Hi! My name is Erica, and I am a junior at UC Berkeley. I transferred to Berkeley from Irvine Valley College in Southern California. Here are 4 fun facts about me: 1. My favorite band is Pink Floyd 2. I write compose my own music 3. I am an avid baker and can make croissants from scratch! 4. I am interested in studying topology or EPS (Earth & Planetary Science) in grad school I am really excited to show you around our gorgeous campus. At Berkeley, you will be able to study broadly and without fear. There are so many majors and classes offered here, and you'll find many communities of incredibly passionate people who are here to learn and grow alongside you. I look forward to getting to know you on the tour and provide you with everything you need to get started at Cal. GO BEARS!! : 0-)

Hometown

Orange County, California

Major(s)

Applied Mathematics (concentration in Earth & Planetary Science), Music

Minor(s)

Chinese

Clubs, organizations & involvement

MUSA (Mathematical Undergraduate Student Association), LINDY at Sproul

Describe your college experience

I love the atmosphere & culture at Cal. I had a smooth transition to college because I already knew the flow of classes as a transfer. However, there are a lot of different types of support offered on campus for students to make adapting to Cal easier, such as the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) for first generation students. The classes here do have a high caliber of difficulty and that is an adjustment; I love collaborating with my peers to work on problem sets.

Tip for future students

1. Opportunities There are an abundance of resources and opportunities here at Berkeley, but you have to look for them yourself and advocate for yourself since Cal has an enormous student body and it is impossible to cater to each student (e.g. scheduling appointments with academic advisors yourself, as they will not contact you individually) 2. Housing If affordability is a factor, consider living off campus. Berkeley is very walkable and public-transportation friendly as all students get a Clipper pass (free AC Bus Transit and BART train). 3. Classes You can take a class at Berkeley P​/​NP if it is not a major required class. This is a good way to explore your interests in other subjects besides your major. Additionally, there are DeCal classes offered which are also P​/​NP, and they are ran by Berkeley students who know how to teach the subject.

Favorite class

Math 110, Upper Division Abstract Linear Algebra! This class is all proof-based, and the lectures are very dense. I have a very good GSI (graduate student instructor) for this class. GSIs often teach summer classes here at Berkeley, and they are Ph.D. students who are also doing their own research. This class has been challenging in the best way possible. It not only builds up your ability to draft rigorous proofs, but also allows you to think and approach a problem in multiple ways. Additionally, it is helpful to think about proofs visually (e.g. drawing a picture) before fully writing it out. Some topics we cover in this class are linear transformations, vector spaces over fields, subspaces, change of bases, dual spaces​/​maps, matrices and function composition, eigenvectors​/​eigenvalues, Jordan Canonical Forms, and determinants.

Career goals

Mathematics Professor​/​Researcher, Planetary Scientist, Film Music Composer​/​Producer

Ideal way to spend a free night

Visit the Sleepy Cat Bookstore (Lyla is the best cat ever), watch sunset at the Berkeley Marina, and go sing Karaoke with friends at Jaguar

High school or secondary school

Valencia High School, Placentia, California

Previous college

I transferred from Irvine Valley College (IVC). While at IVC, I was on the competitive speech and debate team and got to represent my school at nationals in Virginia. I also was a teaching assistant for both calc 1 and calc 2 in addition to being a math center tutor for all subjects (up to differential equations and linear algebra). As a first generation student, I had to navigate the system by myself and seek out multiple counselors to make sure the classes​/​credits I have planned will transfer.

Favorite spot on campus

The Student Learning Center (includes the transfer center, writing center, lower​/​upper division math tutoring, and other services) because I always go there to study with friends or get math help! Upper division classes are difficult, and I am so grateful that there is always drop-in tutoring at the SLC.