Thank you for making me comfortable. Coming in, I didn't know if Cal was the right decision. Although all the pros to the cons made it pretty clear I was where I needed to be, there was still an uneasiness as I entered the school. I got to CalSO way too early, endured some super awkward silences with my roommates, and did almost (but didn't!) spill my breakfast onto the floor of Cafe 3. Rough start. But when you took us to our grassy spot by Barrows and greeted us with a smile, the day got a little better.
Thank you for not leaving us to fend for ourselves. I was more than a little scared of not making friends, but having you there to eat meals and restaurant hop with was so nice. Your stories about life at Cal got me excited to make some of my own, and it was on the grass during the first lunch in front of Doe Library that I finally started to feel like this could be home.
Thank you for making me laugh. Not gonna lie, there were some moments (read: when my advisor told me that I basically had to redo my entire schedule) that I was pretty close to panicking. But, your above average love for dogs, tales of Unit 3 trash fires, and constantly good attitude made me smile even when it seemed like the Cal stress was already sitting in.
Thank you for giving me directions. Despite a whole day of touring campus, I still managed to get lost walking back to Barrows. Thank you for being patient with me and helping me find my way back.
Thank you for giving me perspective. I have privilege -- some that I sometimes take for granted. Thank you for sharing your story and facilitating a discussion that pushed me out of my comfort zone. I needed to hear about life beyond the one that I'm living, and your comments on privilege and diversity opened my eyes to the amazing culture at Cal. I'm beyond excited to join this community of thinkers like you.
Thank you for making Cal feel like home. I didn't know if everything would work out, but your support, smiles, and guidance made me confident in my decision to become a Golden Bear.
Thank you.
