I was definitely feeling in a great mood over the weekend, actually I did not feel like it was real life at all. On Friday night it was my roommate Shannon's birthday, so we went downtown to dinner and tried out a place called 'The Brewhouse', it was quite homely food, which was pretty nice. And we got her a huge cake to have when we got home, always the best part! Actually the meal became a celebration also really, my other roommate has also been admitted to Berkeley for Spring, and two of my other friends there are off to UCSB in the Fall, happiness everywhere. Whether staying here or moving on, these next few weeks will be the last as we've known life for the past two years. Both sad and exciting really!
On Sunday, we headed up to the mountains to visit Red Rock, we've wanted to go for so long. Last time we went it was closed because of the past storm. This time although it was pretty windy it was open and the water was so pretty. It was really great to have our old roommate Dayna back visiting from New York. I definitely think she appreciated California 100 times more, after their horrid winter. She says she misses SB so much and is itching to come back and start her Radiography program at CC. This place is really great that once you get away from it, you just have to come back! I'm hoping we are going to go back up there on Saturday because the weather is going to be really hot, so we can actually swim. Beautiful place, and not a hike as I am so lazy, I was glad it was just a stroll away from the car. On the way back, unfortunately our car hydroplaned off the road, over some rocks and got stuck. We were all okay, if a little shaken up, but with our strength we managed to move the truck back onto the road. Pretty dramatic end to the peaceful day. Enjoy the song below if you need any cheering up or something to put on when you're lying in the sun!
This week I am trying to get the majority of my work done for the rest of the semester. I had a bit of a worry on Monday about moving to Berkeley. I really didn't want to worry about it at all, just celebrate the few years of hard work, but I was really brought down to earth by peoples questions. Then my Dad had a good talking to me, he made me realize that I have done the huge move from England to Santa Barbara, so moving to SF is really not a huge deal. It's still 12 hours from home, and 8 hours behind, and i'll still go home twice a year. Now i'm really not worried, i'm excited to make new friends, to be academically stretched, and to live in a city, it's just going to be absolutely amazing. Life is too short not to embrace success and just enjoy it for a bit! I'm really going to ensure I get the best out of my last few weeks here, I am really sad that this is ending. It couldn't have been more brilliant, but when you get too comfortable it's time to go. I have one more paper due in for the semester, I want to finish some Maths this week and study for one final midterm before finals. This will ease up the weekends completely to have some fun:) Today, I realized how lucky I have been this semester, I spent most the day lounging in the sun in my front yard, relaxing and reading my book. What could be greater! Have a great rest of your week!
Firstly thank you everyone for your support about my last post, I really really appreciate everyone's kind words. Today I found out something I did not see happening in my wildest dreams. I had been accepted to UCLA and there was just one school remaining. I had completely ruled out ever, ever getting in, especially for Political Science, the most renowned major at this school. Then today, I checked my status and I have been accepted to UC Berkeley's Political Science program. I am speechless, as you saw in my last post I was ecstatic at being accepted to UCLA. Now, my mums former school, a school I thought would never,ever take me, that was so unreachable I was not sure I should even apply, but they have offered me a place for Fall 2014. Wow. I guess dreams do really come true, so now where to go? I never ever thought I would be in this position. I know people say, they thought they would not get in anywhere, but I really didn't. For now, I am just going to celebrate my admittance to UCSB, UCB, UCLA, UCSD and UCD!
Onto Coachella, that was an incredible weekend. If you can ever afford the $$$$$$ of dollars it costs to go, go! I hate camping, I am the biggest princess but I managed to survive, with only one minor breakdown! There was no mirror :( I forgot a mirror, and I realized I couldn't straighten my hair for 4 days! But it was worth it. My favorite people to see were Disclosure, Flume, Pharrell Williams because he brought on Jay-z, Lana Del Rey, Ellie Goulding, Rudimental, Calvin Harris, Foster the People and Lorde. Actually I could go on, but then i'd list everyone we saw. But i've been to festivals before, but Coachella is different, it has the most amazing art. The imagination and time that has gone into it is amazing. It was pretty nice to sit in the shade and just watch the lights change color, or the huge robot move around the polo field. It really adds something to the atmosphere, especially when it is so so hot. It was really bizarre how many international people there were, the majority were British so that was really nice! I definitely want to return next year, now I know I can handle the camping. A truly incredible weekend, and a really amazing period of my life at the moment. Even though I returned from Coachella, voiceless and exhausted, I am on cloud nine! I can't believe there is less than a month left and so much has happened, so much that I didn't think could happen or would. I am going to need a few days for everything to sink in.
Tomorrow is the annual International Ambassador Soccer Tournament, there is meant to be a lot of teams playing so that will be exciting. I hope to attend for a few hours and part of my job will be handing out this survey. https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/KCHDKPT This is what the International Studies Association and Pangea Club have been working on for weeks, to look at the relationship of International students and domestic students. If you have a spare moment, please take it! Oh and below my favorite the British boys that are Disclosure, featuring Mary J Blige.
I am a little worse for wear after the most incredible weekend of my life at Coachella. I will separately post about this when I have all the pictures together. But I just wanted to share some good news with you. Whilst at Coachella the UCLA decisions were released. I frantically ran to the charging station to get some life to my phone, and then tried to log into the UCLA website to find out my decision. After ten painstaking minutes, trying to find my ID number, I found out that I have been accepted to the Political Science Program at UCLA for Fall 2014. I can honestly say this is one of the happiest moments of my life. I was surrounded by two of my closest friends, and I let out tears of happiness and relief. I have wanted to attend a UC and really UCLA since I was 11. I don't think even for a moment I thought i'd actually get in, i'm full of self doubt, and i've had to check that i've got in about 20 times since Saturday. The last few weeks I decided that the only way to cope with the worry and the stress of not knowing, was just to convince myself that I hadn't been accepted so to save myself the downfall.
Whilst these last two years have been extremely hard work to try and put myself into a position where I would be accepted, it has 100% been worth it. And I know my parents regularly read this and i've said it over Skype, but I would just like to say a huge thank you for their continued support, everything I am, is because of them and the fact they have given me the opportunity to even apply, I will very much always be grateful for. I don't think for people that knew me a few years ago that they or myself would ever think this was a feasible reality, but it's strange how things turn out.
I do have one final school that I am waiting to hear back from, which is one of my top choices also, but for now I am just going to relish this moment! As my mum said, now I can have a decent nights sleep without waking up worrying! So now I enter my final few weeks of Santa Barbara living and of course this blog. I hope my final posts can give some long lasting advice and the emotional day of leaving is now fast approaching. Scary, but also exciting, I am excited for this new path, but I will be visiting SB a lot because I adore a lot of people here. Well, I will post later on this week when I have a little more energy, but for now have a great rest of your week! Enjoy the sunshine if you're in SB! And if you are still waiting to hear back from places good luck, everything always has a funny way of turning out!
Few tips for applying to your dream school:
1) Get involved- if they want to see leadership, if they want to see you are more than just grades, get involved in things to do with your major, or not but do something!
2) A's don't hurt, strive to achieve as higher grades that you can, even if you are not straight A's, keep working at it will pay off.
3) Choose a major you love, that you feel passionately about, it shows in your personal statement.
4) Research the school, what do they want, what are they looking for, are you right for them?
5) Acceptance or Rejection- know that if you put the hard work in that is the most important thing. But mostly BELIEVE in yourself, if I had some more of that over the last two years, I would have been a lot happier! Good Luck! Nothing is impossible!
On Thursday I am off to Coachella, with three of my closest friends here. I couldn't be more excited. For me, this will be one of our last adventures together, and this has really been dawning on me.
These last few days, I've felt really unwell, really tired, and drained. The pressure of not knowing where i'm going next year is whilst most the time really manageable, but sometimes its all you can think about. I think the pressure is building because i've come to the realization now, everywhere i've gotten in so far, is not really the right place for me. I go a lot on what I feel when i'm on campus, how does being there make me feel? I think this is a sure way of knowing whether you're in the right place. Even the first time I came to SBCC, about two days before the start of term, I was amazed. Two years on it's still unbeatable, and truth be told I only wish it was a four-year so I wouldn't have to move. Actually it is only one of three campus' that i've ever felt so at home in. It's not just beautiful, there is a really friendly and energizing vibe going on.
I thought about writing this week a little about my expectations vs reality of life here over the two years. I want my blog over these final few weeks to be left with lots of advice and help for any new students.
1) I definitely expected to feel more homesick. The reality: There have only been two occasions in two years I have felt truly homesick. Maybe it is different for everyone, but for me, I am really close with my family, I love my home, but it has not dragged me down when I have been here for the most part. I would say tricky times can sometimes be when you are really stressed, maybe the last few weeks of the semester, and when you return from Summer.
2) I'll become more American. The reality: Nope, not at all. In fact quite the opposite, I think you learn to embrace your culture much more being away from it. I am a lot more patriotic then I ever was back home. There are elements of American culture I much prefer, like their friendliness and their huge portion sizes, but for the most part I still feel 100% British. I think knowing you are different from everyone else, makes you want to hold onto that originality far more. 3) I can coast for two years (not do that much work, relax on the beach and socialize). Reality: I don't think i've ever worked harder in my entire life. Of course you can coast, you can do that anywhere in life, but don't expect to transfer anywhere good. The education here in my major has been brilliant, i've found it engaging and my thinking has improved no end. Yes, last semester was a really hard, long slog, but this semester has been way, way easier. So you can find the balance, and have some fun too.
Alrite, that's it for now, I shall continue after Coachella!
I also wanted to share some advice on what i've found in applying to private schools. If you are doing the Common Application for these schools and need to assign a Registar, follow this link http://www.sbcc.edu/transfercenter/Revised%20Instructions%20for%20the%20Transfer%20Registrar%20Report.pdf Also, if you want Transfer help and to speak to a really good person, I would recommend Angela Warren at the Transfer Academy. You need to make an appointment with her personally, in which you can discuss your options and get everything in place.
I just put in for my degrees from SBCC, I hope to get a Political Science one and a Liberal Arts degree. I found the application for this quite confusing, so here are some links to help you out. To find which degrees you may be able to get, you need to do a DARS Audit. https://www.sbcc.edu/dars/ This takes all the classes you've taken and sees which degrees you can get. Below is my favorite British singer at the moment, Sam Smith, if you love some relaxing music at this point of the semester, he's your man.
I don't have any experience in applying to CSU's but when applying to UC's I would explore the options of 'TAG'. Where you can get admission to a certain UC as long as you follow the classes they want you to take. I've done it for Davis, and it is a great backup. I would also advise joining the Transfer Academy, just because they constantly email you about field trips to the UC's and meetings to help you with your application. Whilst the UC deadline for Fall 2014, is the end of November, the private school deadlines don't tend to be until April 1st. So you have to make sure you are prepared to write more personal statements around March time, if you are going to apply to both. Personally, I found this such a struggle. I think I found that my motivation really dropped to write new personal statements. So be realistic in where you want to go, don't just apply for the sake of applying. I am a firm believer that admissions can really tell if you are just applying for no reason. But don't limit yourself with schools, i've applied to seven, I think. Perhaps this is a little high and 3/4 is fine but it's up to you. Also, don't be afraid to expand your options, if finances allow, there are amazing places on the East Coast too, you don't have to be limited to California. But this is of course the best place to study! And finally, the best piece of advice I can give is just not to talk about transferring after you've applied. It will dominate conversation with everyone, everyone you speak to, but only if you let it. It literally will then consume you and make you worry so much, so the best thing is literally continue with your life and just live day to day, and talk about something far more interesting! Hope this helps a little.
Apologies for not posting recently, the last few weeks have been pretty busy.
Firstly, Spring Break was incredible. Earlier, I said I was heading to Arizona with my friends. We had a really lovely time, visiting the incredible Grand Canyon and eating out a lot, where my friend lives in Scottsdale is known for it's eateries. We got a luxurious hotel for the night and hung out in the hot tub for hours which was brilliant. It's always a bit weird leaving Santa Barbara because I feel at home here, when I leave I feel like a tourist again. I do like to see other parts of America though, and this was a really relaxing time with great friends. We spent about a week in Arizona, actually whatever you may have heard about Arizona, I really like the place. It's so modern, clean and there is a lot to do. I highly recommend Scottsdale, it reminds me of Egypt or
Dubai, just without the ocean.
Then my friends from England came over. So my roommate and I headed down to LA to show them around. We enjoyed showing them Venice Beach, Santa Monica pier, UCLA and the Hollywood Sign. Actually I had never done the hike up by the sign so I really enjoyed that. It was great to explore UCLA again, i'm still waiting to hear back from them but the area around the school is really nice, and has such nice places to eat. Actually, that week I heard back from UCSB, who gave me a lovely acceptance letter! I was really happy, even though it's not my first choice, I would be happy staying here and going to UCSB. The UC's give you their decisions throughout March- May, a huge window. Usually, UCSD, UCSB, UC Davis are the first ones to notify you in the month of March and early April. Then UCLA and Berkeley will notify you last, at the end of April to the 1st of May. It's definitely a tricky time because you have no idea where you are going, but you just have to know you can't do anything about it, so you just try and stay occupied.
Anyway, my friends and I then headed back up to LA and they spent the next few days living with me and touring Santa Barbara. I showed them the Douglas Preserve, State Street, Deltopia, they went off Whale watching, Montecito to see Oprah's house, SBCC Campus, and high up in the mountains so they could see the view over Santa Barbara. Actually showing them around made me realize how much I don't want to leave this place, it is ridiculous where we live. My life is really here now, I know i'll return in two years but this place has really become home. I'm really happy my friends got to see my life out here and see what an amazing place this is too!
Of course, the end of Deltopia was really awful and it was a really shame things got so out of hand. I just think it's really important to remember that IV, has been a great place for me to live these two years. It has on the whole a real buzz to it, it's a lot of fun, has a good beach, places to eat, and your friends are so close. Saturday night was nothing i'd ever associate with this place, it is important to note that it was majority not people that live in IV, it was hopefully just a one off unfortunate event. What was great to see and hear about is actually the number of students that were involved in the clear up, we care about our community here and Saturday night was by no means a representation of IV life.
This week I am trying to get the majority of my work done for the rest of the semester. I had a bit of a worry on Monday about moving to Berkeley. I really didn't want to worry about it at all, just celebrate the few years of hard work, but I was really brought down to earth by peoples questions. Then my Dad had a good talking to me, he made me realize that I have done the huge move from England to Santa Barbara, so moving to SF is really not a huge deal. It's still 12 hours from home, and 8 hours behind, and i'll still go home twice a year. Now i'm really not worried, i'm excited to make new friends, to be academically stretched, and to live in a city, it's just going to be absolutely amazing. Life is too short not to embrace success and just enjoy it for a bit! I'm really going to ensure I get the best out of my last few weeks here, I am really sad that this is ending. It couldn't have been more brilliant, but when you get too comfortable it's time to go. I have one more paper due in for the semester, I want to finish some Maths this week and study for one final midterm before finals. This will ease up the weekends completely to have some fun:) Today, I realized how lucky I have been this semester, I spent most the day lounging in the sun in my front yard, relaxing and reading my book. What could be greater! Have a great rest of your week!
