Prior to touring and committing to Berkeley, I had no intention of coming here. At my high school, Berkeley had a reputation of being a cutthroat, competitive environment, with a socially dead and depressing atmosphere. Despite this reputation, as most in-state students do, I checked the box for Berkeley on my UC application.
When Berkeley decisions came out, I was shocked. There was no universe or set of circumstances in which I imagined myself going here. I didn’t necessarily have a distaste towards Berkeley, but it just wasn’t on my radar at the time.
As I started to think about it more, I began to visualize a reality in which I was a student at Cal. In the spring of 2022, I stepped foot on the campus of Berkeley for the first time. The cherry blossom trees and spring air created a magical feeling, and all of my uneasiness about college disappeared. I knew I wanted to be here. There was no longer any question in my mind of where I wanted to go to school.
As I continued to walk throughout campus, I noticed a chaotic ambiance, which I absolutely loved. I had no idea what to expect when I toured, and I tried to manage my expectations to avoid disappointment. I remember constantly feeling pleasantly surprised. Throughout the whole tour, I could not get over how beautiful and lively the cherry blossoms were.
Now that I’m in my second semester, I have a much better understanding of what that chaos means. My past self had no idea that in the present, I would be greeted by X-Man every Monday and Wednesday at 9 a.m. during my walk to Dwinelle Hall. I still find myself thriving in this chaos, because to me, it’s what makes Berkeley feel alive.
A full year later, it is once again spring, and Berkeley is livelier than ever. While end of semester burnout is becoming very real for me, I still find the spring love trying to creep its way in. No matter how many midterms I have to the point where the term “midterm” starts to take on a new meaning, the sight of a cherry blossom will always override my negative feelings about Berkeley.
As a southern California native, I never thought I’d be rallying my friends to whip out our bikinis and tan for 60 degree weather and a UV index of six. Yet somehow, it’s who I’ve become. The sun here feels brighter and more powerful, and now I’m overwhelmed with excitement when I check the weather and see a temperature above 58 degrees.
I’m not the only person who has succumbed to this spring effect. You can feel the magic of spring in Berkeley on any sunny day. Every time the sun comes out, Memorial Glade is packed with people, dogs, hammocks, and picnic blankets, with every person finding their own way to experience the beauty of a fairytale spring.
It’s only my first year here, but I already know that each spring I will fall in love with Berkeley all over again, thriving in its bright sun and chaos.