HaU BLOG Posts
I love my besties!!! I’ve been reflecting a lot about the transformative power of friendship. Friends have the power to push you to be a better person, to hold you accountable, and to make the bad times seem good. I don’t think there’s quite anything like platonic love, and I’m eternally grateful to be surrounded by people I love so deeply!
0 Comments
Starting spring quarter of my junior year has made it really set in how much hermanas has shaped my college experience. Since the first quarter of my freshman year, HaU has given me a space where I felt understood, welcomed, and seen. Now in my eighth quarter of being an hermana, I could not be more grateful for what this amazing organization has given me: the strongest support system, core memories, and forever friends. Although I only have one more year of HaU as an undergrad, I really look forward to all the memories I’ll get to make within this next year! Here is a collage of some of my favorite memories from this quarter!
This post is dedicated to my angels, aka the ancestors which protect me and guide me through this life. If you know me, you know that I am a believer, of many things. I am a spiritual woman, who believe that the more things I believe in, the more love I get to experience in this beautiful crazy life. But the older I get, I realize how truly protected I am by the blood that I came from. Mi tata pancho, my mom’s dad, was a man full of life. One thing about my grandparents is that regardless of how they treated their children, they always made sure that we were full of love. I remember the times I would visit Sinaloa to see my family, including my tata. It always felt so warm and the love was always so pure. Sometimes I wish I could learn everything about them and their lives so that I could understand better. There’s so many questions that I wish I could have asked. But now that they exist within me, and apart of everywhere in the world, I know that when I ask they do always find a way to give me an answer. And if they don’t, it’s for good reason; for me to learn on my own. But no matter where I go or what I do, I know that they are protecting me. I remember the first time I ever saw my angels in the sky for the very first time. I was dealing with very severe anxiety, and often to cope I would go on sunset trips to the beach, usually alone. I was there meditating, when I felt a heavy presence around me; like someone was watching. I turned and I saw a face that scared me, some stranger with tattoos on their face. I immediately felt unsafe, unable to concentrate, and anxious. When suddenly, the strangest thing happened, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, and when I looked up to check the time it was 4:44. For those who don’t know, 4:44 is the symbol of divine protection from your angels. I started to cry and as I looked ay the sky, I literally saw the face of my tata, and faces that looked like me in many different ways, in the clouds in the sky. When I turned around, the strange man was gone. I know it may sound crazy; but for a believer like me, that was all it took. After that, everywhere I went I gave thanks for the protection that I am blessed with. The more that I recognize them and gratify them, the more my angels consistently remind me that they have me. Since then, I know whenever I am lost that I will always find a way; for they guide me through any and every darkness with a guiding light, one wrapped in love and safety.
The quote above is what kept me going this quarter. This quarter was probably the most challenging and there were times where I wanted to give up but I didn’t. Although it wasn’t the easiest I can say it was the best when it came to my friends and HaU familia that stood by my side. I got the opportunity to become a tour guide for little kids, got closer to my coworkers from CCCP, and got closer to the HaU familia. Something very memorable this quarter was getting a familia in HaU, meeting my Big, having a picnic, as well as helping with the scrapbook.
During this academic year I have been reflecting a lot on what I want my present and future to look like! I created a vision board for my future <3
I’ve always been the person to pick up the most random hobbies and this has been the story of my life since I could remember but as quickly as I become interested in them, I ultimately become disinterested…It’s definitely not one of my finer qualities in life. So when I ultimately picked up film photography my senior year of High school I honestly thought it would be the same story repeated all over again. I don’t know if it was the nostalgia that seeing my film picture brought, it being the pandemic and me trying to stay busy, or just that I genuinely thought it was cool but pretty soon I knew that film photography was different. Film was just so much more exciting to me than any other digital photography, the warmth, grain, and just emotion that was captured was unlike anything else and the excitement to share my developed photos was just the best feeling.
Starting definitely wasn’t the issue especially now that disposable cameras and film, in general, is more but here are some tips in tricks if you're interested in starting to take film pictures- and disclaimer I am in no way a professional- I literally just do this for fun to capture mems and post my photos on my Film Instagram (heheheheh). The camera: Though Disposable cameras are a great and accessible option, I think The Lomography simple-use camera is the best option to begin your film journey. It’s basically the same body as a disposable camera, so it’s extremely user-friendly, and price wise it’s about $5-7 more expensive than the average disposable camera. What I love about this camera is that you get used to the basics of a film like loading and choosing your film, learning when to use flash, and just getting comfortable with film in general (also it's more environmentally friendly). Because it’s so similar to a disposable camera it doesn’t feel like too big of an investment- because you would now only need to worry about the cost of getting film and more often than not you get more exposures on a roll of film than a disposable so all in all the price balances out in my opinion. This was personally the camera I got after I decided I wanted to take a film a bit more seriously and could not recommend it more. It was a great way to finally take that jump. Another solid option is the target Heyday 35 mm film camera. It's basically the same as the Lomography simple use camera, just slightly more expensive but more easily accessible because it’s found at most if not all targets. I think either option is great to start off the journey and for it to be your “practice” camera if you’re worried about committing to a point-and-shoot. Now if you’re kind, just ready to throw yourself into film, or don’t really like the two previous options I would highly recommend looking into any film point-and-shoot! The camera I use now to take all my film pictures is the Nikon Zoom Touch 470 Af and I absolutely adore my camera. In some cases, it does end up being cheaper than the Lomography simple use or the Heyday 35mm film camera. To get any point in shooting there are a couple of ways to get one. I personally got mine from eBay for about $35 on eBay and it was practically new. Other great options are Facebook marketplace, craigslist, and local thrift stores and many tend to be super affordable. I recommend looking at the description- if buying online- and looking for it to be tested or for sellers to have a return policy, and to be in mint condition or with minimal damage. Because I was a bit more scared to purchase a camera I waited a while before I purchased my point and shoot but I do wish I would have done it sooner. The pros, in my opinion, are that point and shoots are much more durable, have better quality images, and in many cases easier to load film which makes it less likely to ruin a new roll of film. Overall no complaints and would highly recommend, and this would by far be my favorite option. The film: Now as you go on with your film journey you will definitely have more film preferences and learn what you like and dislike but just to begin or have a place to start these are my recommendations. The Fujifilm Superia X-tra 400 is in my experience the roll of film that will give you the most bang for your buck without diminishing the quality of your film. I personally get mine from CVS and it cost me about $20-27 for the pack of 3 each roll gives you 36 exposures so, all in all, you should get about 108 photos. So if I am on a budget, or need some quick film this has always been my go-to and it has never disappointed me. In my experience, I have noticed that Fujifilm gives you more of a cooler tone picture whereas another brand like Kodak will give your photos more of a warm tone (my personal preference). If you're looking to experiment with a different brand or like me and also prefer warm ones in your picture my recommendation for a more affordable option would be the Kodak Ultramax 400. Now it does vary; some will come with 36 exposures per roll while others only have 24. I have recently purchased some at Target and I got mine for about $24ish for 3 rolls and 24 exposures per roll so you would get around 72 photos. Both are great options and it really just depends more so on your personal preference. Developing: Lastly, where can you develop? Most people know about going to CVS or other stores to drop off film and you have to wait 2-4 weeks to see your prints that's what I did at the beginning but now it’s a bit different. My biggest recommendation would be to support small farm indie labs or small businesses that develop film! Most have super quick turnaround times (like 1-5 business days) and are significantly more affordable and you get digital scans of your film and almost always have the option to get back your negatives. My personal favorite is Harvey Film lab (@harveyfilmlab on ig) they have great quality film scans and a super quick turnaround time. And so this was my quick guide to launching your film journey! I hope this was helpful and if you would like to follow mine make sure to follow my Film Instagram page @gelinas.dispos I wanted to share this book; "Healing Through Words" by Rupi Kaur with my hermanas. It is more like a journal. For those who might have written in their new year's resolutions to journal more or touch in more with your feelings, this might be the journal book for you! This journaling book touches very deeply on those who read feelings, it is very personal. It has 4 chapters being "Chapter one: Hurting", "Chapter two: Loving", "Chapter three: Breaking", and "Chapter four: Healing", as well as an introduction and conclusion. This book is not only about relationships, but it is also personal and you can talk about anything. The book by Rupi Kaur has her personal experience, but throughout the pages, as you read the struggles she went through to find herself you get to open up and write about how you feel. In the first chapter; Hurting there's a prompt that asks you to sit in silence and write about "What trauma looks like to you". The book isn't just about writing consistently, there is also a lot of meditation and reflection on there's no right way to journal since everyone has a different personal experience of what has broke, heal, loved, and hurt them. I really recommend this book to you guys, the ones who are open to writing and reflecting on stuff that they keep hidden. This is for those who like to keep their thoughts personal, this journaling book by Kaur helps heal and realize that those attributes of our life should not bring us down and define us as any less but give us the motivation to learn how strong, amazing, talented, beautiful individuals we are. We all have a beautiful story to tell.
Hey you,
Guess what? You are almost at the end of winter quarter. It seemed like just yesterday you were moving in right? After this, you will just need spring quarter and then that’s it. You will be done with your first year of university. Crazy huh? This year has been tough for you and has challenged you both mentally and emotionally. You’ve been through a lot yet here you are. I’m so proud of you! And I know that inner child in you is proud too. This is a written reminder to you that you belong here. You have made the effort to be here. You took the chance to apply to your dream school. You got in! And, now you are here! Yes, it has been a hard transition, but remember that it’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, then everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great. You are doing the best you can with what you have and that’s all you can do. Remind yourself of what you have been able to overcome. All the times you felt like you weren’t going to make it through, you proved yourself wrong. You are more capable than you think you are. Continue to live life in the present, embracing every moment and experience you have. And, every once in a while, take a moment to acknowledge and recognize yourself for all of your hard work and accomplishments, even the little ones. You deserve the love. You are doing amazing and I hope you keep reminding yourself of that. Finish this year strong. You got this! love, wendy ︎︎︎♡ If you participated in our latest fundraiser, all of our items were bought locally. The vendors were really understanding and supportive, they were willing to sell their product at a lower price to help us raise funds for our organization. This is a friendly reminder to shop locally when you get the opportunity! As we chase our dreams here at UCLA, they chase theirs in the real world and need all the support they can get.
Heyyy hermanes! This blog post is for all of you who are interested in reading, or trying to get into reading! If that's you, I highly recommend you read "The House on Mango Street" by Sandra Cisneros. This is easily one of my favorite books of all time, because it's just so good. It's basically about the experience of growing up as a person of color in the U.S. It's not your average book though. Oh and by the way, for my hermanes who have already read this book, let's talk about it together please omg. Okay anyways, rather than being written in chapters, it's actually basically a little collection of a bunch of short stories, but each one is super impactful and the entire book is written in a way that's super easy to understand, so the messages it's saying easy to grasp, and they're still just so powerful. I feel like I could relate to it a lot and I just think it's an essential read for any Latina who grew up in not the best parts of a big city in the U.S., cuz it takes place in Chicago but I grew up here in South LA and I felt a lot of parallels. Even if y'all get the book and just end up reading only one of these short stories, I'll be happy because I know you'll get something from it. It's not that long though guys, it's only like 100 pages or something, I promise it's worth the read. I've actually read it like 3 times, and every time it gets me. It's lowkey emotional but I'm not gonna spoil it cuz I want you guys to find out why for yourselves!! But it really touches the soul cause it talks a lot about the Latina experience lol. Personally, I haven't read a lot of books like this and so this one I feel is super special in that way. Anyways, so yea if you're looking for a new book to read, I promise you guys this one will change your life fr, and if you do decide to read it come to talk me about it at GB meeting or something! Thank you for reading my lil tangent lol hasta luegoo <333.
I want to manifest a year for me. I'm going to use this collage as my reminder this year to make sure I make time for myself no matter the circumstance, I am choosing to put myself first. 2023 is going to be a year of self-love <3
These past few months have been one of the most challenging, yet most rewarding of my life. This quarter I've had the opportunity to grow in so many ways, meet people and do things I never would have imagined. From presenting my research to professionals in the field I'm working in, meeting scientists from across the country, performing in front of hundreds of people for the first time, getting to attend movie premiers and meet celebrities and getting to step into a new role in HaU - every experience has helped me evolve in some way, shape or form. A year ago just the though of doing some of these things scared me, but in the moment it helped me realize that I'm capable of the way more than I imagined. Stepping outside of your comfort zone can be intimidating, but in the grand scheme of things, it can lead to some of the best experiences of your life.
Hermanas Unidas de UCLA has allowed me to surround myself with so many amazing people who inspire me and make me feel welcomed in a space not made for Latinx students. I dedicate this collage to all of the beautiful people who I have been able to create memories with <3 Thank you for an amazing quarter !!
Heyy!!
Over the summer, I delved into reading again and wanted to share some of my favorites or ones I am interested in reading. I am not, by any means, a book connoisseur, just a book enthusiast :)! I am currently reading Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson and Yerba Buena: A Novel by Nina LaCour. In brief, Open Water is about a young black couple, a photographer and a dancer, and is situated in London. It essentially goes through their initial interaction, and we witness them navigating external forces that strain their relationship and make establishing themselves as artists difficult. I know the plot may seem overdone, but the way this book is written is genuinely unlike anything. There is lots of imagery and poetic language. I highly encourage you to read it! Yerba Buena: A Novel follows Emile and Sara as they mature and come to terms with some of their past trauma, and it's also a latinx queer love story!! I have barely read the tip of this iceberg and can't wait for it to take me on a new adventure. I was initially excited to read this because of its representation of the queer latinx experience and themes of maturity, forgiveness, love, and so much more!! Side note: The book deals with some heavy topics, so if you read it, as with any book, make sure you read the triggers. Reading is lovely, but I want to acknowledge that some things may resonate with us, and we may have reactions we didn't anticipate. That is valid! Acknowledge when reading something that may become too much and step aside. Books on my list: Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood Norwegian Wood - Haruki Murakami Beautiful World, Where are you?- Sally Rooney Ordinary People - Sally Rooney The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller If you have any book recommendations, I would be happy to hear them! <3 College can often feel very stressful; with the quarter system everything feels hectic and overwhelming. It's hard for me to remember a time when college didn't feel stressful. As academic chair, my goals is to support y'all in all of your academic endeavors, and provide you with the proper tools needed to succeed and flourish at UCLA. For me, nothing is more important in my academics than being prepared and organized. I wanted to share with y'all my favorite way to plan and organize my academic, work and personal life--Notion! If y'all have been to my academic events before, you've probably heard the word "Notion" come out of my mouth; I give them a lot of free promotion (like seriously they should sponsor me or something :P). In short, Notion is a free online productivity tool that you can use to manage your schooling, your professional development, habits that you want to keep track of, your favorite books/movies...literally everything and anything you can think of! The freedom you have with Notion to create whatever pages you'd like is exciting, but it can also feel nerve wracking if you just started out on the platform. I know that's how I felt when I first opened the website and stared at the blank page facing me. But if you'd like some inspiration on how I personally organize my notion, keep reading! I basically have my notion divided into five different subpages: home, dream life, index, career and academia. I use the home page as a way to organize my personal life, including my monthly and yearly goal planning, recording habits I'd like to keep track of (drinking water, exercising etc), my personal finances, and my daily to-do list. I also like to document things like how many books I've read, what movies or tv shows I've watched recently, just for fun ;) My dream life page is the space where I brainstorm all of my goals and aspirations in life. I answer questions like, what do I need in my life to be fulfilled, physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually? This page is all about manifesting what you want out of life. My index page basically serves the purpose of one of those accordion folder things where you put all of your random pieces of paper and sometimes school work (if your professors actually give out paper assignments still). This is where I jot down random notes, write down recipes I'd like to try, and other miscellaneous things. I use my career page as a way to document my professional development and career journey. I haven't used this page too much to be honest, but I plan to use this page to organize my resume and keep track of mentors and other professionals I'd like to network with. Lastly, I have my academia page, which serves as the hub for all things UCLA related. Here I organize my syllabi for each of my classes, record all of the due dates for assignments, and plan what classes I'm going to take next quarter and in the upcoming year. I also manage all of the tasks I need to complete for the various extracurricular activities I'm involved in, like hermanas unidas :) I hope you found my little notion tour helpful! Even if notion's not the productivity tool for you, I encourage you to find some platform that you can use for productivity and organization, whether that's google calendar, a traditional planner, or simply writing down your to-do list on the notes app. Use whatever fits your personal lifestyle and preferences the most. If you'd like to look more into notion, I'd recommend looking at the following videos on YouTube: https://youtu.be/YdCg7eSmYmI and https://youtu.be/9ZeF7njSQ3s. Thanks for reading!
In "Everything I Know About Love", Dolly Alderton describes platonic love as "a quiet, reassuring, relaxing, pottering, pedantic, harmonious hum of a thing; something you can easily forget is there, even though it's palms are outstretched beneath you in case you fall". She shows the beauty of feminine friendships, and emphasizes that in a world that is so focused on attaining romantic love, people seem to forget that one of the strongest yet quietest loves you can feel is platonic. Love is when Julie lets me tell her the same story despite hearing it a million times because I forget I've already told her it. Love is when Letzi let's me have the last of her oat milk because I haven't had time to go on a grocery run. Love is when Brenda offers me her incredible advice (the wisest woman I know), or when Alma sends me restaurant suggestions and insists we have to try it together. Love is the tiniest and simplest gestures that are always overlooked. So the next time your friend sends you a tiktok or tweet and says, "you" or offers you their last fry, remember that love is behind every gesture. Love is everywhere and I'm so blessed to have it so abundant in my life.
It's bittersweet entering my last year here at UCLA. I never knew what the feeling would be like because I have waited for this day since my first day of classes. Hardships are inevitable, but it's what you learn from them that really shape you. I want to manifest a year full of growth, learning, challenges, and triumphs. I want to allow myself to become the best version I can be and remind myself to enjoy the process. If any of you ever need encouragement throughout the year, don't hesitate to reach out. Most importantly know that whatever is holding you down will only be temporary, but it is ALWAYS brighter on the other side. Cheers to a great year my wonderful Hermanas! I wish that for each and every one of us <3
Hello bbs ♡ I wanted to create an infographic on one of my current passions, working out ! I wanted to share some tips and tricks on how you can start your fitness journey beause I know it can be difficult and intimidating at first. Please keep in mind that this guide is very limited and I have alot more I can say about this topic haha! So please feel free to reach out to me with any questions or concerns. You can also reach out to me if you would like a gym buddy, a fire playlist, or help with creating your split! I do not know everything and I am definetly learning as I continue on my journey! But I love sharing what I do know so that other people know that they are not alone! Con Mucho Amor, Brit
I definitely think this quarter was one of my most eventful and happiest yet. Hanging out with my friends whether it be studying, eating, going out- they carried this quarter for me. I bought a projector Fall quarter thinking I’d be using it so often- I only used it no more than 5 times. Until… recently, where it’s been my friends and I’s favorite thing. One of my most memorable events this quarter was when my friends and I had our first movie night. It made us reminisce on all our history together, especially this time of year. In the spacious double dorm we brought in two mattresses on the floor, set up the projector and laughed the whole night. It’s moments like these that make me so appreciative of life and my friends- and I can't wait to make so much more memories this coming school year.
Y supongo que aún estoy aprendiendo que mi felicidad va primero - Danny Ocean (Julie Quintero)5/15/2022 Every year comes with new challenges and obstacles. While the past few weeks have brought tears and sadness like I've never felt before, I'm learning to enjoy and live in my present. Focusing on what brings me happiness and being grateful for what I have: a supportive family and wonderful friends who constantly surround me with joy and love. I'm learning to be comfortable in my own skin and focus on my relationship with myself, learning to love my own company whether that be on small boba dates or cooking a new recipe for dinner. Self-love is a constant growth process but as long as I have my friends, family, and hermanas to support me, todo lo puedo <3
|
AuthorThe following posts will be from your fellow Hermanas. Archives
March 2023
Categories |