<p>Any older students here attend(ing) undergrad at UCLA? How is the social life and how did you get on with the younger LA students in class?</p>
<p>Younger people, please feel free to weigh in with your perception of the older undergrad population.</p>
<p>Fyi: By older, I'm talking about 26+ years old. I'm 33 myself. Attending a CCC at my age can be a bit lonely at times. I'm hoping to find that there is some good peer support in my age range wherever I attend the next two years.</p>
<p>I’m not a non-traditional student, but I’ve noticed a few (or assumed they were) in a couple of my classes. Namely lower division physics and life science classes. It looked like they got along fine with the other students, and in the physics class, she seemed to make friends, too. That’s about the limit of my experiences, though.</p>
<p>@Hokum, what’s your major? 34 here, Art History.</p>
<p>i’m 23. I had friends and talked to a few people on campus who were in their 30s, and one guy probably in his 40s. Some of the older people also like to spend their time with other older people. You shouldn’t have any trouble making friends, though, at least due to your age.</p>
<p>In fact, i even knew a guy who was in his mid 30s and did the whole college experience thing, joined a frat and everything.</p>
<p>@phospholipase @beyphy Cool. Thanks for sharing. I realize now that what I said about my CC being a lonely experience may have come across as if I haven’t made friends when it’s quite the contrary. I am very active socially and I’m president of a club, so it’s all good. I’ve met some students my age there as well. That said, I just don’t have much in common with the younger ones outside of class, and I can’t exactly drag most of them to the bar. I think they feel the same way about me, and they probably don’t want to drag me to their Taylor Swift concert or whatever it is they do… I kid I kid. With the older students, they are usually very attached to their job/spouse/family/significant other, so it’s difficult to ever find time to spend with them. I myself have no attachments, so… yep. Btw, joining a frat sounds like it would be hilariously awkward and a lot of fun. Won’t have much time for that sort of thing though.</p>
<p>@zimzam Hey, cool. A fellow class of 97’er, I presume? I’m going into neuroscience (pre-med). Are you solid on your choice to transfer to LA? Where you coming from? I’m really on the fence between SD and LA at the moment. Lots to factor, and unfortunately I have spent virtually no time in either city. Academically speaking, both programs are tops, and both have great medical research to get involved in. The main thing I’m indecisive about is which environment will foster a more enriching learning environment. SD sounds very peaceful, and I love the idea of having the beach and huge parks directly adjacent to go running and camping etc. LA sounds like it will give me more opportunities to meet people outside of my major, and it might offer me a more well-rounded social scene to draw energy from. It’s going to be a tough decision.</p>
<p>@hokum Awesome, I find neuroscience fascinating. Have you read Julian Jaynes “The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind”? It’s incredible and likely up your alley as it melds psychology and brain physiology.</p>
<p>Class of 96, actually - not that it matters once you turn thirty, right?</p>
<p>If I get into UCLA I will unquestionably attend, and SIR on 4/19, of which I’m fairly confident since my major is not impacted and my GPA is high.</p>
<p>LA, for me, is the better choice. I was also accepted to SD, and La Jolla is a beautiful, comfortable place to live, if a bit white and conservative. And upper crusty. But, LA, for an artist outside of NYC, is really the best west coast choice, and the culture available there sufficiently offsets the tranquility of La Jolla.</p>
<p>I’m coming from a CCC in San Francisco, really looking forward to my rent dropping by 50-70% once I get out of here. Great city, but too hip and rapidly gentrifying while city services stagnate.</p>
<p>I think with LA’s massive campus you’re buffered enough from the noise while still very close to the network opportunities one desires. Two of my closest friends are Bruin graduates and think it was one of the best decisions of their lives.</p>
<p>It’s very common to see people of all age groups alone all throughout the day. In a school of 30,000+ students you can easily graduate without having made a single friend. You really have to put in an immense amount of effort especially for the commuters and transfer students because they’re usually the ones that fit into this category. The students who came in as freshmen are usually doing well socially I have noticed. </p>
<p>I commute to school 4 days a week and it’s pretty much the same thing. I walk to class and just take notes on lecture and people barely even talk to one another in virtually all classes unless they know them outside of class. For lunch I sit alone and then off to class and it’s the same thing – sitting alone without talking to a single person and just taking notes. Afterwards, I go home. It’s been the same scenario since I’ve entered UCLA.</p>
<p>@zimzam I haven’t read that book, but it sounds pretty interesting. That nexus where social sciences, humanities, biology, and physiology meet is the place that interests me the most. I love hearing about theories like bicameralism. You know, that’s exactly the kind of thing I was talking about when I said I hope to find a culture outside of the typical biochem pre-med crowd wherever I attend to expose me to interesting ideas that I can utilize and implement it into my own work. I love that neuroscience allows that creative approach. There is still so much unknown about our conscious mind, and we surely wouldn’t get anywhere trying to figure it all out if it weren’t for such a collaboration. </p>
<p>I live in the bay area too. Spent a year in the city then moved to south bay to re-enter school at my CC. Was originally planning on doing it up there, but I wanted to get started right at that first summer that city college shut down their summer session due to the budget cuts.</p>
<p>As for SD, I’m sure I could tolerate the conservatism and bubble culture, even if I don’t prefer it. I’m from a nice neighborhood in a big Texas city originally, so I’ve certainly dealt with that sort of environment before. </p>
<p>You looked into apartments in LA yet? Westwood/Brentwood rent looks pretty comparable to Silicon Valley, maybe a little more expensive. I’ll be looking for a studio as close to campus as possible so I won’t have to drive.</p>
<p>@Philosoup That’s the most depressing story I’ve heard all day. If I go to LA next year, I’m gonna keep my eye out for you eating alone, and I’m gonna come over and give you a big hug.</p>
<p>We’ll have to connect up after the 19th to chat about brains and/or moving.</p>
<p>My goal for LA living is twofold: 1) cheaaaapest apartment available, renting a room somewhere, not necessarily close to campus, but on the west side, and b) getting a nice studio near Culver City to work in. So, my living needs are a bit different then yours, perhaps.</p>
<p>You’ll really love Jaynes based on what you said. Check it out for sure.</p>