When second-year environmental science student Natasha Gerhardstein first left her home in the United Kingdom for sunny Los Angeles, she prepared for the upcoming culture shock. She was not thrown off when the weather was warm until October, when professors spelled the word “color” without the letter “u” or when kids said “heart” instead of “love heart” like they do in London.
What truly shocked Gerhardstein upon her arrival was the exhaustion she felt each day after meeting so many of the new faces joining UCLA’s colossal student population. She found herself returning to her dorm feeling emotionally drained and physically exhausted after long hours of social activity with her unfamiliar peers.
“Sometimes it’s hard to distinguish between people that you get to know just from … circumstance, rather than people that you feel comfortable being around … true friends. Learning how to recognize this is very important,” said Gerhardstein.
As she experienced the duality of making new friends in college, which proved itself to be both rewarding and tiring, Gerhardstein knew she needed to make some changes to prioritize her mental well-being. She began keeping an eye out for secluded spots on campus where she could recharge in solitude.
“There’s spots around campus where there’s outdoor benches surrounded by trees, and there’s outlets at the benches. So you can sit there for hours, but you feel surrounded by nature,” said Gerhardstein. She also rejoiced when she stumbled upon the Sunken Gardens, where she enjoys lounging in the sun, and Carnesale Commons, which usually has a quiet, empty space perfect for sitting with one’s own thoughts.
Overall, finding these quiet spaces to reflect, process her emotions, listen to music and have moments to herself proved invaluable to Gerhardstein’s transition to college. Spending intentional time alone helped her be more present when around others and adjust to her new surroundings.
Second-year psychology student Bethany Santana similarly felt intimidated by the social scene at UCLA when she first entered as a freshman. While she enjoyed meeting people and going to events during the first few weeks on campus, the constant companionship and pressure to go out eventually caught up with her.
“It’s good to be around people, but it’s also important for me to be in silence with myself and relax without having to worry about others or spend a lot of energy being social,” said Santana.
To combat these feelings of social exhaustion, Santana turned to a familiarity from home: her love of sudoku. Whenever she felt drained or overwhelmed with the pressures of her new environment, she drew feelings of comfort and solace from the puzzle she often played in her childhood bedroom. Ultimately, this hobby from home helped Santana center herself.
“Bringing sudoku here made it so that I had a constant to rely on. It is something stable in my life … If I feel overwhelmed by the pressures of school and friendships, at least I know I have something to destress with,” said Santana.
As she adjusted to her first year on campus and her many difficult classes pertaining to her psychology major, sudoku was a small piece of home she could keep within the confines of her dorm.
Outside of taking personal time for self-care, other Bruins report that staying active has aided their transition to college life. Second-year economics and statistics student Andrew Bush, for example, used his newfound hobby of exercising at the gym to create a stable routine on campus.
Initially, he found aspects of his transition to college challenging. Adjusting to a new environment proved difficult at first, as he was forced to adapt to life in a large city. “The transition was somewhat difficult because I think it’s challenging to find depth in the superficiality of LA,” said Bush.
With the desire to become comfortable in his routine at college, he sought to pick up a habit that would positively impact him each day. He decided to become a gym member, as both of his roommates offered to demonstrate how to properly and safely use the equipment. Now, attending the gym is a part of his mornings that he relies on for stress relief and personal enjoyment. It has helped him find stability amidst the otherwise hectic nature of LA.
“Although the transition is still ongoing, I feel like staying active has made it easier, for sure,” said Bush.
Ultimately, Bush’s hobby of exercising at the Bruin Fitness Center and the John Wooden Center has helped him adapt to college life, as the gym is a resource he can employ whenever he needs a boost of serotonin. When the classes for his two majors become too challenging, he knows where he can rid himself of stressful energy and re-center.
Similarly, second-year applied mathematics student Ian Staniford accredits his smooth transition into college life to his participation in the Club Water Polo team at UCLA. Since childhood, water polo has been a major part of Staniford’s life, as he played on club and school teams until his senior year of high school. His involvement at UCLA proved invaluable, as it brought a sense of comfort and fun to college that he did not want to lose.
After arriving at UCLA, Staniford found that the water polo team allowed him to navigate the large student body, as the “sheer amount of people” was initially shocking. However, once he found this team environment, he felt at home with a group of people who loved aggressive water sports as much as he did.
“I think it was tough not knowing anyone, and I was a little nervous. By joining water polo, I found a cool group of people I already had common interests with. It was a pretty good support system,” said Staniford.
Staniford recommends involvement in club sports to incoming Bruins, as they helped him find a community he cares about. He found this team aspect extremely comforting as an incoming freshman, and he felt that it added a sense of security to his initial months at school.
Ultimately, Staniford leaves incoming students with the following message: “I think club sports are a very good thing to get involved in here. They keep you active, they’re a great support system and they’re great ways to meet new people. The socials are pretty fun, too.”
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Illustration by Erin Park/BruinLife
