Photo Credit: Cenedra Cristobal

UC Santa Cruz alumni show their pride with small knickknacks and tchotchkes, such as shot glasses.

Once I arrived, I was asked whether I would prefer a walk through a lush forest to a cave, adventuring through dirt and foliage, or a stroll down the lengthy beach to watch the sunset, or maybe even a visit to the little city of Santa Cruz, filled with cute houses and small cafes. These are typical decisions the students of UC Santa Cruz make between classes and on the weekends.

Although University of California Santa Cruz may not be the highest-ranking UC and is located a little too close to home, it has much to offer academically, environmentally, socially, and geographically. With a strong emphasis on the sciences and humanities, UCSC targets those who have creativity, passion, and talent. The school has an artsy vibe, with paintings and collages lining the dorms. The “going green” environmental movement is particularly emphasized, as many students, such as last year M-A graduate and current UCSC freshman Andy Nixon said, “I detest people who litter and who do not recycle and always make them pick up their trash. I gained this pet peeve mostly from attending Santa Cruz.”

A unique aspect of UCSC is the strategy the school uses to house students, both in dorms and community houses. After a student is accepted, they fill out a housing questionnaire, asking about their personality types and interests, placing those with similar characteristics together. Another former M-A graduate Bailey Scott gave me a tour of her new college, categorizing some dorms and community houses as “stereotypes.” These stereotypes include jocks, hippies, surfers, etc.

All of the stereotypes live in dorms except for the “hippies,” who reside in co-ed and single sex community apartments. These apartments house 5-10 people and contain a living room, a kitchen, a bathroom (the most spacious part of the house) with separate stalls and one big shower, and three rooms: two with a couple bunk beds and one or two single rooms. For those who enjoy the freedom of opening a fridge, lounging in their own living room, and sharing their personal space with 4-9 others, this is a perfect option that many other colleges do not offer.

UCSC is a unique and beautiful environment as well as a fun social scene, learning from those who have different styles and perspectives. It is easy to make friends and get into the wide range of academics while enjoying beautiful weather and scenery.