Author: Leeza Cruz

UC Berkeley is known for it’s amazing academics. We’re ranked in Chemistry, Engineering, and so many other departments. But I’d say there’s another special academic program here that goes beyond our rankings. At Berkeley, you can take classes on baking, Harry Potter, and even Pokemon! And you even get UNITS for taking these classes. All thanks to our DeCal program.

What’s a DeCal? The DeCal Program allows undergraduate students to organize their own course. These students teach the course on their own to other students with similar interests! By finding a faculty sponsor and drafting out a syllabus, students can get ready to submit a DeCal proposal in almost any type of course you can imagine. Dancing, music, Game of Thrones–there are hundreds of DeCals to choose from. I even teach a DeCal on the famous rapper, Drake. read more

If you ask me how I feel about Cal, my answer is always “Go Bears!” After a win, after a loss, or even when there is no game at all–my spirit is always there .

Since my freshman year, I’ve been a part of the Rally Committee, the largest spirit and service organization on campus. Aside from this, I’ve been working with our Cal Athletics department as a student intern. I live and breathe Cal Spirit, and it’s well worth the effort. Being a Cal Fan has given me countless memories and opportunities that have shaped my college experience. read more

One of the best things about Berkeley is the network. I’ve had the chance to meet plenty of professionals in the area, along with many successful alumni that just love helping all of us undergrads out. Aside from the great academics I get here, Cal has the connections and opportunities to get you ready once you get that diploma.

The Career Center touches base with anything that can relate to career building: resume workshops, networking events, interview prep, etc. I am probably one of the most avid supporters of the Career Center on campus. I visit an advisor at least 4 times a semester, and each time I feel a little more confident about where I’m going after college. Before I applied for my first real internship, I stopped by the center for a mini-appointment to review my resume. At the time I didn’t think my resume was amazing, but I was just expecting a few notes here and there to help me out. I walked out with a paper full of notes, but I felt a thousand times more confident about what my resume had to offer. I ended up getting the job too, and I say a lot of it had to do with how the Career Center shaped my perspective of my own roles. read more

For students, the week before finals week is a time for studying and relaxing before the tests take us over. Reading, Review, and Recitation Week, RRR Week for short, is a week with no classes right at the end of the semester for students to study on their own time. Students spend this time doing many things, whether it be catching up on some readings, or just taking some time to relax.

For some of us, it’s our mental health break. I work in the Office of the Academic Affairs Vice President, and every semester we are in charge of the Wellness Events of this week, this year known as “Bearable Finals Week.” This past week, we’ve hosted a DeStress With Dogs Event, a miniature petting zoo, and most notably–a meet and greet with some very friendly llamas. read more

Last Saturday marked the 120th Big Game matchup between our California Golden Bears and the Stanford (Stanfurd*, to be precise) Cardinal in football. Not is the week of Big Game exciting for Cal Football, but it is very exciting in terms of Cal Spirit. One of the organizations I’m involved with on campus, the UC Rally Committee, has dedicated countless of hours of their time during this week to rally the most of campus spirit for this game.

It all starts with the lights. **cue All of the Lights by Kanye West** Not only is our lovely Sather Gate, as seen above, lit up in blue and gold, but many other buildings on campus are also decked out for this week. Wheeler Hall, Doe Library, and the Campanile are all lit up in our school colors. The Campanile even has different gobos, or light stencils, projected up on it every night. Different Big Game week banners are hung up all over campus to share all the different events on campus. read more

It’s my favorite time of year: IT’S BASKETBALL SEASON!

To continue my reasons as to why I love the end of the year, basketball plays a very large role. Not only is it NBA season, but it is also the start of college basketball. As the spirited Cal student that I am, I am of course super excited to start cheering on my Golden Bears.

I’ve been following our team everywhere–from live streams, to live games in Haas Pavilion–I’ve even travelled all the way to Vegas to watch the Pac-12 Basketball Tournament. (Not to mention, it was FREE because I was one of the students who attended the most home games!) If you ever go to a Cal Basketball game, trust me when I say I am NOT hard to miss. read more

It’s the most spooky-filled time of the year…IT’S HALLOWEEN!

Or as we like to call it in Berkeley, Cal-O-Ween! October is my favorite month of the year. Not just because I was born during this month, but because I am a huge fan of all the festivities that go on during this spooky season.

What’s great about Halloween is how universal the scary theme is. So for those of you who miss the annual pumpkin patch back home, there’s still the chance to catch it here in Berkeley–and the Bay area! But living in Berkeley comes with the perks of our own Cal-O-Ween celebrations, so here’s my brief run-down of things to do during the Halloween season: read more

Homecoming is many things –It’s about tradition. It’s about family. It’s about community. It’s a celebration of all the people involved in our community, including the many different cultures. This Homecoming Week is a bit different from the past. Rather than having a simple “Homecoming Rally,” the UC Rally Committee has decided to switch things up and brand the new “California Culture Rally.”

UC Berkeley has more than 100 student organizations that are culturally based, and this rally is intended to offer groups like these the chance to showcase their cultures and traditions. This year one of my clubs, Cal Hawai’i Club will be performing. For us, this is the largest scale event we’ve ever performed at. Cal Hawai’i is one of only two Polynesian organizations on campus. read more