Hi New Bruin,  

CONGRATS ON GETTING ADMITTED TO THE BEST UNIVERSITY EVER! We are all so excited to see your faces here in the Fall! My name is Jayden, and I am a third-year undergraduate studying Public Health from the Bay Area on the Pre-Dental Track. I still think back to the day when I opened my decision to UCLA, where my jaw stayed dropped for about thirty minutes due to the disbelief that I had actually been admitted.  

Upon stepping onto campus as a student, as excited as I was, I was also nervous about the daunting course load and the rigor of UCLA’s STEM departments. I had heard stories about grade deflation and unwelcoming professors at other universities and had no idea what to expect. I had felt confident in my ability to perform well in these courses, but being thrown into these large lecture halls and not knowing anyone other than my floormates and my roommates in my classes felt as though the world was working against me. Surprisingly, I felt as though many of my professors were understanding and welcomed my classmates and I with open arms. Especially in all my STEM courses, many professors grade on the straight scale and I have not had one professor that curved for the sake of giving only a certain percentage of students an A. On top of that, most professors are super accommodating and willing to help.  

Through my classes, I have also formed a community. Many students at UCLA foster a collaborative environment, in which asking a question is highly encouraged. In most classes there are other undergraduate students called Learning Assistants (LAs), who work with the professors and Teachers Assistants (TAs) to make the content more digestible and less frightening. LAs were a great way to have someone break down super confusing content into understandable ideas to build off of. Many of my classes also had forums on websites like Campuswire to discuss challenging topics with the professor and other students. This was another great way to get many of my questions answered! And last but not least, Office Hours were the best way to directly talk to the professors or TAs and get the pressing questions answered. While I have found Office Hours useful in talking about content, sometimes, I would go to Office Hours to talk about random things with my professors, like why they decided to pursue teaching or research, what research they would recommend, or how life was going. Professors are people too, and I have learned so many life lessons talking to them.  

When reaching the end of my second year, with most STEM lower division courses completed, it was time to choose a major. Originally, I had intended on going into the Human Biology and Society major, which covered topics such as genetics and the intersection between biology and sociology. However, it was brought to my attention that the new Public Health major was beginning, and I decided to hop onto this opportunity. Going into dentistry, I knew that I was going to dedicate four more years of school with even heavier science courses; therefore, I wanted my undergraduate courses to focus on something that could make tangible change. I knew that I would not have enjoyed science-centered classes and wanted something more application based, and through the Public Health major, I was able to find that. So far, I have really enjoyed my Community Health Sciences course, which focused on community engagement, research, how identity played a role in one’s ability to stay healthy, and so much more. Most of my courses have a maximum of 30 people and I have met some of my closest friends within this program.  

My journey to finding a major is going to be completely different than yours as it will be different from every other UCLA student. Some find what they love from the get-go, while others change their major three or even four times before solidifying the major they want to pursue. Don’t let the pursuits of others affect your experience in finding what you love. Everyone at UCLA is going to be successful, but it is ultimately up to you to pave your own path, filled with the things YOU specifically want to do. Whether it be the courses that you choose to take, organizations you choose to join, research you want to be a part of, all these decisions are your own to make.  

Time at UCLA is finite (as much as many Bruins don’t want it to be), so make the most out of the opportunities here. I never thought I would like research and now I am on a dental public health project. I never thought I would actually enjoy Organic Chemistry, but upon taking the course, I found it to be super interesting! Make the most out of your years here at UCLA. Take risks. Step out of your comfort zone. Doing so will help you thrive. Welcome to UCLA, go Bruins ❤  

With so much love,  

Jayden