<p>Is UCI mostly a commuter college? In addition to just academics I'd like to go to a school where I can have a good time and be able to meet people. Does anyone know how UCI, UCD and UCSB compare as a college town?</p>
<p>UCD and UCSB are definitely more college towns. A lot of people go home on the weekend even if they aren't really commuting from home. That being said, I've met a lot of people here and there are still a bunch who don't go home. There are a decent amount of NorCal people here too. I don't think you'll have a hard time meeting people because you go to UCI. At least I didn't. But UCD and UCSB probably have more of a "college town" feel and fewer people go home on the weekend.</p>
<p>Irvine isn't much of a college town. You really need a car to get around, and stuff isn't really open that late. Irvine is a master-planned community and it's very upper-middle class. When I was an undergrad we had Dublin's Irish Pub within walking distance from the dorms, but it got shut down by the Irvine Company because they were serving alcohol to minors there. So all of the bars in Irvine are not super-close to campus, and there are only a small handful of all-night eateries. Newport Beach, on the other hand, is a great little college town, except that it's a drive away from Irvine. But they are really starting to develop the University Center, which is a shopping/eating area directly across the street from campus and I think that it's really going to pick up in the next few years.</p>
<p>I've lived in Irvine for more than ten years and no, it's not really a college town, but it's one hell of a town. It's dubbed "the bubble" because it's pretty much like a sheltered community... I'd feel safe walking down a dark alley in Irvine at 2:00 in the morning holding $10,000 in my hand. </p>
<p>Plenty of people here are so eager to move away, but I lived in Santa Ana (it's a city bordering Irvine that's somewhat poor) until I was seven, so I can appreciate what Irvine has to offer.</p>
<p>Also the speed limit is 45 or 55 mph on most streets unlike Santa Ana which is usually 35 or 40... so you can get places pretty quickly. There's also the Irvine Spectrum which makes up for the lack of a shopping mall in Irvine... it has a movie theater, countless restaurants, Electronics Botique (for all your gaming needs), a Barnes and Noble, Nordstroms, etc.</p>
<p>Not to mention they recently built this cool parking structure which counts and displays how many parking spaces are left inside! And it's free.</p>
<p>If you have any really specific questions you can ask me and I'll do my best to answer them.</p>
<p>I live in Santa Ana too coolman and I'm one of those who are dying to get out (only to get away from my parents though =P). Anyway, Irvine is a great area to live in as long as you have a car. There are great malls in the area and great hang out places (i.e. the Block in Orange or Irvine Spectrum in.. irvine spectrum). You can always find something to do pretty much, as long as you have a car.</p>