University of California-Santa Barbara Top Questions

Oh, what they say about Halloween is true... and a whole lot more. Yet, the beauty of UCSB is that our students still get so much done. I got tired of the party scene in about a month, but I am proud that even those still caught up in it are making so much of their education. Our Nobel prizes don't lie. This is one of the best Universities in the country (and its mostly the city college kids and out-of-towners that cause trouble anyway).

The drunk and partying parts are correct.

Everyone is different no matter the school. Ours is is set up so partying may be an easier task than it is for most.

No

Yes and no. There is a lot of partying here, but for every person that parties, there's others that don't. If you are a person who's not into the whole party scene (like me) it can be frustrating finding people who have the same interests as you, but if you put a little bit of work into it, you can find a group of people you click with. But regardless, it's college, and there's always gonna be partying, so get used to it.

No.

There is no denying that UCSB knows how to party - just walk down Del Playa on a weekend, and you'll know that it's true - but I think that underestimates the underlying factor. See, at any given college campus, on any given day, you will be able to find a party, so that can't be what sets us apart. UCSB is different because we balance our social lives with our academic lives. If it's Friday night and you're studying, I can guarantee that someone will call you out on it. After all, who needs to study Friday night? Then again, during midterms and finals, people buckle down and do their work. I guess you could say that we care about our schoolwork, but we don't let it overtake us. Life is to be enjoyed. Two side notes on this: 1. I think this is why we aren't so dependent on the Greek system as other campuses. People know how to be social on their own, and it's something that you pick up as a skill throughout your years here. 2. There are a considerable amount of students who don't drink (they are the minority, but they are certainly here) - and this spirit of enjoying life still applies to them.

No, there are many students who do not participate in the party scene at UCSB. There are so many other activities going on.

It's true there's a big party scene, but there's also a really serious academic environment. A friend who graduated from here before I came told me that the person who's the life of the party on Saturday night is contributing to class discussions monday morning, and he was absolutely right. The students here are smart and their schoolwork is important to them. And no, we don't come to class in our bathing suits.

I'd say that the party scene is overrated. UCSB does a good job of offering alternatives to the typical, Isla Vista (UCSB college town) drunk Friday night such as showing movies at a local lecture hall, hosting emcees and musical performers on campus each weekend, or having improv shows performed by student organizations.