September 2, 2025
Last spring, we asked L&S alums to share a piece of advice for new first-year and transfer students at UC Berkeley - thank you to everyone who responded! Here are just a few pieces of wisdom from L&S alums.
Get out of your comfort zone!
Many alumni recommended taking a risk to try something or meet someone new.
Talk to everyone you can and with a friendly and open mind!
-Shraya '22, Political Science
"Really enjoy a broad-based, general education, classes in many departments, to truly explore."
- Zoe '22, Legal Studies
"Try everything you're interested in! At the very least, you'll know whether you like or dislike it and can figure out next steps from there :)"
- Elaine '17, Integrative Biology & Psychology
"Do the thing! Your time at Cal will go by so much faster than you realize; squeeze every drop out while you can. It can be really intimidating being surrounded by so many brilliant students. I definitely struggled with imposter syndrome. Which I imagine was even worse as an older, single-parent, first-gen, transfer student. Oh well, I reminded myself that I wasn't there to make friends. I joined clubs that interested me and it turns out that I made great friends. Even if their paths to UC Berkeley weren't as weird and winding as my own, we still had all sorts of things in common.
Be yourself. Be brave. Do the thing!"
- Crystal '23, Linguistics
Believe in yourself and enjoy your time at Cal!
"Give yourself time to get used to college rhythm and don’t forget - be yourself!"
- Taormina '24, Integrative Biology Ph.D.
"No matter where your path takes you - believe in your ability to learn, research, and utilize that knowledge to do something bigger than getting the grades. When you learn, don't do it to make other people happy. Do it to make you happy and empower yourself to learn so you can become the best version of yourself and make that turn into a ripple effect."
- Phuong '22, American Studies
"Take this time to not only explore your likings and passions but also think 10 years ahead and find the resources that will lead to that vision."
- Jonathan '22, Spanish & Portuguese
Topics
Discover new passions!
"Take that random class that you are interested in! Cal has so many amazing scholars that are experts in their field, so there is so much information readily available to you. If you like literature but are a STEM major, take a literature class for fun, and vice versa! It may be hard navigating all the major and college requirements at first, but it is okay to take your first year especially to explore your interests, whether you are entering your first year at Cal with a solid plan or if you are still looking to explore your options. You will meet so many different people and make so many lasting connections as long as your are willing to give yourself the space to just soak it all in and step out of your comfort (or major requirement) zone!"
- Noor '23, Molecular & Cell Biology
"Choose 1-3 clubs or organizations that you are passionate about and can see yourself growing in, and commit to it! It will be instrumental in helping you land an internship or job after graduation."
- Natalie '21, Political Science
College is just as much about discovering who you are outside the classroom as it is excelling within the classroom. As one of my favorite professors said, “study hard, study often.” However, don’t forget to also relish all that Berkeley has to offer beyond academics. Join that club, go to that event. You’ll meet some of the most important people in your life and have some of the most valuable experiences when you least expect it.
- Brandon '18, Integrative Biology
"Take the Berkeley Changemaker class!"
- Johnna '24, Legal Studies
