Samantha
our roots were based on an ag-type college HOWEVER many MAJORS are offered. theres a bajillion students on campus, how does one not find "anything to do"? cows are on the outskirts of campus. you generally dont see one unless you are in the tercero dorms or you are an animal science majors. of course, the stuffed ones are in the bookstore. everyone sees those.
Harper
Yes, for the UC Davis part. However, UC Davis students I am not sure.
Casey
It is a bit of a cow town. There is farm life, but that doesn't mean that there isn't any other kind of life. It's definitely got a slow pace and there aren't any mindblowing clubs or bars. Instead it's really personal and all the people are really friendly. Maybe there's less nightlife than in the city, but I think that there's enough to do if you just get creative or drive out to the city, which really isn't that far.
Alex
There can be quite a lot of tree huggers but they mostly flourish on specific days like Picnic Day and Whole Earth Festival.
If someone was to be an agriculture nut, this is the place to do it. That's one of the reason I went into civil engineering here: because since my major has more environmental interaction then I should go somewhere that prides itself on that.
Winter
no, because commmonly observed characteristics cannot be made into a representative generalization about the population
Whitney
Obviously not, we have a variety of people here. Most of the people here are here for veterinary purposes. Our mascot name may have to do with farming but it doesn't really have much to do with it.
Molly
I don't think the cow-town stereotype is very accurate. Perhaps when the school was first created, that may have been the case since it was originally established as "University Farm," and emphasized agriculture. UCD students are like most other students at campus communities I have visited - diverse, engaging, fun. The college town atmosphere is definitely accurate, and is a selling point for many. As for the stereotype that there isn't much to do, I think that when you get 25,000 people together, all between the ages of 18 and 23, you are likely to find lots of fun activities in which to parttake. The student body is not a homogenous group, and there is probably a place for everyone to find their niche. The UC Davis campus is large and flat - perfect for bikes. I've never been to Shanhai, but after four years at UC Davis, I wouldn't doubt that the city ranks among the most bike-friendly towns in the world.
Reese
It is true that Davis is well-known for our agricultural department and that Veterinary Medicine is a very popular and well-respected course of study here.
But Davis offers over 100 different majors ranging from textiles and fashion design to political science and communications.
Davis is certainly not a cow-town. I've found Davis to be full of art, music, fashion, and writing. There are 3 art galleries in Downtown Davis displaying work from local artists. Published poets from Northern California give a poetry reading and open-mic every Wednesday night. Bands from all over California play the local cafes and bars. Every spring, the Associated Student Body (ASUCD) puts on free shows on the quad. Big name acts from AFI to BB King have performed at UC Davis in the past year. San Francisco is only an hour's drive away and Sacramento in only about 15 minutes away.
I think of Davis as an artsy and hip place that is politically active and socially conscious. There is a strong emphasis on recycling, composting, and living "green." So I think the "hippie" stereotype may be slightly more accurate than the others. I have become much more aware of environmental issues since coming here, but I have never felt too pressured to change my lifestyle, and I've never met anyone who was over-zealous about it.