Strength in Numbers: Building Success Through Community
"Now what?"
That was the first question I asked myself as I stepped onto my university's campus as a brand-new transfer student. After countless late nights of applying, researching, and planning, I didn't find myself where I thought I would be. Instead, financial constraints forced me to pivot to a different institution, city, and academic program.
When you're beginning your college career, settling in can feel especially tough, whether it's due to age, income, transfer status, identity, or being first-generation, like I was. Although it takes a little extra time and effort, finding your community is not just possible, it's powerful. While I was not where I had planned on being, I was surrounded by a group of intellectual, creative, and passionate classmates. Together we created a community that became a formative aspect of my education.
But how do we find our community?
For me, it was crucial that I determined exactly what I wanted to achieve through my education. My first task was to identify my passions and interests outside of my coursework. I looked at how I could mix what I was learning in my sociology courses with my desire to tell stories in creative forms. I sought out opportunities on campus that would bring me close to others who shared my passion for writing, politics, and media. This is how I discovered that student organizations are one of many ways to find your community.
Through The Daily Californian, a student-run newspaper, I found creative fulfillment. Joining the multimedia department allowed me to learn the ins and outs of journalism with a team whose priority was to collaboratively cover local news. While I chose to join the newspaper, the list of organizations offering opportunities to students are plentiful. For example, some of my friends worked at the Human Rights Center, where they advocated against global abuses. Others joined consulting groups that provided services to local businesses and have continued on that same career path.
Outside of daily lectures and student groups, I also found support among other transfer students. Being simultaneously a new student and two years into my college education created the need to find others who shared that background. With transfer students making up roughly 40% of the US undergraduate population, I was already surrounded by that community. Together we formed connections and navigated the resources offered across campus, including career services and academic programs.
Many students overlook academic and career support services. Less than 20% of students make use of their college’s career center, yet students who do use these services speak highly of the support they receive. This guidance was instrumental in my student experience. These resources exist in different forms throughout more than 3,000 universities in the US, and beyond if you choose to study abroad.
The most important lesson I learned is to never feel locked into one academic or career path. Not attending my first-choice school taught me that even when a change in direction is unanticipated, it can yield results that you never anticipated. I saw many of my classmates change their area of study and career goals many times, some even with only a year left in their education, and they all succeeded in receiving their degrees and going on to fulfilling occupations. Higher education is about learning who we are and what we want to do.
There is no one formula for success. Instead, it is more important to experiment and create personal goals for ourselves that bring us closer to our individual visions of success. When one part of that journey doesn’t fall into place, it does not dissolve everything else. Looking back, I am grateful to have attended UC Berkeley and been a part of the vibrant community that exists there. Wherever you end up, whether it is your first choice or somewhere you never thought you would be, identify your goals, utilize resources, and find your community. In turn, you’ll find success.