<p>Hello, Banana Slugs!</p>
<p>I might attend UCSC in the fall, and I reallyyy need help choosing the right college that fits my academic and personal character. Anyone who's a current UCSC student or anyone who just knows a lot about the UCSC community, please feel free to offer any information. I'm not that familiar with UCSC, so any feedback would be much appreciated. :)</p>
<p>Here's some background info;
~ Literature (Creative Writing) major
~ I love writing and playing the piano, so if there's a music center near my dorm, that would be wonderful haha
~ I'm very chill and open to new experiences, and I love meeting new people. A diverse college with fun academic/co-curricular activities is ideal.
~ I'm not looking to party, hook up with anyone, get involved in drama, or drink/smoke/do drugs. A strong study and academic environment is preferred.
~ I want to live on a single-gender, substance free floor with people who have the same interests as me, particularly in the arts/humanities.
~ I want to be closest to the library or the beach.
~ I WANT GOOD FOOD. Lol. A good dining hall, specifically.
~ Nearby/convenient transportation to get to my classes.</p>
<p>Any suggestions? I'm really picky, haha :P</p>
<p>I’m also not a radical/liberal/environmentalist/activist. I don’t want to get involved in any kind of student protest organization. I just want to be in a good study environment with friendly people (and no crazy party/drug scene). </p>
<p>The beach is not walking distance, unless you really like to walk, so that preference is not too relevant to your college selection. Porter is often selected by the more artistic student, but it also has some reputation for more party atmosphere. There are several threads already going on this topic, so if you haven’t already, I would suggest looking thru them for more info</p>
<p>@PetraElise I did, and I didn’t find anything that helps me know which college would be a good fit for me. </p>
<p>I’m kinda picky, so if someone can offer me helpful advice/information based on what I provided in this post, that would be great 
</p>
<p>Have you looked at the various college pages on the UCSC website? Are you attending Spotlight week? I don’t see a lot of activity here from current students, so you may have to be more proactive about finding the info, rather than waiting for it to come to you. Try googling the colleges for reviews. And I get it that you want to pick the best choice for yourself, so that you have a great college experience, but being “picky” is more likely to cause discontent with where ever you end up. Figure out your most important priorities, and then let go of the other stuff – it is highly unlikely you will find a situation at any school that meets every single one of your hoped for attributes – so be realistic about what you want/expect, and you will have a better time at school. </p>
<p>Yeah that’s true. I just want to know the students’ perspectives, is all.</p>
<p>For your major, and your interests, I would suggest Porter or Kresge. Porter has a area in the center of the college where students hang out, and play their instruments, which I think you could enjoy. It’s also known as the artsy college, which you’ve also expressed interest in.Even though it is known as the party college, it tends to attract a lot of different people. Porter has quiet and substance free floors, so either one of those could separate you from the big partiers. </p>
<p>Kresge is Porter’s sister college. It is home to the writing center, which from what you’ve told us, you’d love. Kresge is all apartments, and there is also a substance free option. This might be beneficial if you are worried about the craziness/distractions dorm life may bring. </p>
<p>If your number one priority is finding a college that is the most quiet/studies focused, I’d suggest Crown or Merrill. Crown is stereotyped as the nerd college, and Merrill is nicknamed “sterile merrill” aka quiet, boring, no parties. </p>
<p>Hope this helped some. </p>
<p>@daisy1996 thanks so much! What do you know about College 8? I looked at it online, and I really like how pretty it is. Is that college good for my major and art interests? </p>
<p>@UCadmitted I don’t know a lot about College 8. Apparently it has a “So Cal” vibe, with a lot of surfers. That’s all I really know. I’ve also heard the people are kind of superficial. </p>