Let's make a guide to the colleges for incoming/prospective freshmen. [Please contribute]
Recently there have been a lot of posts asking about the colleges. I think we can cut down on a lot of repetition if we make a comprehensive guide to every college. The guide will be linked in the side bar and should be pretty thorough if everybody contributes.
Describe the experience you had at your college (or any college really). Stories. Things you liked, things you disliked. Misconceptions. What were the people like? What are the CSOs like? How did you like the dining hall? I'll add your contributions to the main post (with credit of course). Please feel free to make corrections.
Also... should common stereotypes be included? I don't know if sharing them would really help (i.e. just reinforce certain stereotypes instead of promoting diversity)?
If you have any pictures of your college that you'd like to share, that would be awesome.
Please upvote this self post for which I receive no karma. :]
EDIT: Opinions on the dining halls and cafes seems to be really varied. I'm going to try and keep the main portion of the guide unbiased, but include links to relevant opinions.
Incoming/prospective students: Be sure to puruse comments for even more information.
Compiled for your convenience, a collection of personal opinions and experiences sorted by college can be found in the comments (link).
The colleges that share a Dining Hall share a lot of the same pros and cons and usually tend to have a similar culture. Check out the campus map for college locations.
###Stevenson
Pros:
Stevenson Coffee House
Ocean view (select dorms and apartments)
Closest to OPERS and the field (gym and track)
Stevenson Knoll (great hangout spot)
Closest to Pogonip (really great hiking trails)
Cowell Creamery (Cowell/Stevenson DH ice cream bar every Thursday evening)
Omelette Bar in the Dining Hall almost every morning
Almost all Linguistics classes are in Stevenson (excellent if you're Ling/Language studies major)
Has a CruzNet office (fixes computers)
Cons:
No bus stops directly nearby
Core course lasts 2 quarters (though can be used to fulfill the W2 GE)
Dining Hall hours: Cowell/Stevenson Dining Hall
7:15am - 7:00pm weekdays
10:00am - 7:00pm weekends
###Cowell
Pros:
Closest to the bookstore
Middle of campus
Ocean view (select dorms and apartments)
Closest to OPERS and the field (gym and track)
Cowell Creamery (Cowell/Stevenson DH ice cream bar every Thursday evening)
Cowell Computer Lab - open 24/7 with printing
Omelette Bar in the Dining Hall almost every morning
Cons:
Dining Hall hours: Cowell/Stevenson Dining Hall
7:15am - 7:00pm weekdays
10:00am - 7:00pm weekends
###Crown
Pros:
Near Tacos Morenos
Banana Joe's (smoothies, hamburgers, sandwiches, groceries)
Generally quieter community
Active gaming community
Voted best Dining Hall on campus
Only one bus stop
Cons:
Only one bus stop
Oldest dorms on campus (that haven't been renovated)
Up Cardiac Hill (con unless you like exercise)
Dining Hall hours: Crown/Merrill Dining Hall
7:15am - 8:00pm weekdays
Closed weekends
###Merrill
Pros:
Closest to the LGBT center
The Merrill scholarship (Joel Frankel Scholarship)
Generally quieter community
Near Tacos Morenos (Mexican food, takes Flexis)
Voted best Dining Hall on campus
Closest to upper campus hiking and biking trails
Cons:
Oldest dorms on campus (that haven't been renovated)
Up Cardiac Hill (con unless you like exercise)
Only one bus stop
Dining Hall hours: Crown/Merrill Dining Hall
7:15am - 8:00pm weekdays
Closed weekends
###College 9
Pros:
Burrito/Quesadilla bar all day, every day
Newest dorms (some say nicest)
ID card locks (no physical lock and key)
Most consistent Dining Hall (in terms of what there is to eat)
Late night Dining Hall hours
Middle of campus
Cons:
Dining hall hours: College 9/College 10 Dining Hall
7:15am - 11:00pm weekdays
10:00am - 11:00pm weekends
###College 10
Pros:
Burrito/Quesadilla bar all day, every day
Newest dorms (some say nicest)
ID card locks (no physical lock and key)
Most consistent Dining Hall (in terms of what there is to eat)
Late night Dining Hall hours
Middle of campus
Cons:
Photos:
The quad from the 4th floor of building 5
credit to smacame for above photos
Dining hall hours: College 9/College 10 Dining Hall
7:15am - 11:00pm weekdays
10:00am - 11:00pm weekends
###Kresge
Pros:
Most vegan/vegetarian friendly Dining Hall
Apartments! (No dorms, only apartments available to freshmen)
Owl's Nest Cafe
Excellent writing community
Ice Cream in the Dining Hall every Wednesday
Dining Hall has crepes every Tues. and Thurs. at 2pm
Cons:
Not very close to the Dining Hall
Harsh CSOs
Apartments are much more expensive than dorms
Dining Hall hours: Porter/Kresge Dining Hall
7:15am - 7:00pm weekdays
Closed weekends
###Porter
Pros:
Most vegan/vegetarian friendly Dining Hall
Near the Art Studios (pro for art majors)
The Quad is great and central
Porter Meadows (great hangout spot, also the site of many... gatherings...)
Ice Cream in the Dining Hall every Wednesday
Dining Hall has crepes every Tues. and Thurs. at 2pm
Porter Quad hosts Qi Gong classes every Tues. and Thurs. at noon
Koi pond! (excellent reading/studying/hang out spot)
Cons:
The Quad can be noisy if you live adjacent to it
Dining Hall hours: Porter/Kresge Dining Hall
7:15am - 7:00pm weekdays
Closed weekends
###College 8
Pros:
Late night Dining Hall hours
Cons:
Dining Hall hours: College 8/Oakes Dining Hall
7:15am - 11:00pm weekdays
10:00am - 11:00pm weekends
###Oakes
Pros:
Latin American and Asian communities
Oakes Cafe
Late night Dining Hall hours
Has a CruzNet office (fixes computers)
Tight-knit community
Ocean view
Oakes Cafe
Cons:
Pretty out of the way
Old buildings
Dining Hall hours: College 8/Oakes Dining Hall
7:15am - 11:00pm weekdays
10:00am - 11:00pm weekends
Thanks to lalalalakittens, crummy, smacame, andino93, dieyoufool3, Apoc56, Essartee, WallyWalrus, Greggor88, thatawesomedude, quazimoto69, guzzlah, SuitcaseCheese, kdkorz10211, and electricbluetoaster for their contributions. :)
PM me if I missed you!
Posted Apr 9, 2012, 6:26 AM UTC · edited