Name: Roxanne Talamayan-Pascua
Academic Unit: School of Biological Sciences
Major: Neurobiology
Year: 4th
Extracurricular activities: LARC tutor, Student Researcher at the UCI School of Medicine in the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, AMSA Mentor/Mentee Chair
Why you love UCI: UCI has a niche for each of us if we are willing to develop it. There are so many opportunities to get involved on campus, and being able to be a part of that can be humbling at times, if we don’t get what we want, but such a confidence booster when we do get it.
What you recommend doing the most: Get involved….now! Make the time to look into different opportunities that interest you and don’t be afraid to go for it. The worst thing to do is to not try because you are afraid or you think waiting until you are “better” will help. Do research, get involved in clubs, and take advantage of the opportunities that you have and enjoy. Ask questions and don’t procrastinate…life is happening right now! Live it and enjoy it.

Name: Calvin Tan
School: Biological Sciences
Major(s): Bio Sci
Minor(s): N/A
Year: 4th
Extracurricular activities: UCI Cross Country and Track & Field, Emergency Medicine Research Associates Program, University Studies Discussion Leader, Volunteering, Photography
Why you love UCI: Irvine is a boring place, that is, if you don’t get out and explore. Find good places for food, nice spots on the beach, and of course a favorite place to study. UCI is located in the OC, near LA [~40 minutes], and San Diego [~1.5 hours]. UCI is a great place to go to school and get involved, but there’s a lot to learn nearby that isn’t taught in books.
What you recommend doing the most: Focus on school first, it’s the main reason you’re in college. Eventually you’ll find the time to fall into and be drawn towards the things that truly interest you. Get involved in those things that you connect with early and stay involved during your time at UC Irvine. Enjoy your time at UCI, but also keep one eye on the goals you hope to achieve after you leave; be sure to keep working towards them and don’t sweat the small bumps along the way.

Name: Grace Yu
School: Biological Sciences
Major(s): Biological Sciences
Minor(s): N/A
Year: 3rd
Extracurricular activities: Photography, Swing Club, Arts & Crafts, Getting to know new people and new places, Reading, Journaling, Identifying plants on nature walks/hikes, Puzzles, Learning
Why you love UCI: I find UC Irvine to be a great campus to be absorbed in due to the vast variety of opportunities available on campus. UC Irvine offers students a chance to be who they want to be, whether it’s the same person they were or a new person they have yet to be. It allows students to discover new passions, rekindle old ones and delve in deeper into existing ones. You can be you, as long as you pursue.
What you recommend doing the most: Being at one of the top research institutions, partake in research. Even if you don’t know what your passion is, find a research lab and explore. If things don’t work out and you don’t like what you’re doing in a research lab, say so, and go see what other opportunities are in store. Whether you discover what you have a passion for, or what you don’t, research is a vital part of the college experience that we are lucky to have access to here at UC Irvine.