University of California-Santa Barbara Top Questions

The soccer team is probably the most popular team on campus. I am involved in a Christian group and it has been the best experience. I have been able to meet a lot of people that are interested in more than just partying. The dorms really vary on how interactive they are. Manzanita freshmen tend not to leave their doors open as often, but it really depends on the group your living with. On the weekends I usually just hang out with my friends we watch movies, play games, etc.

There are tons of groups on campus. I'm in Chi Alpha Christian fellowship, it's small, but a lot of fun. The groups are a great way to make friends. The people in my dorm left their doors open (when they were home) Some athletic events (mainly basketball) are popular, others have low attendance. Guest speakers are popular, so is the theater. I met my closest friends through the dorms and through Chi Alpha. I've also met people through classes and work. If I'm awake at 2 am on Tuesday, I'm frantically trying to finish an assignment. The big tradition here is Halloween. If you don't want to drink, there are comedy shows and movies in IV every weekend, and you can always hang out at the different coffee shops or restaurants with your friends. Shopping downtown is always fun too.

Many people get involved with Greeklife either throw joining sorrorities of fraternities. There are hundreds of clubs on campus, there is one for any type of interest a student might have and if you cant find a club you like it easy to start your own campus organization. I am involved with the black student union and we do many things such as community service, social, and academic events attend conferences together. It really is a safe space for black students. When it comes to sports UCSB has no football team so soccer is the most supported sport and then comes basketball. I met some of my closest friends through the clubs I joined my first year. Im not usually awake at 2 am on a tuesday but on thursday that is a different story becuase I go downtown to state st for college night. Every year people in the black communtiy look forward to Outreach, African Black Coalition Conference and Black Culture week in the spring. Some people party evey night of the week others save it for the weekends and some studnets do not party at all they perfer to just hang out with a close group of friends. Last weekend I had some friends visit me from my hometown we went and saw the santa barbara sights and went bowling.

The most popular organizations on campus are the fraternities and sororities--they're everywhere. A lot of UCSB students get involved in Greek life. There are different clubs on campus that are based on culture or race, like KP (filipino club) and VSA. I'm involved in both, even though I'm not Filipina or Vietnamese. Organizations are pretty diverse here. Weekends normally start on Thursday nights, for those who go out to Isla Vista. Dorms are fun-if you're looking for a more social life, don't live in Manzanita. Manzanita houses are more quiet and good for studying, but if you like this kind of environment, just get involved in different orgs-that's how i got to know more people.

The dorms are fantastic; the people you live with become your family. You do everything together. Athletic events are so much fun! Especially soccer and basketball. I love how many events there are every day on campus. Lectures, concerts, movies, book readings, dance performances, poetry, you name it. There are always TONS of things to do, and usually a bunch of free ones too.

All the frat and sororities are very popular. And Real Life is a well known group, because it does things throughout the year. So is the Nexus, the newspaper, and so is the class government here. I am involved with Real Life which is a Christian group on campus that wants to show people that it is not about religion, but it is about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We do outreaches and try to serve the community and bring Jesus to other people. We do a lot of different things on campus and have weekly meetings, bible study/missional teams, and other fun dances and events. when i did live in the dorm people left their doors open all the time. i lived on the first floor so it was slightly harder because we had people walking in and out of the floor all the time to get outside the dorm, but overall we did. some of the other floors left there doors opened all the time and unlocked so people could come in and out as they pleased. the athletics are popular, but i am not super involved or interested so i am not good to talk to you about that sorry! IV theater has free movies sometimes, and has cheaper movies to see during the week which is always fun. they have talent shows and guest speakers there as well. I have only seek a guest speaker because of one of my classes, but I have heard many good things about the speakers. The dating scene is more of the "hook up scene" in the Party world. But if you are looking for a legitimate relationship they are out there. There are a lot of people who do not party and drink, and they are out there for real love. but the hook up scene makes me sad because people are looking for love in all the wrong places, and it is hard to watch that because women are so beautiful, and men are so much worthier than they think. so it is hard for me to watch sometimes. I met my closest friends through my bible study through real life. They are the most amazing people i have ever met. my teacher said one time in class that most people do not have close circles of friends because the world teaches us to be alone, and he said "raise your hand if you have close friends" and I did, and i was one of the only ones, and it was really sad because I feel truly blessed to have them in my life. If I am awake at 2am, I am either. 1. hanging out with friends 2. talking with the roomie 3. writing a paper. traditions and events for me and my friends are real life events, exchanging presents for holidays, birthday parties for our friends, easter dinners together, and for the school. sex awareness week, rape awareness, (all women center events) student government elections, and sports. people party every weekend. (Thursday till Sunday) Halloween is the only hectic one! People from all over the state come here. over 10,000 people come to DP (the party street) and wear barely any clothes, party, and drink days before Halloween actually comes. it is a once in a life time experience, and is unique to UCSB. Last weekend I hung out with some of the girls in my bible study, went to church, watched a movie with my boyfriend, and did homework. On a saturday night you can hang out with friends watching tv, go out to dinner and get dressed up, go to the beach to see the stars, go shopping, go to color me mine, go to a friends house and make Pazookie!

UCSB is great on the weekends. There is always something to do during the night or day. Isla Vista is right there for the beach, food, or just hanging out with friends. Downtown and other shopping areas can be fun outings with friends. If you do drink, theres always somewhere to go, but what I love is that there is always something going on at UCSB that doesnt involve drinking that I can be a part of. Whether it is events at the hub, concerts, shows, club events, or movies at IV theater, theres always something to do.

guests speakers - awesome theater - not so great. great dance programs tho dating scene- TERRIBLE. everyone is too into hooking up to have the desire to date. i met my closest friends in my sorority. i had plenty of friends who werent in one though, and there is definitely not the crucial need to be a greek at ucsb as there might be at some other schools. if awake at 2am on a tuesday, youre either at home in sweats on facebook, at the davidson library writing a paper, or downtown for 80's night.

The social life at ucsb is great because there are a lot of options... You live in a college town with 20,000 very social students.houses usually have over 4 people in them, so you can really do whatever you want.every night of the weekend there are themed parties,greek parties,house parties, an excuse to celebrate any random US holiday parties, etc. Dorms are very social as well especially the on campus and ft dorms. Tropicana I heard is a bit antisocial because its mostly athletes... I think ucsb has a great greek life option because it is entirely unnecessary but a great asset to your social life if you choose that path.

sororites are great for meeting people; most nighttime/going out activities do involve heavy drinking. if i'm awake at 2 on a tuesday i'm out drinking. once you're twenty-one, it's fun to go downtown to the bars