First semester went by pretty slow, probably because I didn’t do very much. All I did was go to class, go back to the dorms; same thing everyday. I wanted to join some clubs but it’s hard to find a balance between schoolwork and other activities. Going to class in college is similar to going to classes in high school but on a harder level. I didn’t planned out my schedule very well; I had a lot of gaps in between my classes. In the beginning of the semester, I would usually go back to my dorm during those gaps. But soon I realize I was wasting time by doing that, always pushing myself against the limit of time, so I just stay on campus until I finish all of my classes for the day instead.
Even thought living on campus is very expensive, it is very convenient. There are a lot of times where I stayed on campus until 2AM (that’s when the library closes) so living nearby is great because I can get to my bed sooner. But the dorm foods do taste as bad as everyone says. No matter how much you like it in the beginning, when you eat the same thing everyday, you’ll get sick of it. Lucky for me, I live pretty close to home so my parents would bring me homemade food sometimes. Being away from home definitely made me feel that I am being loved by my parents.
Next semester, I plan to join the dancing club I got my eyes on for a while. I want to be more out there socially instead of putting all my focus on schoolwork because it is very boring. And find myself a job. I find that I am most productive when I’m busy. One advice I would give to myself if I had a chance to speak to me in August 2011 is that “you should’ve pick easy classes!” That way, you’ll be sure to keep the GPA high enough to maintain scholarships and be selected for great summer internships.
– Xue Xue, UC Berkeley ’15
