Meaningful Locations

As the Class of 2016 finishes up their finals and prepare their goodbyes, two outgoing seniors revisit the places which meant the most to them on campus.

SCRIPT

LAKSHMANAN: My name is Naeha Lakshmanan, my major is microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics with a minor in music industry and I’m a fourth-year.

ALARKON: Lakshmanan still has a few days left to call herself a senior. So we’re revisiting a few places on campus which made the biggest impact on her life at UCLA.

LAKSHMANAN: Back of the line for coffee at Kerckhoff – surrounded by a lot of people that are studying, talking, chilling. The coffeehouse is pretty much where I study. A lot. I only really started studying in libraries the end of my second year, so my first two years I just lived in Kerckhoff Coffee House.

ALARKON: She also works for Hooligan Theatre Company.

LAKSHMANAN: – a TV in a corner with two shelves full of books –

ALARKON: It’s a small space. There are boxes of programs from past shows and old props, along with the property of two other student groups they share the room with.

LAKSHMANAN: – tiny. Tiny. I’m really bad at spacing and proportions but it’s tiny. But it’s my favorite place on campus, easily, this building. This is where I spent all four years.

ALARKON: She spent those four years balancing academics with a diverse range of extracurriculars. And she’s had to make some tough choices.

LAKSHMANAN: You’re also  trying to figure out graduation and your life plans at the end. Do I study for my class or do I apply for jobs? But I love the company. I love what they do. I love the people. I met my best friends here. For me, it really is where I made some of the greatest relationships at UCLA.

ALARKON: Kritika Iyer knows all too well how valuable those relationships are.

IYER: My name is Kritika Iyer and I am a senior bioengineering major.

ALARKON: Iyer joined Society of Women Engineers back when she was a freshman and she says it’s been one of the most rewarding experiences to date.

IYER: Right now we’re sitting down in Kerckhoff patio. This is where I held my first big outreach event as part of the Society of Women Engineers. There’s actually been a couple of events that we’ve held here through Society of Women Engineers that are very close to my heart.

ALARKON: She discovered her passion for outreach early. She says it’s boosted her confidence and empowered her to make people alot  feel more welcome on campus–something she didn’t quite experience when she first arrived.

IYER: We wanted to build a stronger sense of community and show the incoming women engineers that there is a community of women here, there’s engineers that look like you, there’s engineers who care about you. Freshman year, I was really scared about not having friends, not finding my space on campus or where I belonged. Now that I definitely have that, I would tell my freshman self not to worry, that you will find your people.

ALARKON: Lakshmanan says incoming students should trust themselves when it comes to choosing which communities to be a part of on campus.

LAKSHMANAN: I fell in love with Hooligan and I couldn’t regret being a part of it. I think that people focus so much when they get to school on your future and what you’re going to do after this that they forget to enjoy their time here. Really just do everything that you want to do and don’t question it.

ALARKON: And her doubts about attending UCLA?

LAKSHMANAN: Every day on this campus, I question if this was the right school for me. But then I always end that saying, no duh, this is where I belong because I love it so much and I’m going to miss it like crazy.

For the Daily Bruin, I’m Katrina Alarkon.