Studying abroad at the University of California, Berkeley has been an incredible experience. The campus is located in the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area, which provides endless opportunities for exploration and learning.

One of the things that struck me the most about UC Berkeley is the diversity of the student. I have had the opportunity to meet and interact with people from all over the world, each with their own unique perspectives and experiences. This has broadened my understanding of different cultures and ways of life. I still remember that in the discussion and office hour of CS61A, I met a student from India and we exchanged our ideas on the projects and homework as well as our learning skills on this course. We still have contact after my exchange student life.

The academic rigor at UC Berkeley is also very challenging and stimulating. The professors are experts in their fields and encourage critical thinking and active participation in class. I have been able to take courses in subjects that are not offered at my home university, which has allowed me to expand my knowledge and interests. The perfect curriculum system is what impressed me most. For every course in UC Berkeley, it has strict schedule of lecture, homework, project, discussion, lab work and so on. The office hour provided by professors and TAs give us great chances not only to ask questions, figure out the course work but also communicate with the seniors to develop better prospect of the future.

At the same time, the high course difficulty is another trait of UC Berkeley education. To make it more clear, I can give an example as below. For the final of the course CS70(Discrete Math and Probability), the full mark is 338, and the mean is only 132.75, which is even lower the half of the full mark. During the process of the 3-hour final, we need to finish about 20-page questions which are tightly aligned. However, with such hard mode of grading, it motivates us to study more seriously and carefully.

In addition to academics, the study atmosphere and facility in UC Berkeley is what I most satisfy with and crave for. In the campus, there exists many libraries: every department building with its own library, different library with different ornament, rules, opening hours. You can study in MLK with food and drinks, which is the building of the student union. Or you choose to study and discuss problems with your friends in the engineering library, or you can enjoy the wonderful silent learning atmosphere with lots of people in the doe library… The place that I have the biggest affection to is the self-study area in the cory building, where I can look out with the windows open, enjoy the sunshine and at the same time, communicate with friends or teammates.

For the life in Berkeley, I enjoyed learning cooking by myself and shared dishes with friends. The food in campus canteen is not so abundant and may look a mess at the first sight. So I prefer and recommend to cook at home, which also can be considered as time to relax.

Overall, my exchange program at UC Berkeley has been an unforgettable experience. I have grown both academically and personally, and I am grateful for the friendships and memories I have made during my time here.