<p>Sorry LA is NOT clean, but of course that depends on your definition. I’ve visited UCLA lots of times and it’s just not for me. Maybe because I’ve been around LA area in general, and that’s not pretty, well most of it. [:</p>
<p>&& don’t get me started on the SoCal weather in general. -.-</p>
<p>you’re trippin, sakura.
UCLA’s campus is WAY clean, and there aren’t homeless camps along its perimeter. westwood is also ‘clean’ and pleasant looking, so far as towns are concerned. the women are also unquestionably better looking and, though i’m hesitant to say it, the night life far exceeds the options available to you at berkeley. i’m hesitant because SF is so close to berkeley, but, at least among my friends (social, party on weekends and then some), people don’t tend to go all that frequently. with UCLA, you’re 10 minutes from santa monica / hollywood / downtown, and every night of the week, if you know where to look, there’s something fun to ‘do’. </p>
<p>personally, i like the vibe in berkeley better. i like the idea of escaping one of the consumer capitals of the world. i’ve always had good experiences with the people i’ve met there, ie, there are fewer tools. i also think that it’ll be easier to study there, as i know that nearly EVERYONE is constantly studying, such that it becomes really social. i’m sure the same thing happens at UCLA, but, eh… i don’t know</p>
<p>my vote: probably UCLA for anyone who likes cities and has never lived in LA, but berkeley for me.</p>
<p>"you’re 10 minutes from santa monica / hollywood / downtown, and every night of the week, if you know where to look, there’s something fun to ‘do’.
"</p>
<p>if you’re living in westwood, 20 hours out of each day, you’ll be able to get to those places in about 10 minutes.
if you’ve absolutely got to get around during rush hours, buy a road bike. you’d be amazed how quickly you can get around the city.</p>
<p>^
Be happy, enjoy life shacked up in your dorm room? Sorry, but I need to get out. </p>
<p>I’m joking, but in all honesty–I would be bored being there all the time. I’m sure anyone will encounter traffic one way or another, it’s one of those things that you can’t avoid!</p>
<p>pinker, i think you described UCLA right on the spot. </p>
<p>i think it’s a trend for people from the south to want to go to UC Berkeley because it’s a new environment for them. Same applies to people from the north wanting to go to the south. Of course, there are people here from the Bay who would most likely choose CAL over LA anyday; but for some like me - i want to get away. </p>
<p>Dont get me wrong. I love the Bay Area but I would prefer to start my life away from the area that I’ve spent 18 years of my life in. LA and UCLA provides that for me. When I went down there, I fell in love with the vibe that UCLA had to offer. </p>
<p>As for Berkeley, I had always had the misconception that CAL is a dirty a$s place. But after going there to chill with a friend numerous of times the past 3 weeks, I realized that CAL can grow onto you. Of course, in terms of “campus safety”, I would feel safer at UCLA. But Berkeley is a pretty legit college environment in itself. </p>
<p>In the end, CAL and UCLA offer two different environments. In deciding which campus is “better”, people will prefer different environments. Regardless, both campuses are legit. </p>
<p>And btw, SF isn’t that close to Berkeley. It’s at least a good 30 minute drive since I-80 is filled with cars trying to get across the bridge. As for BART, it’s a 20-30 minute ride depending on the amount of passengers. Plus the BART station in Berkeley is a good 5-10 minute walk from the campus.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>get a bike.</p></li>
<li><p>joking or not, you won’t be ‘shacked up in your dorm room’. like i said in that first post, santa monica / downtown / hollywood, all very close by. not to mention westwood itself. </p></li>
<li><p>traffic is really only an obstacle if you’ve gotta use the freeway. and at that, like everyone else in LA, at least attempt to avoid it. i mean, yeah, it sucks in the city too, but again, a bike solves that problem. </p></li>
<li><p>traffic shouldn’t be a serious deterrent when it comes to choosing a college.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>well what I am trying to say is that I don’t know why people mind the traffic, I know it’s stressing but let’s live life as it is. we know LA has a lot of people but what can we do? everyone gets to their destination sooner or later regardless where you want to go. I see some people get so stressed out and some even blame some schools for having parking issues. I would say the following: be grateful that you have an education and that you actually are driving a car. If your whining because of parking space, there are people who cant even afford a college education and who are in the wrong path for those who quit school. there is a big tradeoff of becoming successful. If we can stick with it, we’ll be more productive and value life. I see so many people get so upset at these tiny things. I know that for some it is a big deal, but like Ive learned it could be worse. what do you think?</p>
<p>I found getting to Santa Monica Beach from Westwood isnt that long. Most of the time it takes comes from walking from the campus to the bus-stop on Wilshire? Then take Rapid Metro and you’ll be there in like 10-15 minutes. And this is coming from someone from the Bay who had never encountered the LA public transportation system until the last time I went. I had to learn the hard-way… I was trying to get to Union Station and took the Bus the wrong way to Santa Monica. Ended up being an hour and 30 minutes late. lol</p>
<p>“(San Francisco is) at least a good 30 minute drive since I-80 is filled with cars trying to get across the bridge. As for BART, it’s a 20-30 minute ride depending on the amount of passengers. Plus the BART station in Berkeley is a good 5-10 minute walk from the campus.”</p>
<p>that’s relatively close… </p>
<p>also, i think that campus safety at either place is about the same. </p>
<p>I would have to say that UCLA’s campus is much more aesthetically pleasing, and super clean as well. When I visited Berkeley, I was a little disappointed. It’s obviously a great school, but it was definitely not what I expected and left me with somewhat of a “that’s it?” feeling. That’s just me though…I think I hyped it up too much in my head beforehand. Some parts were much nicer than others, and I thought the bell tower was awesome! :] <a href=“http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/2187768.jpg[/url]”>http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/2187768.jpg</a>
I also was entertained by the tree sitters that were protesting (apparently a typical day at Bezerkeley).</p>
<p>I suppose you could say that “LA” as a whole is not the tidiest of places, but that’s like refusing to go to Berkeley because it neighbors Oakland (which, no offense to anyone, from what I SAW, it was a little ghetto). You will find bums in both areas, but I will say that I feel much safer walking around UCLA/Westwood at night than Berkeley. Maybe it was the fact that there were a dozen flyers in my friend’s dorm at Cal reporting recent theft, assaults, and tips to be safe…juuust sayin’. But hey…that crap happens all over.</p>
<p>Anyway, I think it just depends on what you’re looking for…my trip to Berkeley and San Francisco was great overall and I liked the vibe too, but I’m not sure I could see myself living/going to school there. It definitely takes a certain personality type to survive up there, and I certainly give my friend props for adapting so well and hacking an entirely different lifestyle then she is used to down here in the LA area.</p>
<p>Last thing…I love heat and sunshine…I froze my A S S off at Berk! That alone was enough to deter me, haha. I did go in March, though…hmm.</p>
<p>ramble ramble…If I had to choose right now, based on current feelings…UCLA.</p>
<p>“If your whining because of parking space, there are people who cant even afford a college education… etc”</p>
<p>so be content with your situation because it’s better than that of the person who’s got nothing? that’s ■■■■■■■■. even if all you’re doing is complaining, it can still be a therapeutic. in any event, if you repress all of the things you dislike rather than acknowledge them (repeatedly), you’re less likely to feel compelled to find a way to avoid them; rather, to find a solution to them. while complaining about traffic is trivial, it’s that feeling of annoyance and anxiety that causes me to plan around rush hour, or to find alternate routes…
if i could go through life in perfect contentment, twiddling my thumbs with a smile on my face from the simple knowledge of how much better my life is than it otherwise could be, well, i don’t think i’d accomplish much of anything.
that’s what i think.</p>
<p>thats ok. but I wouldn’t call myself ■■■■■■■■ if I don’t think your one. that makes me look down, and we’re just stating opinions that everyone has a difference to. you’ve put me down on my way of thinking and its perfectly ok. good luck</p>
<p>if i said i liked ‘Family Guy’, and you said ‘Family Guy is ■■■■■■■■’, you aren’t calling me ■■■■■■■■. you’re calling one of my ideas ■■■■■■■■. you asked for opinions… what i gave you is mine. </p>
<p>If I said family Guy is ■■■■■■■■, I’am insulting you and that is not being nice. at least that’s what I think. I mean ok let’s say if I like barney, I expect you to respect and not laugh at my show. Just say that “oh it’s cool.” I put this example because many people tend to laugh at other people’s shows and thats not being very polite. For example, if you say that you like to smoke, drink, and have sex every day, although i may disagree and not like your actions I wouldn’t criticize you because we llive in a free country where you can do anything you want. and we can even do another example. oright let’s put a UCLA kid and a UC MERCED kid. Only because ucla is more prestigious and the other school is not that great but you know what? at least the MERCED kid is trying to study hard and going to school while there are others who don’t even go to one and they quit, some just think about getting pregnant, not have a life, and not think about a better future. I see so many people start roundly laughing, saying “UC MERCED haha that school sucks,” I know your not like that because your here to have a better tomorrow, but those people who laugh at other schools, that is demoralizing. Yes ucla is a better school, but I think that anybody whereever you go has a good education and is better off than the rest who don’t make it that far. sorry for putting so many examples, my point is that I think everyone has a way of thinking and as long as you back it up with your personal opinion you’re perfectly fine.</p>