Summer has always been an exciting time of year: a time to travel, see family, perhaps work a job or internship. This past summer, I spent my time a little differently than normal. Instead of heading home to SoCal, I spent my time in Berkeley, California. Last year, I was hired as a campus ambassador and ended up staying this summer to work and take a summer class.
I was a little hesitant about being in Berkeley over summer. It would mean not seeing my family as often, as well as being alone in my apartment for the first time, since all of my roommates didn’t remain in Berkeley between semesters. But like most new, nerve-racking experiences, it ended up surprising me by being incredibly rewarding.
Spending the summer working with people who would soon become close friends was one of the best ways I could’ve devoted my time. Being able to meet peers who I might not have met otherwise if not for the job made me feel so lucky. Beyond that, giving tours to group after group to show them our campus was thrilling. Engaging with prospective students or families that were just interested in seeing the campus was far more gratifying than I could’ve expected.
By far, the most enjoyable part was something that I hadn’t thought about leading up to the summer — I felt that I got to truly experience living in the Bay Area. This city has access to public transport (much better compared to where I live in SoCal), and with a more flexible schedule than I have during the regular semesters, I could enjoy exploring the surrounding areas and the city of Berkeley itself.
The experience of a summer in Berkeley taught me more than I thought it could. I really thought I would merely come out of this summer with a class completed and more work hours under my belt, but it gave me far more. I learned to try new things and be brave enough to expand my friendships. Despite being relatively shy, I put myself out there to present myself as a representative of the university on my tours.
Sometimes things happen that you don’t expect, or perhaps you have to spend your time differently than you wished. But spending a summer living alone in Berkeley for the first time showed me that if you give new experiences a chance, even those that appear mundane can be so much more.