<p>Transportation:
Watch for flight sales. Flying is honestly the cheapest way most of the time. Southwest is a good option and used to be the best before they changed their awards program. Their prices still remain fairly competitive within California, though, and they have frequent schedules. Plus they have no baggage fee for the first two checked bags.</p>
<p>I’ve priced out buses, trains, flights, and car rides for visiting friends in SoCal and flying has always been the cheapest unless I have others with me splitting the cost of gas.</p>
<p>Parties:
Most of them are off campus. Despite some popular beliefs that we’re a free for all here, campus security is pretty serious about maintaining the peace. Parties that are on campus don’t last long. Finding out about these parties really does depend on who you know, though.</p>
<p>Activities:
The campus is definitely isolated. It can be annoying for doing things off campus, but it is what helps maintain the safe atmosphere on campus as well.</p>
<p>On campus you can find clubs, intramural sports (we also have some DIII teams in a few sports), and various other outings through OPERS. I haven’t looked at what’s being offered this quarter, but I’ve seen various hikes, sailing, and scuba trips listed as well.</p>
<p>Off campus you can find things like the beach, the Boardwalk, and various city sponsored events. I don’t go off campus much, though, so I don’t keep up on what there is to do.</p>
<p>Drugs:
It is far from as bad as people say. You will find some on this board who like to claim it is that bad, but it’s all about who you surround yourself with and what you’re looking for (those who go looking for trouble will find it). I’ve said it several times before, but I’ve honestly had far more and worse encounters with marijuana on Berkeley’s campus than I have on UCSC’s campus.</p>
<p>Yes, drug use exists. But no one is going to force it on you and depending on who you surround yourself with, you might even never (or at least rarely) encounter that “lovely” smell. You’ll find drug use at every campus, not just UCSC.</p>
<p>CS - Game Design:
Actually, we’re no longer the only UC with this. I believe Irvine was the one that picked it up this past year, but UCSC was the first.</p>
<p>While this is not my major, I have known people in it. While I have heard great things, the biggest problem seems to be that it’s rare to have people who are good at both elements of the major. Often it seems you have a person either strongly leaning one way or the other and struggling in the opposite area. Note this might not be as common as those in the major I’ve talked to have said and I have no direct experience with the major aside from talking to friends in it.</p>
<p>Beyond that, many seem to like it. If you want a real exposure to what the program is like, I highly suggest setting up a meeting with the department to speak with them about it. They would be able to give you a great overview of the major.</p>