Like many elite universities, UC Berkeley is a university where students across the nation grind and study to have a shot at getting in. As demanding as it is to make yourself a competitive applicant to receive an offer of admittance, it’s also just as demanding to keep up and thrive in the world’s number one public university.
With rigorous academic courses, thousands of student’s clubs, and an active college party scene, coupled with many students needing to work part time, UC Berkeley is very hard to keep up with.
The pressure to succeed and overall competitive atmosphere of UC Berkeley plague’s its students’ mental and physical health, with some resorting to sabotaging others to get ahead. It’s no wonder one study found UC Berkeley students to be the #1 most depressed students in the nation. While it can be tough navigating university life, here are three things I learned that helped keep my head calm while balancing college life.
1. Get involved in campus life early
Something I’ve noticed about Berkeley is that once midterms start to hit, meeting new students becomes significantly harder. Likely because once midterm season starts, students are already underway with their extracurriculars while now having to worry about midterms. As a result, many students just tend to hang out within their cliques. As such, it’s important to get involved with campus life early in the semester. You can always drop your commitments if they’re overwhelming, and people here are more than understanding. But you can’t commit to something if your applications have been closed for three weeks.
2. It’s OK to miss lecture every now and then, just don’t make it a habit
Something that one of my student government mentors told me that I’ll never forget is that it’s common for students to skip lectures to fulfill other commitments. While it is indeed common for college students to skip lectures, it’s important not to make a habit of it. I know it’s very tempting to not go to lectures, especially with the lack of ventilation in Berkeley’s lecture halls, but it’s important to at least make the effort. Of course, there are going to be times where you don’t want to go because you won’t pay attention anyways. But it’s important to at least be proactive in going, as being proactive in a class ensures that you won’t miss any important assignments or exams and then need to drop.
3. Make Time to Take Care of Yourself
Elite universities like UC Berkeley are schools that offer a lot of opportunities that can keep you busy whenever you’re not studying for classes. I’ve taken upon a lot of those opportunities and one of the most important things I’ve learned is that the work will never stop. With the infinite number of opportunities is the infinite amount of time you’ll have to put in it. As such, it’s important to make time for yourself for self-care, even if you find yourself behind on work.
 It’s okay to not get back immediately to text messages, wait until the deadline to submit something, or to just relax and not do anything at all. No really, it really is! I’ve noticed many Berkeley students take care of projects or assignments at the last minute, because many students don’t want rigor and being overworked to be the defining experience of their time as a college undergrad. So don’t stress too much about missing deadlines – it’s more common than you think (just make sure to communicate if you are not going to make a deadline)!
Elite universities are demanding academically, professionally, and socially. As such, it’s important to keep your head cool and remind yourself how far you’ve come. It’s also important to remember that you can do it! You’ve already had the skills needed to succeed at college, which is why you were admitted into one! Remember to take care of yourself this midterm season and to just do the best you can!