to something important. For example, ESPM 167: Environmental Health and Development let me use my understanding of biology to see how environmental toxins affect us, and what we can do to change it.
Being in MEB has its perks! It’s in CNR so I get the small college warmth with the big university resources. The MEB advisors are amazing and really care about the students. I feel completely comfortable asking them questions and I don’t have to wait a long time to see them.
If you have any questions about MEB feel free to drop by my office hours or email us at:
pal@berkeley.edu.
One of the reasons I love Berkeley so much is that you can never be bored. Really! There are always academic/career lectures, forums, symposiums, shows…and all kinds of events that you can think of! In addition to the Taiwanese Student Association, Pre-Medical Honor Society, intramural basketball, and volunteering in YWCA from my “Life outside of class~” blog entry on September 18th, 2006, I am going to share some of my current activities with you.
Ever since my junior year, I am devoting most of my time in a molecular toxicology lab. After a semester of basic lab technique training and with the help of my research mentor, I developed my honors thesis. My research focuses on a neural enzyme and I study the function and the health effects of this enzyme in cells. Working in a lab has been one of the most rewarding experiences for me. It leads me to the world of basic science research. It also shows me that medical school, pharmacy school, or optometry school is not the only option after graduating with a biology degree. There is the choice of graduate school. Being a scientist is actually really cool!
In addition, on Fridays, I volunteer in the Alta Bates Medical center. I’ve been volunteering in the hospital since I was in second year. This experience has been pulling me to pursue a career in medicine. Volunteering in a hospital, I observed physician-patient interactions. I also see the interaction between different sectors such as MD’s, nurse, physical therapists, and pharmacists. As a volunteer, I saw many patients’ suffering through pain and I also shared many patients’ happiness when they gradually recover. The greatest lesson I learned is to cherish life.
I chose to come to the College of Natural Resources(CNR), UC Berkeley, three years ago and I have never regretted.
Being a student in CNR is like attending a private college while still having the resources and supports from a big university. I came into Berkeley as a Natural Resources undeclared student. However, after the major presentations at the CALSO orientation, I declared my major, Molecular Environmental Biology(MEB), on that day.
There are six concentrations in MEB: Animal Health and Behavior, Biodiversity, Ecology, Environment and Human Health, Organisms & Environment, and Microbiology. Being an MEB major prepares you to become a scientist in your specific area of interest. Whether you want to pursuit a career in veterinarian, a medical doctor, a environmental scientist, a public health advocate, a journalist, a dentist, a nurse, a social worker, a counselor, or you haven’t decided yet, being an MEB major leads you towards your career goal. Although the MEB major requirements include a broad array of lower division science classes, its flexible upper division requirement allows you to pick your specific area of interest. The MEB curriculum is flexible yet comprehensive to satisfy most of the pre-health requirements. As a pre-medical student, I find it easy to complete both a B.S. degree and all the medical school requirements.
Besides satisfaction in my major, I greatly enjoy CNR’s personal and caring professors, advisors, and environment. The peer advising leadership program and undergraduate research opportunity I received from CNR are the most rewarding experiences I’ve had at Cal. In addition, I found friends who share the same passion and same career goal as me within CNR. Being a student of CNR definitely made my college life more enjoyable and more fulfilling. Come to CAL DAY, which is this Saturday to check out the programs from College of Natural Resources! Hope to see you there!!
Amy
I feel like half the people I meet at Cal are MCB majors. Not to dump on MCB, it's a wonderful major, but most people choose it as a default. If you are one of those "defaulters", not only in MCB or any other major, seriously reconsider why you're studying what you are. Is it because you want to make your parents happy? Is it because all your friends are studying it? Is it because you really don't know what you want to do?
If you're undeclared, think about what you honestly like. If you're not a science/math person, don't be science math major! Your major should be something that to some degree, is enjoyable. Also, think about what are you good at. Usually, these two go together and can help you narrow your focus way down. If you have an idea of what kind of career you want to pursue, it could help to pick a concentration that helps you reach that goal.
Take some courses from different departments. Fulfilling your breadths and AC requirements can help you do this.
Talk to advisors and other people who are in the majors that you're interested in. They can help you get a realistic picture of what the major is like and the kind of courses it entails.
And if all of this fails and you still end up not knowing what you want to study or find yourself constantly switching majors, take heart. Your major doesn't determine the the kind of career you're going to have or who you are. At the very least, college should be a place where you can explore many different things and have the freedom to do what makes you happy.
If you have questions or are super stressed about these issues, come talk to us in office hours!
Picking your major is the first step in reaching your future career goals. Even though it is very important, keep in mind that it’s okay to take your time to figure out what is best for you. I have a friend who came in as a psychology major, switched to intended public health, then intended pre-dental hygienist and is now back to psychology. With all the switching and exploring she did, she is still graduating on time. The point is, everyone has to figure out what is best for them in their own time and what is most important is that you find something you love.
Here are some general tips on how to pick a major that is right for you:
1. Think about your interests and how you could turn what you enjoy into a career. For me, I have always had an interest in nutrition and physical fitness, so I decided on dietetics.
2. Once you have narrowed it down to a couple of majors that encompass your interests take a core, introductory class from each major. You can get a general sense of each major through these classes and hopefully can narrow it down a bit more. Also, this is a great way to experience all the different kinds of classes UC Berkeley has to offer. When I took NST 10, it confirmed my decision to major in dietetics.
3. Next, you should make an appointment with the advisor for the major(s) you’re interested in. You can discuss the details of the major and possible careers options that are available after graduation. This should help you narrow it down even more. Discussing my major with my advisor was really helpful because she helped me map out my classes.
4. Lastly, if you still need some help deciding on a major, I would suggest talking to students who are currently in the major. Often current students can provide you with the most valuable information about what classes to take and when. Don’t forget that that’s what PALs are here for. So if you want to discuss possible majors, come by our office hours. We would love to help!
Previously, I wrote a blog about what I do besides studying and going to classes. Many of those activities have not changed, but I’ll update on some. I’ve also participated in a few other clubs, but I haven’t been keeping up with them.
Habitat for Humanity: a wonderful club to get to know new people and help out not just with building affordable houses, but also helping at food banks, street meals, conservation projects, and retirement homes around the East Bay. Being a part of this club also introduced me to Berkeley Thai Brunch.
Pre-SOMA: a small little club at Cal (much bigger chapters in other universities) introducing students to osteopathic medicine. I’m not sure if I want to do medicine, but after finding out about the focus and objectives of osteopathic medicine, I find that it fits a lot of my beliefs about medicine.
Art of Living: an interesting club that offers courses focusing on breathing techniques on how to de-stress and improve you health. The courses also does community service projects such as going to New Orleans to help out with the relief efforts.
PAL: Obviously. It’s very near and dear to my heart.
Botanical Garden: propagating vines with Carlos, another volunteer propagator. This is actually something I love to do (and unfortunately might need to give up because I have a whole slew of other stuff). This year has been especially rewarding. I have been working with bomareas (and I just found out that they are a pest plant while searching the internet, but they are beautiful nevertheless), mainly repotting and untangling and tangling the vines. It’s a very time consuming process that requires a lot of patience, but luckily this year, they are in bloom or budding! This is not a very common event, especially since they are still in one-gallon containers, but it’s just fantastic. Anyone interested in plants or buying plants, two weeks from now is the Spring Plant Sale. So come can check out the plants!
Extracurricular activities? What else do I do besides going to and from class, studying, eating, and talking to friends and family?
Im in several clubs at UCB one of which is AMSA (American Medical Student Association). I have been in AMSA for 3 years now and has been Issues Chair for 2 years. Being Issues Chair is pretty fun except it requires a loooooot of work! I prepare for AMSA's annual Health Career Fair by inviting guests of different professions in the health field (ie, doctors, podiatrist, dentists, vets, optometrists, researcher, etc, etc). I also try to dig up current issues people are interested in and have a event/meeting where i invite a guest speaker to discuss about that issue.
Besides AMSA, Im also in the wonderful CNR PAL program where i get to learn a whole lot more than i already know about CNR! It has been a really great experience and i really enjoy working with the people in it =)
I dont know if calling "research" extracurricular but i have been doing research for Dr. Nancy Amy for while. Unfortunately we didnt get to work on a particular special project but im hoping that i will be able to next year =)
but yeah, i may have a few more extracurricular activities i do up my sleeve, if you want to know more about anything, just talk to me =D
In the rare event that I’m not in class, studying in the library for class or holding office hours for PAL, you can usually find me in a club meeting! I’m involved in AAHS (Asian American Health Society) as the treasurer intern. We have tons of pre-medical, pre-health events held on campus throughout the semester, so be sure to check our website, or look for flyers around campus. AAHS also has a mentorship program where an upper div. student helps mentor a lower div. student and I recently started mentoring a freshman. In fact, tonight we have a Telebears-info session in 108 Wheeler, 6:00pm—come by if you have any questions or are looking for some interesting classes to take next semester! I’m also in Foresight, the pre-optometry club on campus. It’s a great club especially if you are interested in applying to Cal’s Optometry school since they have numerous faculties come by and give advice.
I also volunteer for Project Homeless Connect, a non-profit organization in San Francisco (and I think around the country) where the homeless can get free healthcare (optometry, dentistry, medical) and other valuable services like free phone calls, shelter info and free books. It’s really fun and you get to meet a lot of cool people. If you want more information, be sure to check out the PHC website.
Come by to our office hours (now near the front doors of Mulford) to tell us what you do in your spare time!
Senior year. There is no time for senioritus. Instead of keeping up with reading assignments, I'm attending meetings, running meetings, staying up late and waking up late, day after day. Agh! I need another spring break! But I wouldn't have it any other way. Academics is simply one part of college life. Although it is the core reason we are here, there's so much else we can do. Coming and going to school and that's it--how boring that would be. I've experienced so much and learned so much from so many people and situations through extracurriculars. If it weren't for extracurriculars, I wouldn't have much to look back on. Although participating in so many things takes a lot of my time and energy, it fills up my otherwise unproductive and unstructured time. Some extracurriculars are just fun. Others are to serve and they're fun. I recommend becoming a CNR peer advisor or joining the CNR student council. Serving your community and future CNR students is a rewarding experience, and I'll be proud when I look back at my time doing these activities, which are too many to list here ;P. (I would like to mention the Cal Forestry Club, however. I've been involved in various clubs and organizations over the years, but Forestry Club has been my anchor, my consistency in an fluxuating life.) It's like a duty to me to serve CNR. Duty and honor--fiat lux.
Besides PAL, I also work as an SM (security monitor) at Unit 3. That's right, I'm the strict lady that makes sure no shady people get into the dorms!
I also volunteer at First Presbyterian's bi-monthly Street Meal. Volunteers help cook massive amounts of food and then serve it to the homeless and hungry. It's a great way to serve the community and you get to have interesting conversations with the diverse population of Berkeley.
I'm also part of a Christian fellowship on Campus called ICA (formerly known as the Navigators). We have weekly bible studies in a small group setting as well as larger meetings where everyone comes together to learn and fellowship. I attend church as well at the Berkeley Mosaic, where I will begin work with the children: either taking care of those in the nursery or teaching Sunday school to the older kids.
These extracurriculars are what really make my college experience complete. School is great, but I learn the most in situations and experiences where I can't rely on academics for the answer. So I encourage you, if you haven't already, to join a group or find an internship. You'll gain a lot of valuable experience, and if nothing else, something to add to your impressive resume.
In addition to being a PAL for CNR, I am also a dietetic assistant at Children’s Hospital in Oakland. I am learning a lot about customer service and what processes are involved for providing meals to patients staying at the hospital. This is also my first paid job, so I am finally learning how to balance school, work and fun.
More recently, I became a student intern for the New Haven Unified School District Food Service in Union City. This was my school district growing up, so I have a personal interest in wanting to help and learn from the director of food services. So far, I was able to create an elementary breakfast program promoting National School Breakfast Week for children. Currently, I am working on the nutrient analysis of elementary school lunches. It is great to see how what I learn in my classes tie directly into this volunteering experience.
Also, me and 3 other dietetic students volunteer weekly with the Oakland Based Urban Garden (OBUGS) after school program. We work with elementary students to help water, harvest and plant vegetables in the garden. Somedays, we even get to cook what we grew! If you’re interested in this organization, you can check out www.obugs.org to find out more about their work study program or opportunities to volunteer.
Finally, I am also apart of a Christian fellowship on campus, Acts2Fellowship, which is associated with Gracepoint Fellowship Church in Berkeley. Since joining my freshman year, I have gained lifelong friends and have seen God working tremendously in my life.
Yes, all of these things require a certain time commitment and the ability to balance everything at once. However, I’ve gained so many memories, friends, and skills in these experiences. I encourage you to talk to any of us PALs about opportunities to volunteer/work or for suggestions on how to balance school and extra curricular activities.
Since I last wrote about my extrcurriculars (Having Fun Ouside of Class) things haven’t changed too much. I am still the co-president of the Student Dietetic Association (SDA), am obviously still a PAL and I still work at Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland. Something new that I added on this semester is the position as a Research Assistant for Dr. Felming. She is the chief investigator of a study that is assessing a nutrition and fitness intervention in a population of children at risk for developing Type Two Diabetes. As a research assistant, I am helping with the development of standard nutrition lessons so that one day this intervention program can go national. It has been a great opportunity for me to use my nutrition skills and demonstrate my creativity. To be involved in such an important project that happens to be conducted by one of my favorite professors on campus has been very exciting.
Since I have already written about my extracurriculars, I thought I would write a little about what else I like to do with my free time. Lately I have been enjoying the outdoors. Anytime there is beautiful whether I take advantage of it! When I visit back home, I really enjoy taking my dogs to the beach. Also, over spring break I went snowboarding at Heavenly, a ski resort in South Lake Tahoe. I had never boarded on the south shore, but I heard the view of the lake was beautiful so I was eager to try it. I had a wonderful time and the view was gorgeous. That trip made me realized that I need to make more time in my busy schedule to go snowboarding more often. It is really important to do things that you enjoy in your free time. That’s what I love about extracurriculars; they are something you do because you love them and you can always change it up or add more at any time.
I highly suggest getting involved in extracurriculars. Whether it’s academically related, like becoming involved in a club or research project or socially related like joining the ski team, Berkeley has a lot to offer!
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