Best and Worst Decision of Freshman Year at UCSB

07/10/18

By Stephanie Pande Unigo Campus Rep at UCSB There are an infinite amount of decisions to be made when starting college, from where you will live to what classes you will take. Some decisions, although not as obvious, can determine how your freshman year and the rest of your college experience can shape out. For me to decide what my best and worst decisions of my freshman year were, I thought about what I would have changed about my first year, and what I wouldn’t change for the world. What I really wish I could change about last year was my involvement in UCSB’s extracurricular activities. As a freshman, I felt that I needed time to settle in to Isla Vista, make new friends, and feel my way around the new style of classes and living. However, I regret that I never joined any clubs or added to anything on campus. I think that would have been the best way for me to do all of those things. Now I feel as if I’m running out of time. I may not have even liked the clubs I might have joined, but at least I would be learning something about the school and about myself. This is especially true considering that I’m not sure what major to declare, much less what career I want to have in the future. By joining clubs, participating in demonstrations and events, a student discovers what the college experience can be and what truly interests them. On the other hand, one thing I am proud to have done my freshman year was taking advantage of the amazing location of UCSB. I really got to know Santa Barbara and the town of Goleta where the campus is. It definitely helped to have a car, but you can get around to most places using the public transportation, which is free for students. I went everywhere, from the mountains in Santa Barbara to concerts in LA. There really is something for everyone here. Of course there are great beaches for surfing and kayaking. There are also the mountains, which are great for hiking, and downtown Santa Barbara is now one of my favorite places to shop. Although my best decision of my freshman year does not really pertain to the school side of things, location was one of the biggest reasons I chose UC Santa Barbara as my school, and one of the reasons that I now love it so much.