Hello! My name is Natalia. I am an incoming junior at UCSC. I'm very friendly and a great people person. I am very easy to make conversation with and am able to adapt easily to different groups of people and their vibes.

Hometown

Los Angeles, CA

Major(s)

Psychology

Minor(s)

Considering Film minor

Describe your college experience

I come from Los Angeles and it was a huge adjustment, but I loved that level of change so much. It can be a lot to try and work with such great amounts of change at that age, but some people thrive with newfound independence. I like to believe that I did. I made a great bunch of friends and constantly feel supported and challenged at UCSC.

Tip for future students

I've talked with many of my friends who also experienced this, but you are going to be so hard on yourself during your first year of college. Sometimes that comes through with academic pressure or not balancing your social and work life or social anxiety, but almost everyone around you is experiencing and thinking the exact same things that you are. So go out and try the things that you want to, because everyone is too stressed about themselves and the changes in their life to focus on whatever you want to do.

Favorite class

My favorite class was my creative writing class I took this past school year. We reviewed a lot of prose pieces and short stories, analyzed, and wrote our own pieces. We reviewed them in peer groups and would expand on them twice during the course. I was glad I gave writing a try and was pleasantly surprised.

Career goals

I hope to become a child psychologist. I love trying to understand children, how they grow, and what they might need more help with.

Ideal way to spend a free night

This answer differs depending on my social battery or how my week went. Most likely, I am prepared to make plans with a group of friends like going to see a movie or hosting a get together at my house. If I need some time for myself, I might go for a walk along the beach around sunset, order in, and spend the rest of my night in my room watching a movie and drawing. Both options sound fulfilling in their own ways.

High school or secondary school

Benjamin Franklin High School, Los Angeles, CA