KICKING MYSELF - WHAT I WISHED I HAD DONE AT UCLA

Having graduated from UCLA over 15 years ago, from time to time I have comtemplated about what I wished I had done during my time as a Bruin in Westwood. With the ten-week quarter system, time went by so fast that it was pretty much impossible to do everything I wanted to do. The fact that I was a transfer student and didn't have as much time as those who started as freshmen made it even more the case.
As such, two things particularly come to mind when I think about what I should have - and wished I had - done at UCLA, and am in a way kicking myself for not doing:

A. TAKEN MORE POLITICAL SCIENCE CLASSES - As a history major, I loved stating and debating my views on different topics and issues that were covered in my various classes. I also liked writing papers in which I had to defend my views, back them up with facts and research, because that was always an academic strength of mine...I remember when Rodney king was beaten by the LAPD in front of that video camera back in 1991; I was taking an African American history course at that time covering slavery in the cities (got an A- in the class), and the day after the beating went down, the class got into a discussion about that. One guy, who was a police cadet and was white, stated that the beating "made me sick". Looking back, I cannot help wondering if he really meant what he was saying, or if he was scared that if he stated what he really felt the class would jump all over his case, him being white and a prospective cop and all...Classes like this stimulated me in ways that subjects like math and science never could, and the nature of political science, learning different ideologies and such, would have given me more opportunities to share and debate my views on ideas, issues, and topics such as affrimative action and the economy. Simply put, it would have been fun.

B. TRYOUT FOR THE BASEBALL TEAM - Being a longtime baseball person who was absolutely nuts about the game, I've often wished that I would have tried out for the Bruin baseball program during my days there... One must understand, I was never that great at the game; I was cut from my high school team in the 10th grade, although I did play during those days in Colt League, a high-school aged little league-type of thing. I wasn't even that good there, playing the outfield most of the time, as well during the rest of my little league and Pony League days. The truth was, I didn't really know what I was doing back then. However, by my college years my skills had improved, to the point where I was considered a star of sorts in pick-up and intramural softball, particularly in hitting. Plus I had acquired a work ethic in high school that would have led me to practice and prepare for those Bruin tryouts, should I have decided to go through with it...That was why I ended up kicking myself a bit for not giving it a shot; it was 99.99% certain that I would have been cut, and at that time I didn't want that feeling of rejection ( I was a little chicken in retrospect), but now I realize - completely - that I would have had no regrets. Plus I would've seen what I could have done, which is why I wished I had showed up at Jackie Robinson Stadium and given it a go.

Now do not misunderstand - I am not spending my time wallowing in misery over those missed opportunities, and I have absolutely no intentions of trying to reenroll on campus to do them. Time has moved on, and so have I. It is just that I would have gotten an even better experience at UCLA than I already had if I'd done those two things...I imagine many, if not most, alums have that same feeling of having something they wished they could have done during their college years. These are just mine.

KICKING MYSELF - WHAT I WISHED I HAD DONE AT UCLA

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