Freshman year was a memorable year for me. Everything was exciting. Everyday was like a field trip. Classes were interesting. People were friendly. I quickly fell in love with Berkeley.

I loved walking amongst the crowd in upper Sproul and taking all the flyers that was handed to me. In addition, I signed up for numerous mailing lists by the Career Center, social clubs, pre-med clubs, RSF, Cal Performances, Cal Corp, etc etc. I actually took time to look at these emails and flyers and wrote in my planner the events I could go to. My spare time after classes was saturated with these events. Since I had not decided what activity I was more interested in, attending all these events, forums, and socials gave me a glimpse of what Berkeley has to offer.

After the fourth week of school, I joined the Taiwanese Student Association (TSA) and became one of the interns. My weekends were then obligated to hosting its social events like BBQ, ice skating, karaoke nights, potluck, beach day, and movie nights. Besides TSA, I attended premed info sessions by the career center to learn more about the whole med school process. I found these info sessions really helpful. Career center also offers a myriad of other events for other career fields and majors. Attending forums and info sessions not only makes you more prepared for future plans but also gives you the opportunity to meet friends who are interested in these same topics.

In your first year, you should discover spots that you can study. Depending on your study habit, you might want to try different cafes, the memorial glade with sun glasses and sun block (UV lights are harmful), different libraries (Berkeley has over 30 libraries), study centers in residential halls, or the OCF lounge.

All in all, freshman year is the year to discover as much as you can and have fun! Don’t forget to go to classes and study for the coming midterms!