With such a diverse student population, there is no same UCLA student experience. However, there are certain little things that bring us all together. With graduation season upon us, I wanted to hear what sums up the UCLA experience from our graduating seniors. I asked them to fill in the blank to “You’re not a real Bruin until…” and these were their responses:
- You’ve been bruintized in the inverted fountain
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A few people said this, which speaks to its prominence as a Bruin rite of passage.
- You’ve fallen into the inverted fountain
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This comes from HC at UCLA’s very own Senior Editor, Megha, who took being bruintized to a whole new level!
Universal Pictures - You fall asleep in the Young Research Library
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This was another popular response, though I can’t say I’ve ever fallen asleep on campus. One person recalls their experience at YRL:
“When I woke up from my nap at YRL, I noticed the girl right next to me was sleeping too. Later that day, I came back to the library and another person was sleeping in the same spot I was in. Apparently YRL is a popular nap spot!”
- You’ve cried over a class/exam
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If this has happened to you, know that you are in good company (multiple respondents of this survey and myself included). In fact, I’ve even cried after a discussion section. Unfortunately, it wasn’t just difficult to get into UCLA. The classes are tough too.
- You’ve had the tiramisu at Epicuria
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Epicuria’s desserts are some of the best, especially the tiramisu and espresso panna cotta.
- You join that org that becomes your safe space and comfort zone
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I love this answer so much. At a school as big as UCLA, there’s a club for literally any interest. Finding those fun (sometimes niche) groups can make all the difference.
- You wait 30 minutes in line for a sandwich
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Thuyen elaborates on this response by saying “Study thingz.” I couldn’t have said it better myself. The things we’ll do for a sandwich or mini pizza.
Christin Urso / Spoon - You spend $5 on laundry for the week
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Another on point observation from Thuyen. When doing laundry on the Hill, you are sure to encounter at least a few out-of-order washers and dryers.
Lindsay Thompson / Her Campus - You’ve gotten so hopelessly lost in Boelter Hall you feel like you’ll never escape
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I’ve never had a class in Boelter, but my enemy for the same reason is the Mathematical Sciences building. As if the classes themselves at UCLA aren’t hard enough, we have the added task of searching for the classrooms.
- You’ve waited on the side of Kerkhoff for a table
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Viviana and I share this struggle. It is beyond me how people manage to get tables at Kerkhoff. I think I’ve sat inside maybe twice.
It’s safe to say we make so many memories during our time at UCLA, be it through concerts, sports games or just grabbing food with friends. Amidst the flashier memories, I often find that these little moments stick with people just as well. If you’re graduating soon, I hope your Bruin experience was a good one. Congratulations!