<p>I'm debating whether to go to UC Merced versus UC Riverside and I'm having trouble finding current info about the culture of the school. Has it changed in the last 2-3 years?</p>
<p>How is the party life? I'm not a huge parties but I would love to go to a school where it's accessible and easy.</p>
<p>what do people do on the weekends?</p>
<p>Is it really boring?</p>
<p>How would it compare to uc riverside?</p>
<p>And is the bobcat eye really a thing??</p>
<p>Hey, I will be attending UCM this fall and have been doing some research. I don’t want to misinform you, but I do know there are current students on tumblr who are able to answer your questions. </p>
<p>I’m a senior at UC Merced and I’m UCM student representative. The atmosphere at the school has changed over the past couple of years. There is SO much more going on all the time now, clubs and orgs are always hosting fun events on and off campus and there are more students now which makes things more lively 
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<p>There are parties in Merced, I myself am not into the partying scene but I do hear about them from friends. </p>
<p>As for what people do on the weekends, it really depends on what your interests are and what you get involved in. Some like to head up to Yosemite for some hiking or relaxation. Some like to study or chill with friends at local coffee shops (I recommend Coffee Bandits :D) or check out the shops downtown. Older students may go downtown to hang out at the bars in the evening. There’s plenty to do in Merced if you’re willing to be adventurous and explore :)</p>
<p>I’ve never been to UC Riverside so unfortunately I can’t help give any comparisons for you, but I do know that we are a smaller and newer campus. We combine the traditions of the UC system with cutting edge technology and research. Our campus community is friendly, hugely diverse and supportive. We have tons of academic, career and job resources for you on campus as well. </p>
<p>Truth be told, the Bobcat Eye is something that was fabricated many years ago. There are wonderful people here at UC Merced that come from all over California and even out of state. </p>
I’m a current freshman at UCM. I can’t tell you how it has changed the past years, but I can tell you that my first semester here was amazing! The party life isn’t completely dead; I haven’t been to any crazy ones but I know some friends that went frequently.
On the weekends, when I am tired of studying, I like to go on morning jogs to the park next to campus, and go to downtown Merced and go to the antique shops there. I agree with ucmbre about Coffee Bandits! It is a must try, and has a great atmosphere for studying. However, I find that Merced itself isn’t a college town yet, and does not have a lot of things for students to do. There are some weekends that I find myself sitting in my dorm room bored out of my mind! I think it would help a great deal if I had a car on campus.
The Campus Activities Board at UCM is doing a great job of hosting events though, as last semester we had a lot of fun events like a Halloween carnival where we artists like Sage the Gemini perform for us; and Enchanted Ball, which was a formal event where I had a blast! Many of the events were completely free, so it is always worth going.
One of the highlights of UCM is the community. I have never met such friendly and welcoming students! I think that they are what help make the campus fun 
I’m kind of having the same problem here. I’m not sure if UCM is the right school for me. I mean I know the campus is relatively new and that it’s growing but I just feel like the school isn’t that good in terms of academics and lifestyle. I got waitlisted to UC Davis and got accepted to UC Merced so obviously I’m going to submit my intent of register to UCM, but what if I get accepted to UC Davis? Should I choose UCD over UCM or should I transfer from UCM in the first couple of years?