<p>OK i'm officailly afraid to live in a dorm. This past weekend, I went to the University of Oklahoma to help my friend move into her dorm and it was SO NASTY! The room was a good size, but the paint was falling off the walls, the windows were dirty, the tile floor needed cleaning, there was dust in the corners, the carpet in the hallways looked 20 years old, it didnt look like a place I could ever live in. The bathrooms were even worse! So, my question is, are the UCSB dorms like this? When I went on the tour, the guide showed us a VERY nice dorm. It had new carpet and everything in the room looked new and clean. Anyone have input? How are the bathrooms, im curious b/c that wasnt part of the tour. Thanks!</p>
<p>I'm not at UCSB yet, so there's probably people more qualified to answer, but I toured Santa Rosa, San Miguel, and La Cumbre House in Manzanita Village during spring insight. The first two looked well enough to me, they seemed clean and well maintained. I believe all of the dorms except for Manzanita Village were built in the 60's, while Manzanita Village opened in Fall 02, and it looked quite amazing to me. </p>
<p>Speaking of dorms, do any of the continuing students here have pictures of the dorms or the insides? I think it would be interesting to see some.</p>
<p>littleeviltwin - no, I can assure you UCSB dorms are well maintained and well cleaned. They clean your room (empty trashcans, vacuum your floor, clean your mirrors) once every week/week and a half. They also clean your bathrooms regularly.</p>
<p>However, be aware that if you're a freshmen, chances are you're staying outside of Manzanita, and you'll have group showers/stalls. You'll find the occaisional puke all over the floor because someone can't hold their alcohol. And apparently too drunk to aim in the toilet.</p>
<p>I've been in every house and atleast one room (except for FT), and all of them are carpeted, and rather clean. At times though, the all guys hall smells like a mixture of sweat, cologne, and sometimes weed. And some of the girls' hall smell of cheap crappy perfume.</p>
<p>I can get you some pictures of Manzanita bathrooms and my room later on in the day. I have some bathroom pictures from Anacapa, but it's of puke spread over 5 bathroom stalls which I thought was disgustingly amusing.</p>
<p>Save for some unpleasant experiences that you can't avoid, I love living in the dorms.</p>
<p>That would be great if you could get photos! I only saw the inside of the RA's room and the lounge and study areas of Manzanita, so I'd love to see more.</p>
<p>Taken from Manzanita:</p>
<p>Washers:
<a href="http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/%7Edeanliu/temporary/dorm1.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/~deanliu/temporary/dorm1.jpg</a></p>
<p>Dryers:
<a href="http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/%7Edeanliu/temporary/dorm2.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/~deanliu/temporary/dorm2.jpg</a></p>
<p>Kitchen (not pictured: recycling "bin" to the left, to the right is a big fridge that everyone can use (if you do use it mark your name on it -- and be aware some shady people will still eat your food. Manzanita is the only dorm that I know of that has a fridgerator for all to use. However still, some houses in Manzanita don't have a kitchen also. Stove's are provided in most dorms; note fire sensors are a bit sensitive):
<a href="http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/%7Edeanliu/temporary/dorm3.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/~deanliu/temporary/dorm3.jpg</a></p>
<p>Manzanita bathrooms are rather private -- usually one person in at a time since the door has a lock:</p>
<p>Sinks:
<a href="http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/%7Edeanliu/temporary/dorm4.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/~deanliu/temporary/dorm4.jpg</a></p>
<p>Shower:
<a href="http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/%7Edeanliu/temporary/dorm5.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/~deanliu/temporary/dorm5.jpg</a></p>
<p>Toilet:
<a href="http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/%7Edeanliu/temporary/dorm6.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/~deanliu/temporary/dorm6.jpg</a></p>
<p>My dorm room is a double room actually, but i'm the only one living in it since it's just summer school. I'm only staying here for 6 weeks before I move to San Raf for the school year, so you can expect it to be pretty empty.</p>
<p>Mostly done in a 360 degree manner, starting from left and ending in the right.</p>
<p>Desk unused:
<a href="http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/%7Edeanliu/temporary/dorm10.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/~deanliu/temporary/dorm10.jpg</a></p>
<p>My bed (the pink sheets are from my gf -_-):
<a href="http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/%7Edeanliu/temporary/dorm7.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/~deanliu/temporary/dorm7.jpg</a></p>
<p>My desk:
<a href="http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/%7Edeanliu/temporary/dorm8.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/~deanliu/temporary/dorm8.jpg</a></p>
<p>Other bed:
<a href="http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/%7Edeanliu/temporary/dorm9.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/~deanliu/temporary/dorm9.jpg</a></p>
<p>View out the window (there are a few lucky people out there who get a view of the beach and ocean):
<a href="http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/%7Edeanliu/temporary/dorm11.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/~deanliu/temporary/dorm11.jpg</a></p>
<p>Thanks, that was very helpful! I got Montecito House, which I hear doesn't have a kitchen, so I guess I'll have to live without that. The rooms and bathroom look great, nicer than I thought they'd be.</p>
<p>thanks so much for posting the pics</p>
<p>Manzanita probably has the nicest rooms.</p>
<p>Right now, I am staying at San Nicolas (which is one of the older dorms) and I think that it is relatively clean, though it is definitely old.</p>
<p>The paint on the walls looks to be pretty new, but the ceiling does have some darker "hand prints" on it. The carpet is relatively clean. The heater unit and the outlets are rusting just a little bit and the screens on the windows are definitely showing signs of wear. But overall, the rooms somewhat better than what I expected.</p>
<p>Note that the rooms are only cleaned twice a month, at least in my own experience. However, the bathrooms are cleaned every morning, so they usually are pretty clean.</p>
<p>The great part of living in San Nicolas (or in almost any of the dorms at UCSB) is that all you need to do is open the windows if you need some air. Our room has almost never reach past 72 degrees during this summer, so there is no need for air conditioning.</p>
<p>Montecito, hey. I'll see you around the quad, then. I lived in San Nic, and it was loads of fun, though I was stuck in one of the smaller rooms. For most of the day the exterior doors will be unlocked so you can walk to the neighboring houses(which are only a few feet away) and use the kitchen there. I'll be two houses away, in case you have any questions. Though I don't know your RA that well, she seems pretty nice, if a bit quiet-though this could only be because I don't know her terribly well.</p>
<p>Yen-which house are you staying in right now?</p>
<p>IAm-where in San Nic are you living? Are you in FSSP?</p>
<p>I'm staying in Cameusa, surprisingly, for the third time in a row (last summer, whole previous school year, and now for summer.)</p>
<p>Too bad about San Raf, then. <em>evil smile</em></p>
<p>*Montecito, hey. I'll see you around the quad, then. *</p>
<p>Alright, coo. I'm already getting ready starting to prepare all my stuff :)</p>
<p>I am too, but I move in in less than a week.</p>
<p>"This past weekend, I went to the University of Oklahoma to help my friend move into her dorm and it was SO NASTY!"</p>
<p>People should always expect to do some level of cleaning in any new living quarters, whether it be a college dorm room or a private apartment. But please don't speak of Oklahoma and California colleges in the same breath. There are really some very cheezy, backwoods, trailer trash living environments when you get away from a civilized living environment. We native Californians take a lot for granted when we have to venture out into the real world.</p>
<p>I remember when I went to a national conference in Nashville, Tennessee and whet into shock when the public restrooms in a national chain hotel had no toilet seat protectors. SORRY, I DON'T GO COMMANDO !!!</p>
<p>Dorms at some colleges away from the "civilized world" are like staying at a "no-tell motel" in Hicksville USA !!! Hopefully, a UC, CSU or Cali private school dorm would never be that way!</p>
<p>Cleaning?! The dorms at the beginning of the year will be the cleanest you can get 'em, since they have the professional cleaning crews come in and detox everything. My parents and people at other schools always gape in shock when I mention that they send in staff to clean every other week, though.</p>
<p>I don't think all other colleges do that. My brother said that in UCSC, they don't ever clean dorm rooms (except once people move out), only bathrooms.</p>
<p>Merc - ;_; on San Raf. Atleast it's a single though.</p>
<p>Are you moving in next week for RHA training?</p>
<p>But please don't speak of Oklahoma and California colleges in the same breath. There are really some very cheezy, backwoods, trailer trash living environments when you get away from a civilized living environment. We native Californians take a lot for granted when we have to venture out into the real world.</p>
<p>AW, thats not very nice :( MY friend is going to OU on a full-tuition scholarship b/c shes national merit. She chose OU b/c it was, and is, a good school. I hate to tell you, but California colleges only have their prestige in California. I grew up in TX and before moving here I had only heard of UCLA, Stanford & Berkeley. Trailer Trash? Yes, in some parts, but keep in mind that the price of living in OK & TX is much less. Thus, the houses are nicer and bigger. I grew up in a very big, new house....as did my friend. I consider the town I grew up in in TX just as civilized than where I live now in CA (redondo beach). This reminds me of a lecture my english teacher gave about the wore civilized, he said that using the word the wrong way can make you seem racist. I'm not offended by your post, I just thought I would point some things out. Of course, you are a college student and should hear different views. Cia!</p>
<p>....about the word civilized...</p>
<p>I would just ignore his arrogance, I don't think he speaks for most of us Californians :) Speaking of Texas, I think you'll probably be able to find a few on campus, there's two people on the LiveJournal group who are from Texas (one is from El Paso).</p>