The population of over 45,000 people attending UCLA can be extremely overwhelming for many students. UCLA’s First Year Experience aims to bring students together despite this massive number through The Common Experience program, said First Year Experience coordinator Simone Jackson. Read more...

Photo: First Year Experience coordinator Simone Jackson said The Common Experience aims to give students a way to make the large UCLA campus feel a bit smaller. Each year, the program choses a book, TV show or podcast for students to engage with. This year’s theme focuses on gentrification in Los Angeles, and students are encouraged to listen to the podcast “There Goes the Neighborhood.” (Elise Tsai/Daily Bruin)

Jailah Johnson practiced the art of braiding on herself before sharing her skills with others. Frustrated by the lack of accessibility for black beauty supplies, the third-year sociology and African American studies student started her business to share her services and make those products more obtainable. Read more...

Photo: Third-year sociology and African American studies student, Jailah Johnson started her hairstyling business to share her services and make black beauty supplies more accessible. Johnson is scheduled to meet 32 clients within the next month, providing hair products to each appointment, so women don’t have to go out of their way to purchase extra supplies. She aims to cater to individual hair textures and desires. (Justin Jung/Daily Bruin)

Alumna Angela Sanchez tackled the obstacles of high school while experiencing homelessness. After her father was unable to pay rent in 2007, he and Sanchez were evicted from their home when she was only 16. Read more...

Photo: Alumna Angela Sanchez wrote a children’s book entitled “Scruffy and the Egg” in 2017 and the sequel, “Scruffy and the Egg: Adventures on the Road,” in 2019. The books are based on stories she and her father shared while they were homeless during her high school years. (Lauren Man/Daily Bruin)