Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Berkeley

My first year at UC Berkeley—32 weeks of growth, challenges and unforgettable experiences—recently came to an end, and I am in a stage of major reflection.

Born and raised an hour south of San Francisco, I’ve been surrounded by the influence of Silicon Valley—fueled, created and inspired, sometimes directly by Berkeley alumni (Steve Wozniak, I’m looking at you). I’d always known Berkeley provided a sound education, but I soon gained an understanding of what life after high school and the real world is all about.

I was lucky to have received valuable tips and advice the summer before I entered the mini-city that is UC Berkeley. Some tips were helpful—“Establish and find your social circle”; others were more superstitious: “Never step on the Berkeley Seal if you want a 4.0 [Grade Point Average].”

Now that I’ve spent a year here, I have had some truly amazing and unusual experiences that I’d like to share with you.

Overcoming Challenges: The Berkeley Balancing Act

Like most Berkeley students, in high school I earned straight As and took advanced- and honors-level classes. I was confident in my skills, believing that I was ready and had the work ethic necessary to succeed at one of the world’s top public universities.

The reality was that I was somewhat ready for the courses and academic challenges I faced, but not for everything else that happens outside of class. Time management became more of a priority as I found myself with more unstructured time than in high school and more responsibilities to juggle.

At Berkeley, my grades for some classes were based on just midterm and final exam scores. For most of the term, my grades were uncertain, and I had to wait until the end of each semester to know if I’d done well. It was also a new world of comparing my performance in class to that of other students, trying to stay motivated to keep studying between exams and dealing with the newfound freedom of a college student.

To stay motivated, I frequently reminded myself of the privilege I had to attend a top university like Berkeley. My parents, friends and academic mentors all believed in me—my desire to prove that their efforts were worth it keeps me going.

University courses are difficult. I can’t imagine my life without hours of studying while managing multiple activities and worrying about what internship or job placement I’ll be offered next summer—and the summer after that. It’s a culture that is competitive and challenging, but that has also made me stronger and quicker intellectually.

It’s a culture that is competitive and challenging, but that has also made me stronger and quicker intellectually.

I’ve learned more about what hard work truly entails, especially when it comes to achieving academic success beyond just grades. I’ve actually learned material in a deeper way and have become better at time management and developing study habits that are healthy and productive.

For instance, I’ve structured my study plans in ways that involve collaboration and conversation with my fellow students, GSIs (graduate student instructors) or even the professors. This has provided me with loads of important— and often very interesting— information about the courses.

Despite its stigma of competitiveness and a “work hard, play hard” culture, and expectations of its students based on its worldwide prestige, the campus vibe and my overall experience here are still things that I love about this unique university.

I’ve met like-minded individuals who place a greater emphasis on what they get out of a classroom rather than the grade. Individuals who come here for the challenges and the opportunities after graduation—professional development, research endeavors and the genuine desire to advance our society.

I’ve met like-minded individuals who place a greater emphasis on what they get out of a classroom rather than the grade. Individuals who come here for the challenges and the opportunities after graduation—professional development, research endeavors and the genuine desire to advance our society.

Outside of Class: Getting Involved in Berkeley Life

There are so many opportunities to become a part of the Berkeley community.

I am involved in an on-campus consulting group and am an active member of the Pilipinx (Filipino-identifying students, both domestic and international) community. Both of these activities have provided me with professional development, quality friendships and connections beyond what I could’ve imagined.

The importance of extracurricular involvement in the right quantity and quality of activities that best suit you is vital to the college experience, especially at Berkeley.

In fact, through the consulting group, I landed an internship at a Berkeley start-up this summer! The importance of extracurricular involvement in the right quantity and quality of activities that best suit you is vital to the college experience, especially at Berkeley. Here are a few clubs and organizations you can look into:

• Student-run business consulting organizations. These can be competitive due to the prestige of the Haas School of Business, but can provide important job experience and networking opportunities (it is how I found my summer internship).
• Greek life. These fraternities and sororities focus on social activities and are known for hosting parties, though some may also organize volunteering and other activities for members.
• Professional fraternities are interest-based and focus on professional development. Members are often studying subjects like business or pre-medicine and are involved in public-service activities.
• Cultural organizations are great for those seeking a community and support system from others with a similar ethnic heritage or cultural interest.

Events like Calpalooza and Cal Day are the perfect way to learn about student clubs. Besides these big events, student groups are always handing out club flyers on Sproul Plaza, which makes learning about and choosing a club as simple as reading a flyer and attending a meeting on campus. Want to get started?

1. Explore as many student organizations as possible.

2. Choose the three or four meetings you want to attend out of the dozens of club flyers you pick up.

3. Select one or two meaningful organizations to join.

My Favorite Things to Do Around Berkeley

There is a lot to explore within the city of Berkeley.

It’s a college town, in a prime location just east of San Francisco and north of Silicon Valley. What I love about Berkeley: I can go beyond campus and explore a wide variety of activities, whether I’m in the mood for hiking on beautiful trails or taking public transportation like the BART train to San Francisco or Oakland. It’s allowed me to explore the East Bay and parts of Berkeley that I surprisingly had not known existed, despite growing up an hour away.

What I love about Berkeley: I can go beyond campus and explore a wide variety of activities, whether I’m in the mood for hiking on beautiful trails or taking public transportation like the BART train to San Francisco or Oakland. It’s allowed me to explore the East Bay and parts of Berkeley that I surprisingly had not known existed, despite growing up an hour away.

I’ve gone to concerts at Bill Graham Theater in San Francisco and the Greek Theatre on the Berkeley campus. From Union Square in San Francisco to Jack London Square in Oakland, and up the hills of North Berkeley, I’ve walked many miles and explored so much during my first year at Berkeley. Here’s a list of my five favorite spots within the city and surrounding areas:

1. Lawrence Hall of Science → This is a must-visit location, though you’ll need to get a shuttle from campus or find a car or Uber to get there. Located in the Berkeley hills, the Lawrence Hall of Science has an Observatory Hall, a planetarium and science museum, and provides the best views of the San Francisco Bay.

2. Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA) → The BAMPFA is one of Berkeley’s newer museums and is located next to the north entrance to campus, on Oxford Street (don’t worry: you’ll be able to name all the streets around campus by the end of your semester or year in Berkeley!)

3. Gourmet Ghetto → Despite its unusual name, the “Gourmet Ghetto” is a very pleasant location, located on Shattuck Avenue in North Berkeley. It features enough award-winning and Michelin-starred restaurants to make any foodie happy for weeks. Be sure to try Cheese Board, an employee-owned cooperative restaurant that serves a different type of affordable pizza every day. Also good is Guacamole 61, a Mexican-fusion pop-up embedded within a miniature food court that offers some of the best tacos I’ve ever had.

4. Northside → Ever wondered what lies beyond Soda Hall and Moffitt Library? It’s a part of Berkeley called Northside. Despite the fact that most student hotspots are in Southside Berkeley, Northside provides a more peaceful, residential atmosphere that reminds me of my hometown. I like walking around the neighborhoods in this area, observing the beautiful homes and nature points, as well as the Berkeley Rose Garden! 

5. The Big C → A trail that every visitor has to explore! A tradition among many students here is hiking up the hill that overlooks campus and swinging on the Big C swing that hangs from a large tree. The view from here is phenomenal, with a clear vista of the San Francisco Bay and campus.

What I’ve Learned So Far

What I appreciate more than anything here is the culture of supporting mental, physical and social well-being and development. I visit the Recreational Sports Facility for my physical well-being, but after my year at Berkeley I also realized its mental health benefits. After a year in Berkeley, I now feel like I can strike up a meaningful conversation about world issues and relevant topics in the news with a random person on the street—I never felt this way until coming here.

After a year in Berkeley, I now feel like I can strike up a meaningful conversation about world issues and relevant topics in the news with a random person on the street—I never felt this way until coming here.

I’ve learned to become more aware of my surroundings, more cognizant of the realities of people from a broad spectrum of personalities and diverse backgrounds. This entire experience of realizing more about life beyond the books has been the most insightful facet of my freshman year.

In all honesty, it takes a certain mindset to succeed at UC Berkeley: extremely goal-driven, passionate and mature. While you may not fit all of these categories, you can work toward embodying them, something I’ve learned to do and love throughout my time here. At the end of the day, I am so glad I decided to come to Berkeley, an institution that continuously pushes me to become a better version of myself through experiences beyond what I imagined were possible.

Fiat Lux!

Editor's note: This article was written by Rafael Luis Tolosa, a second-year undergraduate Data Science and Economics student at UC Berkeley. Special thanks to Rafael for contributing this guest post.

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UC Berkeley is consistently ranked one of the best public universities in the world. Through UC Berkeley Extension’s International Programs, international students can attend UC Berkeley courses and take advantage of Berkeley-quality instruction and networks. Read more blog posts about the UC Berkeley experience for international students here.