Written by Annie Wang.

How would you describe your Berkeley Haas experience?

Transformational is how I would describe my Berkeley experience. Being the youngest of 3 siblings, I’ve always had things passed down and paths drawn for me – be it clothes, electronics or where to go to high school. Applying to college and choosing to go to Cal was the first real decision I’ve made for myself and I’ve never looked back. What makes Berkeley special to me is it’s community of different molds of humble, intellectual and driven individuals that keeps me grounded and constantly challenges the way I think. It’s helped me mature a lot and be more open minded. This is something I didn’t find back in high school in Indonesia, and having this community makes Berkeley feel at home.

What are you going to miss the most when you graduate?

I’m going to miss the access to the professors. I’m really inspired by professors like Janet Brady, Rob Chandra and Cort Worthington who have worked in the industry and chose to come back to pass on their knowledge. I’m sure they don’t have to do this, but the fact that they want to spend the extra time and effort to do this is amazing and it’s given me the opportunity to be able to learn from them.

I’m also going to miss “smelling the roses.” As a senior you learn to appreciate how beautiful Berkeley is. I’m going to miss walking past the glade and watching people play frisbee, spikeball and football. I’m going to miss the openness of the community, and the fact that Berkeley is located in a college town and you can meet anyone in 10 minutes. Once you work you don’t see your friends as much. I think it’s something that people and I often forget and under-appreciate. College has helped me realize that at the end of the day, it’s about the people you surround yourself with, and the relationship you’ve built with your family and friends. If I can’t share my success with other people, then I would have to rethink what I was working so hard for.

View posts by Sara Cheung