<p>During CalSo I stayed with a friend who lived in a really cool Co-op-- Wolf House to be exact. She’s going on her fourth semester living at the same co-op so she’s definitely built her seniority. She mentioned that there are a lot of dirty, drug-infested co-ops so where you get placed depends on your luck and place on the waiting list.
I guess there was this one co-op at Berkeley that had a party and made like three batches of “special” brownies and served them to everyone. One girl claimed she had been drugged and took it to the authorities. And I guess the Co-op association has to deal with all of this BS. That particular co-op really lives up to the dirty hippy drug scene stereotype co-ops tend to have.
Basically, Co-ops could be a great experience (like my friend’s) or a horrible one. It all depends which co-op you’re placed in. Since you’re an international student, have you thought of applying to I-House?</p>