Hi everyone! I sincerely hope everyone has been doing well and is enjoying the holiday season. This month marks a whole year since my internship with the Napa Sierra Club concluded, truly one of the most impactful and memorable programs I’ve participated in.

A little bit of an update about what’s been going on in my life since then: in June I graduated from high school (so bittersweet) and in August, I moved to Berkeley to start my first year at the University of California Berkeley. I am currently working towards a major in Political Economy with a concentration in Environmental Policy, and a minor in both Public Policy and Health and Wellness. This semester, I picked up a job at The Cal Student Store. Being on their general marketing team brings me back to my days of managing the Napa Sierra Club Instagram account and promoting our Summer Kids Workshops (good times!).

One thing that I love about UC Berkeley is how they give students an opportunity to experience courses and subjects outside of their normal realm of expertise. This semester I’ve had the opportunity to dabble in Performance Studies and Health and Wellness, two classes that have truly impacted the way I approach life in general. I am currently a member of the Environmental Sciences Student Association and in the process of becoming a member of the Sustainable Housing at California club. Both of which do extremely important work on campus, something that I’m very excited to take part in!

Attending a large public university in a city with a population equivalent to all of Napa County’s, it’s lonely. I often ask myself, “is this what adulthood feels like?”. However, as I become more comfortable in my own independence and solitude, I’m reminded that I am never truly alone. Thank you to the Napa Sierra Club for being my community, I hope to make you proud :). Until we meet again!

Love always,

Emily Bit