Born and raised in Europe, Clarissa is an avid volunteer and self-professed foodie and film aficionado who recently finished her first year at UC Berkeley and plans to double major in Economics and Film Studies.

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Hey Brightstormers,

My name Clarissa and I’m currently a sophomore at UC Berkeley. I officially finished my freshmen year a little over a one week ago and I admit—I cannot get enough of Berkeley. In fact, I’ll living here for most of the summer, commuting to work at Brightstorm as an intern and hanging out with my friends who are either working too, or taking summer classes here.

Now, I don’t even know where to even begin talking about my first year at Berkeley, but I’ll give you all a condensed overview: I experienced Obama’s election win here, where roads were closed so students could run through the streets until the early morning. I’ve met Lady Gaga, ridden back from San Francisco on the bus to campus at 5 am in the morning, heard the Dalai Lama speak, helped organize and walk my first college Relay For Life, grooved to Mirah and The Pack, had countless awkward and hilarious encounters with Telegraph hobos, watched sunsets and sunrises from my seventh floor balcony, tasted delicious (and cheap) cuisine, took one too many study breaks with my floor mates, overindulged in junk food at midnight runs to King Pin donuts and the local DC, and had the independence to choose classes that started at 2 pm, yes 2, in the afternoon. For me though, the highlights were the challenging and intriguing classes I had the opportunity to take, the friends I have made (and all-nighters I pulled just to talk to them). I’ve met and seen the most diverse people this year, from the insanely obscene to the unbelievably inspirational. Here, like on many college campuses, you can find the most unique and driven people. And I was challenged, in the best way possible. There are so many stories to tell, too little time.

At Berkeley, I feel as if I can truly explore my various interests, which include volunteering for American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life and the America Red Cross, people-watching, dance parties, restaurant hopping, running, meeting new people, traveling, and film.

With this blog, I’m not only going to delve into my college experience, but I also intend on reminiscing about my high school experience and the path I took to where I am today, from writing college application essays to finally deciding on which university to matriculate to.

I will expose my experiences throughout the years—the anxiety and anticipation; my apprehension and excitement; and my disappointments as well as my highlights. I’ll try to not leave anything out. So look forward to my honest and holistic take on the high school and college experience. And also feel free to leave comments and questions—I check my Gmail religiously ☺

-Clarissa