<p>heyyy im just going to be straightforward. i'm an asian girl from an extremely asian school (75% asian) and I was aiming for Irvine, but I didn't get in. SO now I am really bummed and since santa barbara is the best school that I got into and I've heard that there are no asians there, i was wondering if there are any asian churches nearby to go to and if there really are no asians on campus.</p>
<p>also are the dorms coed floors? and how is the food?</p>
<p>and i just visited uc santa cruz yesterday.. didn't really like how the landscape is all slanted.. makes me feel like im in the mystery spot. also it's surrounded by trees and looks like it could be very scary at night. so i was wondering if uc santa barbara is like that? well i'm going to go visit on saturday because I heard it's visitor's day. it's going to be a lonnnng drive from the bay area haha. plus we're going back the same day.</p>
<p>also i am not a very social person and can be very shy so would santa barbara be too much of a party scene for me?</p>
<p>so i would really appreciate it if you could answer my questions, especially the part about the asians.</p>
<p>^Not toonnsss of Asians, but there are definitely some there. And it’s definitely not a scary campus…its GORGEOUS! The beach and lagoon are literally right there and it’s generally sunny in Santa Barbara (though today is a tad cloudy). I’ve heard that the food is decent for college food-and I know for a fact that there are many other eateries on campus (Panda Express, Jamba Juice, etc.) For the most part, dorms are co-ed, but with alternate floors (ie girls first level, guys second, etc.).</p>
<p>I seem to have the same personality as you (and a bunch of Asians…haha); quiet, not too social all the time. I have some of the same worries, especially the party scene.</p>
<p>About the Asians thing… theres a little less than 20% Asians there. I think thats a pretty big number myself (but I come from a school with like…5% asians). 1 in 5 people would be Asian, so you wouldn’t have any trouble finding others like yourself.</p>
<p>Hi. I live in the bay area, so lots of asians around here as well! I go to a very diverse school so I think it’ll be kind of a culture shock for me if I attend UCSB, but honestly once you find your friends it won’t matter what race they are. If you get along with people, it doesn’t matter if they’re asian, white, hispanic, etc.</p>
<p>So, I don’t think you’ll have too much of a hard time with the parties. You could always avoid them. I don’t think they’re as crazy as everyone says it is, there are plenty of people on this board who aren’t too into the party scene so I’m pretty sure you’ll be fine and the parties wouldn’t be a hindrance.</p>
<p>I saw that thread, and it makes a good point. But it’s not just the parties… it just seems like the people will be party people. Not dissing party people, but I’m more of a “chill” person than a “crazy” person, you know? I looked at the Facebook Class of '13 for UCSB, and I only saw one person that doesn’t drink/smoke/do drugs. That worries me just a bit. Although I do realize that a Facebook group doesn’t accurately represent the school as a whole at all</p>
<p>Here’s a fun fact: Among the top 50 National Universities and top 25 LACs, UCSB ranks #22 (out of 75) for highest percentage of Asians, despite being the UC with the smallest asian population:</p>
<p>Anyway, to answer your question, Asians make up 16% of the campus, so that’s certainly more than “nothing”. There is a Korean United Methodist church directly in Isla Vista, and I’m guessing there’s more in Santa Barbara. </p>
<p>And no, the campus is nothing like Santa Cruz at all. Mostly flat (most people bike) with wide open pathways and great views all around.</p>
<p>Yeah. Well not sure if this helps but I don’t have a facebook and I’m straightedge and I’ll be going to UCSB. You’ll be fine as long as you find some friends who are like you-and that won’t be too hard…just wait till the first Friday or Saturday and see who’s still in the dorms haha.</p>
<p>I mean, shouldn’t college be all about learning and new experiences? Learn to make friends with people of all different colors. I mean no offense but your attitude seems kind of elitist. </p>
<p>I’m Persian and my best friends are Vietnamese and Mexican. Outside of California there’s not that many Asians in this country at all, so learn to deal with people who don’t look like you and you’ll be a better person for it.</p>
<p>our descriptions match to a T!
irvine was my aim but its all goood, i’ve grown to like the sound of santa barbara by now, and i’m sure you will too. i’m from an all asian/super nerdy school in the bay area too so naturally all my friends are asians, so im worried about the huge cultural shock next year but i know it’ll be better for me to get a taste of the real world. the real world does not consists of mostly asians!
but if all fails, there are bound to be others in the same situation as us too.</p>
<p>im an asian girl as well and in almost the same situation as you. i wanted to get into uci since most of my azn friends go there but got rejected so ucsb was the best school i got into and im really worried about the whole party scene and i dont know anyone going there… im a very quiet and shy person when it comes to new ppl… but im going up to ucsb for the spring insight so hopefully it wont be too intimidating. from wat i heard from some ppl is that there are asian churches or clubs there. and even tho the asian percentage at ucsb isnt very high, you will probably see more asians than you think. i come from a school thats about 17% asian and like 62% white but it seems like there are more asians at my school than that and most of my friends are asian as well. so im thinking ucsb will be sort of like that.</p>
<p>i agree with i say hella. i’m asian, too, but i don’t need myself surrounded by other asians to feel comfortable. try branching out and talking to other people maybe?</p>
<p>From what I hear, and as has already been answered by a few of those who posted…</p>
<p>Yes, the asian population at this school is significantly lower when compared to the other UCs here in California, under 20%. However UCSB is supposedly also very integrative in terms of its student body.</p>
<p>You will have those who prefer to stay within their own ethnic background, asians with asns, blacks with blacks, etc. At the same time you’ll have those who could care less or even feel more comfortable making their social group with diversity.</p>
<p>It is all about who you are and who you choose to interact and make friends with.</p>
<p>I am asian and I grew up in th city of Laguna Beach from K-12. I was probably one of perhaps five asians at my school throughout the years so most of my friends are white, most of my girlfriends have been white.</p>
<p>For me, UCSB would simply be akin to what I"m used too. I have no issue smiling and meeting someone of latino, white or otherwise decent and feeling completely comfortable without having a social group of asians.</p>
<p>In the end, I know it seems like a generic answer but it is simply true. It depends on you and what you decide to do.</p>
<p>Dude…You will pretty much find a large number of Asians on any UC campus… Just because Santa Barbara does not have the usual 60% of Asians like UCI or UCSD does not mean you should be worried… So even if Asians arent the majority be proud of your asianess and dont let the fact that there is diversity make you feel uncomfortable</p>
<p>I could understand if she was an immigrant student and didn’t have the best English and wanted to know if people of her specific ethnicity were at UCSB like Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, etc but she just said Asian in general; I mean in that case the transition argument would be perfectly valid. Just because people look a certain way and you look a certain way doesn’t mean you’re going to get along with them better.</p>
<p>Maybe it’s the fact that I live in a pretty diverse city but I don’t know. You’ll be fine at UCSB. Race will only be a big deal if you make it a big deal in my opinion. And there are clubs for like every ethnicity anyway.</p>
<p>Hey! I’m asian too! I come from a very highly asian populated high school… and a lot of ppl from my high school went to UCSB too… there are definitely going to be ‘enough’ asians for you… i would think. But like everyone is saying… make new friends! whether they are asian or not! I love all my friends, and not all of them are asian!</p>
<p>Edit: if you have facebook… go here! <a href=“Facebook”>Facebook;
there are like 800 some asians there!</p>
<p>i’m asian too, quiet and unsocial.
i didn’t get into irvine either, so sb is my other choice.
i’m worried about the party thing and making friends too :/</p>
I looked at the Facebook Class of '13 for UCSB, and I only saw one person that doesn’t drink/smoke/do drugs. That worries me just a bit. Although I do realize that a Facebook group doesn’t accurately represent the school as a whole at all</p>
i’m from an all asian/super nerdy school in the bay area too so naturally all my friends are asians, so im worried about the huge cultural shock next year but i know it’ll be better for me to get a taste of the real world. the real world does not consists of mostly asians!