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Dear Future Bruin…

My name is Adriana Espino, and I’m a first-year Education and Social Transformation major, working to double major in Psychology. I’m from South-East Los Angeles (Maywood, to be more specific) and moved to Bakersfield following the pandemic, where I spent the entirety of my high school years!

To begin, congratulations on your admission into UCLA—that is an amazing accomplishment in and of itself! Here, I’ll share my personal experience about leaving home for the first time. From the moment I opened the UCLA application portal and saw my acceptance letter, I was ecstatic thinking about how to approach this new chapter in my life. However, as a first-generation student from a Central American immigrant background—and even more so, the first in my family to move into a residence hall—the logistics of moving to a residence hall were entirely a mystery to me. Therefore, I did what any person in my position would do: I searched for “college essentials” online (and built the obligatory residence hall-focused, idealistic Pinterest board). Initially, I thought most of the suggested necessities on the list seemed a bit unnecessary, and stuck with the basics. But as move-in day crept closer and closer, the internal panic set in, “Oh, I need X”, “I need Y”. What helped me most during this period was sharing my lists with my best friend, Briana. We swapped ideas and shared inputs on what was actually a “necessary necessity” keeping us both grounded. However, move-in was not the last obstacle. I no longer had access to a kitchen and had to conform to specific dining hall periods. Consequently, I had to become methodical about when and what I had to eat. On top of that, I had to set up a laundry routine that aligns with low-traffic times—a much simpler task back at home. While challenging, these moments allowed me to experience new things. I began to try cuisines outside of my culture, which was a big change for me, as my meals back home stuck to a rotation of homemade Nicaraguan and Mexican food! All in all, the experience of leaving home was a much-needed one. It forced me to reinforce independence and to grow more as an individual! It is also funny how fast life changes—I spent 12 years easily attending school from 8 am until 3 PM, and now, the struggle to wake up for an 8 am lecture is very real! The biggest piece of advice I would give to new students undergoing the same experiences is:

1) Have an outlet! It is so important to have an outlet, whether it be your friends, a journal, or your family. Navigating university and independence is a unique experience, and having someone (or something) to share it with can greatly alleviate any burdens.
2) Don’t be afraid to try new things! By trying new things, you open doors to unforeseeable opportunities and experiences that you would have otherwise missed. Whether it’s a new food or activity—go for it!
3) Utilize resources available to you on campus. There are so many resources available to you while at UCLA! The Community Programs Office (Test Bank, Food Closet, and the Computer Lab) is one example. The test bank is a great tool to study and reference past exams, the food closet is a great resource for UCLA students who need essentials, and the Computer Lab allots students a maximum of 100 sheets for free printing per quarter. Likewise, the Academic Advancement Program (Peer Learning and the Academic Counseling). It is the perfect resource if you ever have trouble with your classes or need someone to help you step by step!