6 Things I Wish I Knew Before Coming to UCI
It’s okay not to have perfect grades
Going into college, I thought that I would breeze by in my STEM classes with As and Bs without studying….OHHHHH how I was SO wrong. I would get down on myself for not doing as well as I did in high school and stress about not getting into medical school. I kept dragging myself along and barely passed the first quarter. After crying over my grades all winter break I had a switch in my mindset. I realized that UCI is a really difficult school and it is challenging me to be a better student. I also realized that I am at UCI for a reason and I would not have been admitted if people did not believe that I could be successful here. This realization really helped to motivate me to continue on in my major and push me to work smarter.
2. There is something for everyone
UCI is such a large school, so there is a club or organization for everyone. Clubs are an amazing way to meet people and find your forever friends. I know people who are in Japanese club, poker club, and K-Pop dance club. There is also an array of club and intramural sports for those who want to stay active and compete. I am in the women’s water polo club and a lot of my friends are in the ultimate frisbee club. For those of you who are Potterheads, UCI has a quidditch club that practices in Aldrich Park (they have the broomsticks and everything)!! If there is something that you are super passionate about, a large school like UCI is bound to have a club/organization for that!
Pro Tip: UCI has an involvement fair at the beginning of fall and winter quarters, so you can see all of your options (and even meet some members).
3. Say YES
You only do college once, so take advantage of the opportunities that are presented to you. One thing that I lived by during my first year of college was, “you cannot relive an experience.” This pushed me to say yes to going to volleyball/basketball games, go out with people I had just met, and spontaneously take trips with my friends (nothing crazy, though, mostly late night food adventures). Living by this helped me to create long lasting memories and friendships in my first year!
Pro Tip: They give out free boxes of Gina’s Pizza, Crunch bars, and even shirts at the basketball games. I would get there early so you can get a good seat and a better shot at free things (because we all know college students are fiends for free stuff)!
4. Explore off campus
Like I mentioned above, I usually take Friday nights and Saturday off to explore or hang out with friends. On Friday nights, we usually have game night and hit up the Mesa Recreational Center or play card games in the dorms. On Saturday, we try to take the day to explore Orange County (and by explore I mean mostly eat bomb food). Our go to spots are the beach (of course), Banzai bowls, Bearflag, or Diamond Jamboree!
Pro Tip: If you don’t have a car, Uber and Lyft are your best friends! Make sure to compare prices on both of the apps to get the cheapest one and try to go on off hours. Also, Yelp and TikTok are good ways to find cool spots.
5. Treat yourself and your mental health
Take time to take care of yourself. College can be extremely draining at times, so you should treat yourself after small achievements. Whether it’s treating yourself to a scoop of ice cream or taking a day off, that little break is your time to breathe and re-energize yourself. UCI also offers pet therapy during midterms and finals, massage chairs, and free counseling (all of the doggos are WAYY too cute to be missed out on). Usually my friends and I try to go to pet therapy, get post-midterm ice cream, and do our nails post finals!
Pro Tip: Look on the UCI Be Well page to stay updated on what UCI offers. I like retail therapy, so I usually walk around the Ring Road fairs to get stickers, clothes, and BUNDT CAKES to ease my mind.
6. You don’t have to know everything
I’m not going to lie, I was scared out of my mind going into college. I wondered how I could get through school academically and also focus on making new friends. I think that it is important to know that in college you do not need to know the answer to everything. This applies to class and your major/career. Academically, you can always reach out for help from advisors, professors, TAs, and even upperclassmen. Career/major wise, you can ask academic advisors, career counselors, and peers (I am pretty unsure of what I want to do still, but I think it helps to reach out to people and even try to shadow!). I think taking advantage of the resources UCI has will be able to give you the best experience and advice possible.
