Making it to and through college is no small accomplishment—but how do you transition from the classroom to the workforce? Coradata, Grant, and Jun are all UCLA students looking to the future, and finding it full of uncertainty. So they set out on the road to speak with alumni who’ve faced unique hurdles, and can help them embrace the winding road ahead. After meeting with people in diverse fields like molecular biology, screenwriting, UX design, and more, the roadtrippers realize that it’s impossible to map out the future perfectly—but there’s no such thing as a wrong turn if you listen to yourself.

UCLA Roadtrip

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Unsure how to navigate life after college, three students seek out professionals who give them the direction—and confidence—to move forward

Everywhere you turn, people try to tell you who to be and what to do. What about deciding for yourself? Roadtrip Nation is a movement that empowers people to build lives around doing what they love. This year, Roadtrip Nation teamed up with UCLA and UCLA Extension to send three of their students on a road trip around California. They hit the road to talk with UCLA alumni. To figure out how to get the most out of college, and build an authentic life after graduation. This is what they found. This is the UCLA Roadtrip. [MUSIC] 

UCLA Roadtrip Trailer

to tell you who to be and what to do. yourself? that empowers people to they love. Road Trip Nation teamed up with UCLA and their  students on a road trip around California. UCLA alumni to figure out how to get the most build an authentic life after graduation. and I'm chasing my dreams. the heck I wanna do with my life. years old, and I'm torn between two passions. and I had no clue what I wanted to do with my life. ton of things, but I hadn't found that one thing. the majors about five times a day. me? that, no. I've never been super into history, no. that seems kind of interesting. what it's like, okay, I can't get into that either, classes, but I'm tired of sitting in the class and sports, photography, UX design, back, and just helping people, it's a huge one. interests, career avenues I can go down. really want to pursue, and that's really tough. myself to have it all figured out. campus, when I see people who it's super frustrating for me to see. a ton of steps behind. retail. what I wanted to to do, I got this really big which is a really big deal for a fashion student. job, I just wasn't happy. myself those tough questions, like, that you've been thinking about literally your creating and telling stories. UCLA Extension to get where I wanna be while holding down a full time corporate job. really do get to me. you need to be realistic. for a black woman to get into. crazy, why did I even think I can do this? I'm an undergraduate student at UCLA, Beijing. Beijing. my mom is a math professor. >> So growing up in this family, a doctor. to medical school and then become a surgeon. working towards medical school, maybe I should enroll in a theater class. I just realized, I love acting. and feeling like all the spotlight power that I can do anything. support me going to a theater school. really love and passionate about pulling me and directions, it's pretty hard. >> Ten days. I wonder how much Jun brought. with two other UCLA students. >> We could cartwheel in here! all different, we're all kind of at we're all kind of figuring out what's the next step, connect. situation is, but. about to go around southern California. snow jacket? [LAUGH] [LAUGH] >> Wow! interview and meet these UCLA alumni. that I'm in right now. into something that they love. these people, when making a choice, what should I consider? looks like after college is a scary thing. as someone at the edge of graduating and do for my life, that's a lot of pressure. to meet other UCLA alum, but expect. unique time where I'll be able to do things for been able to do, but excited for off. 

Episode 1: Meet the Roadtrippers

to tell you who to be and what to do. yourself? that empowers people to build lives teamed up with UCLA and UCLA Extension. on a road trip around California, UCLA alumni to figure out how to build an authentic life after graduation. this is the UCLA Roadtrip. an undergraduate student at UCLA studying I have a minor in theater. want to go into medicine, but feel like another pull from a theater pulling me at different directions. interview we see drill doing illustrations. creative, well Disney Imagineer, developmental biology which is exactly now he's doing all this artsy stuff and designing. >> He's you. thing? really, really big car. >> So yeah, biology, but now you're doing this amazing art. different turn? I'd be happy to talk about that. I found a job in a biotech company. I was just running basic tests. me there was an artist. formal, official training as a kid, copy them, I'd draw my own comic characters. genuinely loved to do, but you an artist, talented people can do. well, I'm going to apply to an art school. don't, at least I know I tried. acceptance letter, and I thought, wow, I got into art sc. really threw myself into those art classes. thought, okay this is something that I really, had felt when I was in the laboratory. a little character demo and Beetles, I wanted to create a character Rocky Racoon. kinda busting in, hunched over about to draw. >> I guess kind losing time, cuz I'm thinking if I do acting school, I'm gonna lose that time. this, would I lose time? >> Yeah. I don't know how to rephrase it better. in my mid 20s and I felt like I was one of the older of the students were maybe a year or were, I remember one of my classes was 30, and not that old to start school again. feel like, I don't wanna lose time. that position, I knew that I would regret and thought that I had never tried. [MUSIC] if you did something with intention, >> It's not time lost. thinking about, deciding to test out acting. definitely a more stable job, do acting it seems like, life if I don't do this. your gut that tells you when something is right or important to listen to that. path like an experiment. work, let's try something else. let's try one more thing. reassess. have enough time and I have to make quick decision. really feel like I'm only in my early 20's, me. I tend to worry so much, but simple as just go do it. really make a huge difference in terms of a time loss. difference if I figure out more about myself. 

Episode 2: From Molecules to Mickey Mouse

Episode 3: Write Away

to tell you who to be and what to do. yourself? that empowers people to they love. Roadtrip Nation teamed with UCLA and their students on a roadtrip around California. UCLA alumni to figure out how to get the most out of build an authentic life after graduation. right? up. in a ton of things. thing. in sports, social entrepreneurship. myself to have it all figured out. or when I see people who it's super frustrating for me to see. out. interests, career avenues I can go down, really wanna pursue, and that's really tough. knowing what I wanna do with my life. will have a lot of insights. interview Christine Simmons, president and professional basketball team. interest. something and just go for it. everyone's so focused and driven. figured out and you're there and you're like, well, I don't know which path to go down. window, kind of just where do I go and what does that will make me happy and that I'll enjoy. figure out life at the nice age of trying to figure it out every five to ten years. school, I was a three letter athlete. I thought the world was over. a lawyer and there's a path. job. gonna be a doctor, didn't get in the medical school. changed. would you be running a sports team, crazy. idea she'd be like president of a pro sports team, the opportunity of the Spartans. on. that there's not a set path for everyone. have to make these decisions now, get on a path, but your path can change. succeed, exactly what we wanna do. and how we're going to do it, and there's ways to be able to kind of dabble here and your career what you want it to be. your path just a little bit for now, just meaning, two or three things you'd want to focus on now, >> And then, maybe the next phase, okay, another. try, do, right? understand what you like and what you don't like. gonna have these ups and lows. everything out. someone graduates from school and they're like, doing it. you don't do it tomorrow or out like by next year. she would end up where she is now. am I so single thing mapped out? your dreams like Christine. >> So good to meet you guys. be in three to five years. gonna try to build myself to become a better person. day and understand like why your passions lie. and be helping others. 

Episode 4: Full Court Press

people try to tell you who to be and what about deciding for yourself. that empowers people to they love. Roadtrip Nation teamed up with UCLA and their students on a roadtrip around California. talk with UCLA alumni, the most out of college. life after graduation, this is the UCLA Roadtrip. I got my degree in fashion and retail. it's important to have security but writing and creating and just kind of telling stories. get their stories told, and maybe I should start doing screenwriting. Program. sometimes, I feel like I don't stack up. this? really do get to me. alum and seeing how they make into something really inspiring for me. >> June, nice to meet you. what got you into designing? either an engineer or a doctor. >> You know, after my higher education, creative. painting. designer, other than just keep doing what I'm doing. something that's not too expensive. have a one-year program, and that's when they a one-year program, you can check extension. who are either switching careers, or that was exactly what happened with me. >> Yeah. thing, but that I see myself doing for So just hoping to figure out how to transition. you doubted your ability, I am? like for me, towards the end, job you're like, maybe this is not right, me stay on track and I was talking to people. people from the industry who you get here kind of what you guys are doing. everybody's had a tough route. also in the meantime you keep improving. actually switched careers so regrets. doing that. this. Extension Program that made me feel good and could get through it and want to be ultimately. right now, but I think I'm on the right track. kind of struggle of being pulled in multiple I think that's totally okay. at UCLA. the Cultural Affairs Commission, and in student government has kinda of my early the diverse set of experiences. hone in on the environmental space and the events medium and through education and a great way to do it. and start my own environmental consulting firm. looked back. impact. the impact that you want to live and how that that is like, this is what I want to need to do. have that fire in my belly for impact. path has helped me figured out how to best the way careers are shaped today is that you on top of one another. of your different interests. lot, and what I sense is that there is a lot of picking the right career path. to just let that go. but it's not the only decision and doesn't depend on it. might feel right today and you have many years, yourself or learn new skills and as well. common from all these people I interviewed life. better, there's always a drive to learn more. I'm in science because it never stops, out there? >> Yeah. focus on providing an independent go-to-source for I looked on the Internet. be an E-sports World News or e-sport, nothing. was gonna do now, it wasn't even invented. knowing if you wanna scramble and I believe in doing that. yourself to do things that comfort zone. after this trip and I have to make decisions. about learning more things. if I take all this stressful situation which is like I want to learn more. people, I'm trying to be a student of life myself. 

Episode 5: More Ways Than One

to tell you who to be and what to do. yourself? that empowers people to they love. Roadtrip Nation teamed up with UCLA and their students on a road trip around California. UCLA alumni to figure out how to get the most out build an authentic life after graduation. this is the UCLA Roadtrip. tonight. nice and I so much fun. great trip. just be as present as possible. happens and much of a sponge as I can. this next feat interviews. Carlo Valdez an Olympic bobsledder. everyone kind of dreams up, to go to the Olympics and interesting things is he grew up in Newport Beach and absolutely out of the world in Newport Beach. days, including myself, their entire life mapped out. bobsled probably wasn't even on your mind. no one thinks of bobsleigh as a kid, sunny Southern California. Olympics and that's it, think about doing at a young age. fourth, fifth year I was like what am I gonna do. I keep getting hurt throwing javelin. next? me to try out for bobsledding. never been on ice before, but you have to realize, okay? not be able to do later on? bobsledding in 10 years, like you have to do it now. it, so I was like, I gotta go do this. else I'll never know. months ago in Korea for the Winter Olympic games. itself. to have this 20 year perfect plan. day. to make the Olympics. but here I am. like everyone goes through this space, the next step would be. always prove yourself day in, day out. alumni. nuggets of wisdom that I can climb my life. use to now go do what we want. into UCLA, that's rockstar status right there. to take the pride in that. just beginning of much less to stay much less wins. offense but you don't know where you are going. happy identify those, thrive for passions and mold those together. originally I wanted to go into the FBI. classes. of becoming a chef. be six weeks of my life. want to do. years. the doors that were opened for me. do something I love and I've worked a day in my life. than an actual job and for it. or your passion for screenwriting or it's coming from inside. people, I'm actually feeling kind of excited and just excited to solve all of them one by one. feel really confident in where I'm going. get caught up in the pressure of finding the perfect status and title. passion and really let that fuel you, place. lost. about the future and to have it all figured out. putting that pressure on yourself, but it's a part of life. thoughts, without that uncertainty. trying to figure it out. life and as the person next to you. seemingly figured it out, but it's impossible for be. you're lost. status for too long. solutions and spend time to explore yourself. have the experience that I have travelling and you can do that for yourself. who are doing really amazing things. enough in who you are, to seek out those mentors. the same experience and that we got. 

Episode 6: A New Beginning

Getting a degree is a huge undertaking—figuring out what to do with it is another one altogether. That’s why, together with UCLA, we’re sending a group of students on a road trip across California to interview fellow UCLA alumni and see how they were able to translate their education into fulfilling work. Follow the journey to hear stories of tackling hurdles, finding yourself, and turning a degree into a thriving career.


There’s a lot of talk about how to get into college—but what does it take to get through and figure out what you want to do? We’re sending UCLA students on a journey to find out.

UCLA Roadtrip

STOPS & INTERVIEWS

STOPS & INTERVIEWS

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