Welcome to California

So you’re contemplating the possibility of studying abroad at UC Berkeley. Everyone in your family is probably freaking out. If they’re anything like my family, by this point they know you come up with crazy ideas all the time so don’t question your life decisions anymore. Regardless, you depart. If you’re lucky enough from your window seat you’ll admire the glistening, endless American suburbia nestled between the dry hills of the Silicon Valley. Welcome to California!

The first few weeks are all about adjustment. From miraculously getting past security checks upon arrival without getting sent back to moving into your new home and meeting new people, everything will be new. Before I started classes, I took part in the compulsory Golden Bear Orientation. This lasts an entire week and is meant to ease your transition into Berkeley. It’s a hectic week where you’ll meet many new people, you definitely won’t remember everyone’s name, and you’ll cross large groups of freshman students just walking by, displaying all the naive enthusiasm and hope that you once had in the very distant past of your youth. In this early stage of your experience, make the most of your relatively free schedule. Visit San Francisco, explore the Bay Area and get to know your surroundings. Berkeley students can use the AC transit bus for free, so take advantage of this.

As an exchange student entering the US for the first time, cultural shock is inevitable. It turns out that Berkeley is much less safe than London, so watch out. Secondly, the Bay Area is very expensive largely due to the imminent proximity of the Silicon Valley. Your hall is likely to offer a meal plan so hopefully you won’t have to eat out too often.

Academically Berkeley is very different to UCL. The year is divided into two semesters, Fall and Spring. Although I would say the workload is comparable to UCL the main difference is that assignments are much more regular, so are tests and exams. In this sense, Berkeley feels a lot more like a school compared to UCL, where you have greater flexibility in scheduling and timing. Furthermore, at Berkeley participation in class is highly valued and sometimes constitutes part of your grade. Engaging with the professor outside of class is also important, especially attending office hours. To keep on top of your work and succeed academically, working constantly is extremely important.