Hello New Bruins!

Congratulations and welcome to UCLA! As a student myself, I know how exciting this time of your life is, but I also know how scary and intimidating it may be when it comes to actually choosing where you want to go. While there are a lot of factors that go into deciding where you are going to spend the next 4 years, I am excited to share with you why UCLA was the perfect fit for me!  

Before we begin, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kathryn, and I am a current second-year student here at UCLA double majoring in both Political Science and Labor Studies. I am originally from Fresno, California, and being from the Central Valley, I did not know many people in my small community who were also going to UCLA or were UCLA alumni. As the first Bruin in my family, I was quite intimidated by the thought of going to a school where I truly knew no one. But I quickly found (as you will too) that all the guidance I needed came from my fellow Bruins and the community I had formed once I came to campus.  

When it came to choosing where to go, UCLA checked all the boxes. The first of which is academics. In high school, I was incredibly academically driven, and I knew that I wanted whatever college or university I attended to be able to challenge me. I applied to UCLA as a Pre-Political Science major, and the department’s high rankings and renowned faculty truly set it over the edge. With interesting course topics and professors who have so much advice to share in their office hours, I was confident that I would have an excellent academic experience at UCLA. And as I am close to ending my second year here and having declared my major, I can attest to that statement.  

The second box was location. Los Angeles is around a 4-hour drive from my hometown, which for me, was just the right amount of distance between myself and my family. I knew I wanted to have that distance in order to allow myself to grow and plant myself in whichever city I was located, while still being able to go home if I needed to and not have to worry about booking a flight weeks in advance. Aside from the healthy distance, Los Angeles has so many career opportunities for students to prosper and grow themselves professionally via internships or summer jobs. Whether that be close to campus in West L.A. or in the heart of Downtown, myself and many other students have found pursuing professional opportunities incredibly easy given our location. There are also so many places to explore in L.A., making it simple to find something to do every weekend. And with consistently sunny weather, I knew I would always be in a good mood even if I was on or off campus. 

The third box which UCLA checked off was the people. When I first stepped onto campus for Bruin Day at the end of my senior year, the campus culture was absolutely magnetic. This was the defining moment in which I decided UCLA was the place for me. Every single person I interacted with– whether they worked for the university or not– was incredibly welcoming and made sure to support me in my academic journey. And having been here for two years, I can confidently say this supportive energy has remained true. 

As an incoming freshman, it can be daunting to find friends at such a large school, but I quickly found that everyone you interact with– through your classes, housing, and clubs– will find a way to connect with and uplift you. Individuals who are pursuing similar careers to me will not compete against me, but rather support me and share resources and advice they have. My randomly selected freshman year roommate is still my roommate today, and we plan on continuing to live with each other next year. The clubs I have joined are the reason why I have some of my closest friends, sharing similar experiences and passions as me. And truthfully, the more you interact with Bruins on campus, you realize how connected everyone is. Despite being such a large school, it feels like everyone knows each other, making it even easier to feel welcome at UCLA.  

Overall, I feel the phrase “everything school” accurately describes UCLA. I believe it is incredibly unique and special for a school so academically prestigious to also balance the social aspect of undergraduate life in a perfect way. There is truly something for everyone here, making it so easy to call this place home. Hopefully you will too! You have some big decisions to make when it comes to choosing where you are going to spend the next few years, so my hope is that this alleviates some of the stress of the college decision process. No matter where you go, make sure that your school checks off all of your boxes.  

My parting words of advice are to take advantage of all that UCLA has to offer. Get involved with clubs and student organizations, form connections with faculty, explore Los Angeles, and most of all, soak it all in. You are only in undergrad for a few formative years in your life, make sure you enjoy it no matter where you end up.  

With so much Bruin love,  

Kathryn