Confusion and fear, begone! Here are some resources for getting started at UC Berkeley.
I was a very confused first-year student. Transitioning from high school to UC Berkeley meant a lot of changes. Worry not. You belong here, Golden Bear, and the campus community is excited to welcome you! But let me tell you, managing my own class schedule and graduation requirements, finding and joining clubs on my own, learning my way around campus, and learning how to ask for help were a few of the things I had to learn along the way, and you will too! Let this article be a first step for you.
“Joining a community as big as Cal can feel overwhelming. Fortunately, resources like the Berkeley Life blog and social media offer both academic and personal insight into the Golden Bear experience. As an out-of-state student with little knowledge of California, reading Berkeley Life articles was one of my first steps in terms of feeling out the history, culture, and daily life here.” — Nina Takahashi, Class of 2026
If you were looking for an all-inclusive collection of student perspectives, experiences, and advice to assist you in your own transition, this is the spot! I’ve compiled all my recommended readings for new students on the topics of housing, managing finances, academics, life outside of classes, and other valuable resources. Take a peek at all of the links or pick out the ones you’re most interested in — I won’t be offended!
My name is Milana, and I’m here to be your guide to all things “new student!” Here’s me at a Mac DeMarco concert at our very own Greek Theater.
Getting started with housing
For a comprehensive guide to housing, read Housing: Start Here. First-year students are eligible for a two-year housing guarantee and incoming transfer students are eligible for a one-year housing guarantee. Read about Ethan’s two years living on campus.
Most first-years end up in a Residence Hall — one of the three Units, Foothill, Clark Kerr, or Blackwell Hall. Some benefits of living in a residence hall are access to the Residential Tutoring Program, a meal plan built into your housing payments (which includes many dining resources), and proximity to campus.
Many transfer and continuing students live in on-campus apartments. Meal plans are not automatically included in the payments for apartments, so you’ll need to either seek out meal plan options or cook for yourself. See what Nina eats in a week as someone without a meal plan.
Managing Finances
Financial aid and “My Finances” in CalCentral: My first piece of advice is to keep an eye on the “My Finances” tab in CalCentral, which a former Berkeley Life writer, Nina, has made a guide to. It’s also important to know how to manage your student loans — look ahead and be practical! In my first couple years at Cal, I’ve learned that financial aid is subject to change at any moment, sometimes even in the middle of the semester. If you’re interested in more advice, check out 6 Financial Aid Tips to Make Your Life Easier.
Photo courtesy of Student Affairs, from a Center for Financial Wellness Workshop.
Personal expenses: Being a student is expensive. Some students are shocked at how quickly you can spend lots of money as a college student, which is why it’s important to manage your personal finances as well. No, this absolutely does not mean sacrificing once-in-a-lifetime experiences or living off of only ramen in the dorms; it simply means making use of your student privileges, like free printing at the Open Computing Facility, the meal plans, and free on-campus services (more on this later)! For more advice, read Nolan’s blog on taming your student budget.
I really enjoy hiking and have made it a personal goal to visit as many national parks as possible. A cost-effective way to do this is to take trips with friends, clubs, or in my case, both! I joined Astrophotography at Berkeley on their trip to Yosemite. Because we went as a group of roughly 20 people, splitting a nice housing accommodation, food, renting cars, and gas equated to only around $80 per person.
Scholarships: Aside from knowing the basics of managing financial aid and your personal spending, know that there are a plethora of scholarships you can apply to throughout your time in university, both through Cal and from outside organizations. To read more about scholarships, read Nina’s scholarship search and answers to frequently asked questions.
Classes, college requirements, stay organized
How do I pick classes? There are honestly a lot of factors to consider, many of which Nolan touches on in his Tips for Choosing Classes @ Cal. Reva also covered some practical ways to plan ahead and actually schedule your semester in Choosing Classes @ Cal.
Meet requirements: Each college and school at Cal has their own set of requirements to graduate. For example, the College of Letters and Sciences requires that students complete breadth requirements in addition to the University of California and UC Berkeley campus requirements.
DeCals: DeCals, or Democratic Education at Cal, is an opportunity for Berkeley students to learn from other students for P/NP courses that count for 1-4 units, depending on how much time you’re expected to commit to them. Read the DeCal Deep Dive to learn more. In my first year at Berkeley, I took the Python DeCal, taught through the Astronomy Department, and now I teach it! DeCals can be a great way to fill in your schedule with a couple of extra units and learn something new or unique in the process.
Cover photo of DeCal Spotlight: Teaching Coding.
Stay organized: It’s not uncommon to struggle with keeping track of classes, clubs, social events, and personal endeavors, so Nina asked us writers how we stay organized. From physical calendars to bCal (how Golden Bears refer to Google Calendar), everyone manages differently. A tip: Being organized and productive doesn’t mean working yourself to the bone. Read some of our tips on maximizing your productivity.
Life outside of classes
Clubs and organizations: Clubs and campus organizations are many first-years’ stepping stones to forming social, academic, and professional relationships. Finding the right clubs for you may take some time, but remember that many Berkeley clubs are a part of the “Blue Heart Initiative,” meaning they are open membership. Search for clubs on Callink and read about where to begin.
Left: friends that I’ve made through the Undergraduate Astronomy Society (a Blue Heart club!) and I posing outside of our campus dome telescope after a night of star hopping. Right: a sunset from the Berkeley Hills that requires a small amount of rock climbing to reach.
Jobs and internships: In my experience, having a job or internship is very common as an undergrad, but it might be daunting to start looking for one if you’ve never done so before. If you’re curious about the process off campus, read Searching for Jobs & Internships and Nina’s Searching for Internships. However, many students are also offered Work-Study funds through their financial aid packages, which you can check on by visiting the “My Finances” tab, as described above. We have blogs on How to Apply and Work-Study Benefits that you can read for more detailed information.
Photo of me on a hike in Mount Tamalpais State Park.
There’s so much more to university than what’s on your resume: So we’ve talked about clubs, orgs, jobs, and internships, but university would be incredibly two-dimensional if that was all there was. Consider exploring campus and its surrounding areas in your free time, and keep in mind that there are many fun and free activities for specifically Berkeley students — make use of it while you can! As all of us writers have found, stepping outside of a strictly academic life can lead to friendships and passions in the most unexpected places; read how we’ve made friends through housing, clubs, and even study abroad in Nina’s Making Friends @ Cal.
Resources to utilize
Coming to a big, public university can be scary at first, and if you feel this way, you’re not alone! One of my biggest pieces of advice is to make use of all the resources available to you as a student. Let’s run through a few of the most important ones.
For help with academics: The Student Learning Center, or SLC, offers support from fellow students who have taken and succeeded in many foundational courses. I utilized peer tutoring for my lower and upper division math courses frequently, and attended many of my math professor’s office hours in the SLC for one-on-one guidance.
For support as a first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented college student: Make use of the Educational Opportunity Program! From mentorship networks to peer counseling, EOP is there to support those who need it. For a quick guide, read All About EOP.
For mental health support: Consider counseling and other Wellness Resources @ Cal to keep your brain and body healthy.
For career advice: Try Career Peer Advising, talking to major and college advisors, and professors and Graduate Student Instructors (GSIs) during office hours. Speaking with upperclassmen in one of my clubs, my major advisor, and UGSIs while taking Astronomy C10 led to me changing my astrophysics minor to an astrophysics major, and completely changed my career path — I recommend you take some time to do the same in your first year.
For community: Besides getting involved with clubs and orgs, there are lots of support networks on campus. For instance, read Nina’s guide to LGBTQIA+ Resources on Campus, where they outline an introductory path to finding their community. Learn about the Black Resource Center, read Gladys’s experience being Latinx @ Cal, Celebrating Native Culture and Community, and so much more.
Photo courtesy of Student Affairs.
Good luck, Golden Bears!
Hopefully this blog serves as a good starting point for as many of your questions as possible! You’ll hear this often: Cal is a big school, but there are ways to make it feel small.
Milana Berhe, Class of 2028, is majoring in astrophysics and political science and minoring in creative writing. Cover photo courtesy of Student Affairs.
Want more?
- Read up on some of Shae’s insights from her first year.
- How to find and apply to clubs on campus.
- What Nina thinks you should know before coming to Cal.
- Tips for living in the Res Halls.