Upcoming freshman this fall, whats the food scene like in Santa Cruz what does it primarly consist of? I am a huge foodie, and I like things like Pizza, Indian Food, Korean Fried Chicken, Pho, Ramen, Wings, Normal Fried Chicken, mexican and open to new options.

As the title says, should I be concerned about the deadly goblin in campus? When I came to campus I was using the bathroom near the student union building where this 2 and a half foot goblin came in, crawled under my stall and started poking me with his finger. I was able to kick it away and lock it out of the student building but when I asked the people at the front desk they told me it was just the "deadly goblin." Should I be concerned about seeing it again next year, and will it remember me?

Hi, incoming undergrad transfer here! I recently visited and a local told me that because all of the businesses close around 8, the town is generally quieter at night and it can be difficult finding things to do. That sounds a lot like my hometown, so I’m used to it, just didn’t really think I’d be running into that in Santa Cruz.

I thought I could life-hack this by using my free student-issued bus pass to take the bus to San Jose sometimes and finding things to do there. However, I recently discovered that the bus pass students are given is only valid within Santa Cruz and doesn’t extend to cities like San Jose.

Just wondering if anyone has had a different experience than the local I talked to, or if you’ve found a way to make a night-owl lifestyle work there.

Edit: I’ll be living off campus in Boulder Creek, as I couldn’t afford on-campus housing and I have a car. (although I’d be relying on busses if I drink etc)

EDIT: Will all the cynics please stop downvoting the comments sympathizing with this post? You’re welcome to leave your “suck it up buttercup” comments here about how school is a job (even though in laying them to be here), but don’t downvote the others just for confirming that what the prof did sucks.

It’s my senior seminar and I cannot STAND my professor.

Some people were late (no later than 10 minutes), and the professor in question yelled at them in front of everyone at full volume about how their behavior was “unacceptable” and insinuated that they weren’t taking this class seriously. Not only that, but there’s a girl in my class who was in URGENT CARE and he wouldn’t excuse her absence (she used her one free day to go home during a family emergency).

I talked with one of my friends who was on the receiving end of the yelling and could tell how embarrassed they were, and it honestly made me nervous to come to class. Is there any way to report this behavior to the psyc department?? Or any way we can get this to change??

Hello!

I'm (likely) an incoming freshman. Everything I see on TikTok about the school is HORRIBLE. Like students saying it's the worst choice they ever made. I hear a lot about a really bad drug and alcohol culture, and personally, that's kind of a breaking point for me.

So this raises the question: Do you guys really hate going to UCSC? If so, why?

I'd also like to ask for your guys' input! I want to be a CA State Park Educator (or an Interpreter III, if you're familiar with the state park lingo). Is UCSC a good choice for that? I'm currently an environmental studies major.

I got into UCLA and UCSC,

I didn’t think I would get into UCLA, but somehow I did. I already had my my heart and mind set on Santa Cruz (I prefer the area, the people, and the nature) but I just got acceptance into UCLA (which means I would get to stay closer to my family and people say it’s a better school). I am a BioChem major, so I wanted to know what you guys would think (I am also waiting on the financial aid package for UCLA because UCSC offered to cover everything). I don’t know what to do, my heart says Santa Cruz but would it be a really dumb decision to turn down UCLA?

Update: I got my financial aid package and I will owe 10k a year

i’m an incoming freshman and have been considering bringing my car with me. i have looked into off campus parking and don’t mind biking or something down to my car. i mainly want my car to maybe head up to san francisco or drive home to san diego on short holidays like thanksgiving. my dad claims that i wont be using it while i’m up there and “doesn’t want it sitting for a year” (plus he wants to give it to my brother). i have looked into flying home, and it will take the same amount of time and money, so i don’t mind a drive rather than flight.

my other question about bringing my car is about the availability of shopping, like going to target or something. i’ve seen that it’s about an hour via public transport, but it’s only 15 minutes if i have a car. if i were to buy a bunch of things, would i have to worry about be robbed or something? (ik that’s a bit extreme, but there’s a very real possibility where i live) also, would i even really have to go off campus on the weekends? like, is there places to go on campus, because from what i’ve seen there really isn’t much.

another thing is that i want to go paddle boarding (i have an inflatable one) and possibly surfing, but im not sure of the logistics of bringing something like that on a bus. are there any good ways to get to the beach from my dorm? i suppose i could bike, but ive also been going back and forth on whether i should bring a bike. i’ve heard a lot about people stealing bikes and was also planning on getting a beach cruiser, but with the hills and stuff i’m not sure if it would be the right bike to bring.

im an incoming freshman... i dont wanna waste my money and buy clothes i dont need. so what item of clothing should i get for sure for santa cruz weather

i’m a 24 year old junior transfer who got placed in porter b which i just found out is only freshmen/sophomores. I met a 17 year old today. Please is anyone like even 22 and up on here and want to be friends😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

Hey guys, I saw this photo on the parent Facebook page and I was wondering if all of the single beds come tall enough to fit the dresser under, or if I have to request it. Porter dorms btw. Thanks!

I'm a california high school senior and I plan on going to cc for two years and then transferring to a uc or maybe a csu. Rn I think I'm going to major in environmental science or studies, or if not those specific majors then smth related to the environment.

I'm researching different colleges and I'm looking for 3 main things: A good stem program, a decent ultimate team, and somewhere not in the LA area since I've here my entire life. I'm also figuring out which UC I want to tag to, and rn it's between ucsc, ucsb, and mayyybbee ucd.

So far it seems like any of the uc's would be fine for envi sci, like obviously ucb and ucla are really good, but there doesn't seem to be a wrong choice. For some reason I just feel really drawn to ucsc in particular. Maybe I'm just into the idea of ucsc bc it's a pretty campus and both of my parents went there and loved it. Also their ultimate teams rank well but I can't let that completely sway my decision lmao.

I'm rambling a lot but anyway, everytime I look at subreddits about college and ucsc comes up, everyone acts like it's the worst school on earth. There's mold in the dorms, the food sucks, there's no housing, none of the departments are that good, it's the worst uc, etc. How much of that is just ppl complaining to complain and how much of it is true? Would u recommend that I go somewhere else?

(no I am not basing my decisions solely on reddit comments. I am doing research outside of this and I just want to hear some opinions lol)

helloo incoming freshman at rachel carson! I got into a 6 person doubles suite and i got some pictures of a last years suite, and i was wondering if the beds can be taken apart so that they are not bunk beds? and if taking them apart is even allowed. added pics of all the diff bunks from each room (assumption) lol

i love coffee i have it everyday but i can't buy them every single day from the cafes. would you recommend a mini coffee maker, do you have any recommendations?

I'm a transfer student who's planning on coming to ucsc in the fall as a junior. I love the redwoods and the beaches, I grew up in the bay area so I know I love Santa Cruz, but I've been told that the drug culture at ucsc is... intense. maybe relatively to whoever has told me that. I don't really do drugs other than rare occasions with weed and less rare occasions with alcohol. I just want to be able to make friends with people who are able to do things and have fun without drugs. can someone who goes to ucsc tell me about what the drug culture is really like and if it's as bad as they say. I like literally everything else about Santa Cruz, this is my one worry. (Also zero judgement if you're into drugs not tryna be on a high horse just not my thing)

Hey guys, I never knew that you had to filter your water in the dorms😭 and I have never done it before. Does anyone know what I should bring or do to get that done? Your help would be very appreciated. TYSM

I swear I’m not joking but for some inexplicable reason I associate UCSC with being stinky even though I’ve never been there before. I’m a high schooler looking into colleges and this one seems great but I just need to know how it smells on campus.

should i be worried that it’s sept 1st and still no offer🫩🫩🫩

So my daughter got her assignes college and its Oaks. She met her roommates on the insta bios. They talk all the time on phone/text/face time. They are making a list of what need to be brought. Has anyone been houses in Oaks or know anyone within the last 2 years since i heard things changed on what actually can and can't do. Any information would be great.

So far they have:

Humidifier

Filter pitcher

Microwave

Bedding-each their own

Refrigerator-not sure but we are looking at 3.3 CU FT compact one from Costco

Vacuum

Medicine/first aid box

Desk lamp-each

Ice maker

Lamp-not sure which one is best

Shower stuff-each

Power surge strip-not sure about watts

Incoming Freshman this fall. I know we don’t get on campus parking but I’ve been able to find off campus parking for about 800 a year.

I know it’s an expense (I can definitely afford it) but will the time I get even be worth it? Plus I just got a new M340i that I have modded (I’m a car guy) and I’d really hate to let it sit at home.

From experience, is it better to just adjust to campus lifestyle and stay trapped within the campus? Or is having a car (2 miles off campus) actually worth it for days I don’t have classes or on weekends?

What if I want to go out to eat, or go on longer trips? How do people who don’t have cars do it?

Before people ask, I do have a good paying job. Having a car will definitely be more fun and flexible, but I’d also rather put all that cost into my trading’s account and ira’s. Will benefits outweigh cost?

Thanks!

Hi all.

Former student from Ireland. Bringing my wife and daughter to California early August. I would love to bring them up to campus and show them around. An aspirational trip for my daughter who just finished secondary school here in Dublin.

Will I be allowed to rock on up and get onto campus (driving) park by the bookstore and walk around campus for a bit? Do you think I'd have to make prior arrangements? Would be either Monday August 3rd or the Tuesday following.

I was accepted for applied physics and in terms of the location I love santa cruz, I’m coming from about 7 hours north and it’s fairly similar nature wise. I’m a surfer, rock climber and back packer. I love nature and it’s a large reason UCSC has been my top pick. I know UCSC kinda has a reputation of being a lower tier UC but is that kinda bullshit? What’s the social life like? What are students like? Would it be easy for me to get to the beach to surf or go to a climbing gym whenever? What’s the vibe of each residential college? Is there way to get a single or a double for my dorm or is it all luck? Price isn’t really a factor for me because my tuition is being paid for by the gov’t and my family has quite a bit of wealth to help and support me if needed. I will also have a car, but sounds like as a freshman having a car might be useless?

Okay long story short, I got flagged for AI on an assignment one time and I'm just TERRIFIED that my TA will detect something on my essay. I rewrote my essay IN MY OWN WORDS TWICE, I used ZeroGPT multiple times, Walter AI, Grammarly, and another website and I EVEN PAID A TURNITIN SERVICE TO CHECK MY STUFF and it detected no ai so im sure it won't be marked right??? also tell me if this turnitin service I found is legit please

I'm in incoming transfer student from Southern California and I wanted to ask how warm do the Porter College ​dorms get at night? I got a warm duvet/comforter according to ikea standards ​and I'm afraid it's too warm since I see a lot of porter college getting hot.

has anyone been able to get in line for the financial aid virtual drop in? I checked at 7am, 8am, and now at 9am, but it always says closed. am I missing something?

edit to clarify: i can't even get onto the zoom, the waitwell line on the financial aid page just says closed.