Undergraduate Student Stories
Vanessa Tablada Aleman
I went to community college and then transferred to UC Davis. I went to UCD to be close to my family and because it was well known for its medical school. I chose Biopsychology because I wanted to be more knowledgeable in the health field to know how to best take care of my family and others.
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Advice: Though you may come across some barriers, keep in mind, you may have to withstand some adversity before things get better. Never settle for less, if you want to do something, go for it and don’t let anybody tell you otherwise. Just remember, you are your biggest critic.
Isidro Herrera
I am in college to pursue a better future. I randomly applied to colleges in high school and chose this one after graduation. I have been here for five years and graduate soon.
I want to figure out why I did the things I did as a child, what psychological processes were in effect when I made some crucial decisions in my life. I also want to help those who do not have a voice in marginalized communities.
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Advice: No matter how bad things get, you're going to make it.
Rojaye
I want to prove myself, especially so that I can achieve any goal I can by earning this degree and find myself a career path in which I can help people. Before I started college I wish I had more guidance or looked into the resources on campus, furthermore going to class is just as important as studying!
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Advice: Find yourself, find out the crowd you belong in, make friends and laugh, work your butt off because these 3-5+ years will disappear before you know it. Plan ahead if you can, prioritize what is important to you. Yes, you can have a social life! Be healthy, sleep well and get good grades, it is possible! There is no shame in working more or less depending on your needs.
BriAnna Wade
Fourth year Managerial Economics, B.A., Minor in Chinese. I am in college because I love to learn and wanted to be a trailblazer for my family. I come from an impoverished family where half of my family never graduated from high school, and I want to teach my nieces and nephews how to get out of the cycle of poverty. I want to learn about money and how it flows, so I can help myself and the next generation of my family. With my education, I want to start my own jewelry business. I already sell my own pieces but I want a physical shop.
Advice: All of my negative college experiences are attributed to poor time management. I am still learning this! Take time to figure out who you are and want you want so you can have a more concrete vision. Than college will be easier because you will know your goal(s) and what you are working towards, and when uncertain, why you are in college. Furthermore, to stand out you need to do more than the minimum and often more than your other peers. Lastly, set outside fun stuff/ stuff you love each week and do it, or you will become miserable!
Charit Mehta
Fourth year in Biomedical Engineering with a minor in Technology Management.
I wanted to go to college to pursue a higher education, get a great career, and ultimately contribute to society. With my degree in Biomedical Engineering, I plan on getting an entry level job in the medical device industry. After a couple years, depending on my interests, I will either get a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or an MBA. My later goal is to get into product management for a startup medical device company.
I haven’t had any careers yet, but I have done internships at a medical device company, a research lab, and a hospital.
I wish I knew how to take better notes and prioritize by time in a more efficient manner. It took me awhile to get those skills down in college.
Advice: the best advice I can offer to someone is to do a lot of research about the school they are going to along with the major. It’s important to enjoy what you’re learning because it will motivate you to succeed.
Mariana Huben
English Literature, B.A., and Linguistics, B.A.
Began as a first year from high school at UC Davis.
I have always loved learning and wanted to pursue higher education in the fields that I love.
I chose UCD because I wanted a big school, preferably with in-state tuition. I knew Davis had a strong English program that consistently ranks well, and I loved the atmosphere on campus. Everyone seemed so friendly and the school just felt like the right fit for me.
I have always enjoyed reading and writing, so English was where I started. I grew to love the process of learning about languages in general, so I double majored in Linguistics so I could continue learning about the technical parts of languages as well as learning to analyze literature in the English language.
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Advice: You are your own best friend. Be kind to yourself, do what makes you happy, and surround yourself with people who make you happy.