Undergraduate Undeclared Advising Program
Brenda Cabanas
Major(s): Psychological Science; Education Sciences
Hometown: Garden Grove, CA
Extracurriculars
* U/U Mentorship Program Coordinator at UCI (2024-Present)
* AVID Tutor at my alma mater (2022-Present)
* Going to the ARC!
Why do you love UCI?
I fell in love with the campus when I first visited back as a high school freshman, but learned to love the community within. The people I’ve met here have always been open and friendly, not to mention cooperative! I don’t feel like anyone is trying to gate-keep resources or be on step above you and I appreciate knowing everyone wants to help each other succeed. UCI has so many different programs and resources that I’m so grateful for. Seeing the abundance of resources helps me feel less alone on campus and completing supported by the school and those helping to maintain the programs. I also love that UCI isn’t to far away from me since I love spending time on campus and getting to develop new friendships with classmates. I had dreamed of coming to UCI since that freshman visit, and seeing my dream become a reality has been so life changing. Being on campus is exactly how I imagined, like it was meant to be the school for me.
How can you be a successful Anteater?
Being a successful Anteater requires time-management and resilience. With how quickly the quarter system moves, knowing how to balance your academic and personal life is crucial. Success should not only be defined by academic achievements and accomplishments, but also by quality of life. Success is about thriving, not solely surviving. It’s important to develop useful relationships at UCI, whether those relationships support you emotionally, professionally, academically, or all three! Making time to not only succeed academically but also succeed in your relationships is so important to get the whole college experience. Developing resilience will help you overcome the obstacles and challenges of college by learning to adapt to situations and view perceived negative experiences from a positive perspective. Learn how to develop resilience, how to manage your time, and you’ll be able to get the most out of your time being an Anteater.
What is one fun fact about yourself?
A fun fact about myself is I used to run a crystal business in high school! I had businesses cards, large inventory hoarded in my room, hosted charity events, so many things during that time. While I had to stop because college became more demanding, I still love collecting crystals and attending related events near me. I hope in the future I’ll be able to open my business back up and have it as a hobby on the side of my career.
