Transition to Berkeley By Sarah Zhang

One of the questions that we as mentors get the most are the ones concerning adjusting between Sciences Po and Berkeley. How does one go from a small, close knit university in France to one of the largest public universities not only in the United States, but in the world? It is natural to have fears and anxieties about moving between two completely different academic, social, and cultural contexts. I hope that sharing my experience and insights can make prospective and incoming students more comfortable.

I was also slightly concerned about the transition from Sciences Po to UC Berkeley. Before college I had never really left my small hometown and was worried about making friends. Even though I’m not the most outgoing at first, I found that I was able to make some incredibly meaningful friends I still talk to every day. You won’t feel like you’re missing out when you have to leave your friends at Sciences Po because normal track students also leave for their third year to study abroad. Additionally, you will be entering Berkeley with your program mates you have known for two years, so it won’t be the case that you don’t know anyone in Berkeley.

Another good piece of news is that third year is a very common year for students to enter Berkeley. There are many junior transfers who come mostly from Califormnia community colleges. You will definitely not be the only third year who is new to campus. All new incoming students participate in Golden Bear Orientation. You won’t have to go through this process grouped with freshmen as you;ll be sorted into a group for transfers and re-entry students. This is a great initial way to make friends! Additionally, there are many resources for you at the Transfer Center which include mixers and career fairs. There are of course even wider resources available to you around Berkeley, but the Transfer Center can be a place that can address the specific needs of students who have not started at Berkeley freshman year.

It’s not the easiest thing right away to transition between two very different environments, but there are many ways to build community, including through the housing you choose, options for which are detailed in another post. There are two guaranteed options for housing at Berkeley and made friends.l Living in communal space can help you feel at home, and that there are people happy to see you when you come home from a long day of class. This can be very helpful in building community. Socially, I think you can also think of it as a way to seek out a different community than you had at Sciences Po. You won’t know everyone’s face at Cal but that can make your experience more diverse with all the people there are to meet. Because Berkeley is so large, there really isn’t a universal experience! A lot of my friends who have chosen a traditional four year university program tend to stick with the same friends and activities. I think about how many opportunities the Dual Degree has offered me to meet new people and try new activities and feel lucky that I have enjoyed this privilege. A great way to integrate socially is to join clubs and organizations that align with your professional and personal interests. I have made friends this way and it is a great way to both get involved and further build a community at Berkeley. Don’t feel pressured to join everything that interests you or catches your eye. This can be overwhelming and intimidating especially when you’re adjusting to a new environment. That being said, there is no right way to go about your time at Cal. Feel free to take your time, explore, have fun with friends, and do what feels best for you!