What To Expect When You Get To UCLA (Transfer Edition)

Transfer Students UC Transfers
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<p>So I've officially spent my first week eating, sleeping, showering, studying, and living at UCLA. Now, for those of you who are either doing TSP or session C summer school here's a few things I think you can expect.</p>

<p>If you are in Rieber Hall this place was just renovated and everything is very nice. Bathrooms, carpet, and rooms are spic-n-span. Also, if you are assigned to Rieber Hall you can only eat at Hedrick's cafeteria/resturaunt or Rendevous (For the summer each hall is assigned to a specific eating place... kinda lame). The food is alright; I'd give it a "B". There is a lot of things that could make you fat as hell here if you don't control yourself (e.g. the ice cream bar and pastry bakery located in Hedrick). Also, the food is served buffet style so every meal period you swipe your bruin card you have as many times as you want to go back for another helping. Here's a little story about what happened with my dining experience this morning:</p>

<p>Since I moved in I've had a really bad sleeping and eating schedule. I end up sleeping from 4pm-8pm, waking up and staying up until 1:30am, going to sleep until 7am, and then wake up and go to class, discussion, and office hours from 8am on. Needless to say I've missed a few meals over the past week. Anyways, I missed dinner last night and woke up early this morning starving and went to get breakfast. They had an "omlet bar" at Hedrick so I had them make me an omlet; however, I noticed that the lady preparing my food used an entire ladle full of vegetable oil mixed with another ladle full of imitation egg (egg substitute?) to make my omlet. I was TOO hungry to care or say anything, so I just moved on ahead and chowed down... 15min later walking back to my room I puked everything up in the bushes and have felt like $hit ever since.</p>

<p>So the moral of the story is to really pay attention and make sure that what they are serving you is ACTUALLY food. This is not to say that all the food is like this. There are much better options, so slow down, take your time, and check out everything that is being served during that period. I think this link will really help you figure out what you're going to eat and when your going to eat it:
UCLA</a> - Dining Services</p>

<p>The people here are generally nice. Everyone that I have asked "Where's this...?" or "How do I...?" has been more than happy to help. However, a lot of the people here are either really stand off-ish or don't seem to have sharp social skills. Consequently, that whole illusion about residence halls being really social is a myth. NOBODY talks to each other on my floor and EVERYBODY keeps their doors closed. As you walk down the halls people typically stare at the floor or at their phone to avoid eye contact with you, and most people are listening to their ipods so you can't really start random conversation or small talk with them. Despite this, I keep my door open, I make eye contact with, smile at, and say "hello" to everyone I come in contact with, I have walked around and introduced myself to the people on my floor, and I have walked up to complete strangers and asked if I could eat with them. I am sure a lot of people have thought I'm really strange for doing this, but I've met some really chill people already who want to have as good of a time as I do. =) </p>

<p>FYI: My neighbor said that the stand off-ishness of people right now is NOT at all how it is during the regular academic year.</p>

<p>Next couple of quick topics:
1) It takes me 20 min to walk to class and even if it's cold outside when you leave your room it would be wise not to wear pants or a sweater because you end up sweating by the time you get to where your going.
2) I'm taking a single class right now and the rate that we are going over the material is warp speed! So if you are taking over 6 units in one session may God have mercy on your GPA.
3) Triple rooms here in Rieber Hall are quite spacious... I brought my guitar amplifier! =)
4) The school will not lease you a refrigerator for your room unless you have a medical condition, so buy your own if you were planning having fridge.
5) Go exploring through Westwood village! There's actually some cool little places to eat that are pretty good and cheap.
6) Reiber hall has a foosball, ping-pong, and pool table on the ground floor, if you didn't know that.</p>

<p>Overall, I have found that UCLA kicks ass! Sure there are some things and people here that can rub you the wrong way, but that's life. I can only imagine things getting better than they already are here and I'm totally stoked! I haven't checked out the JW center or the recreation center yet but I'm going to tomorrow, so I'll let you know. </p>

<p>Also, I'll be checking CC over the weekend so if you have any particulars to ask me, go right ahead.</p>

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<p>nice thread. how’s the material in your classes? are you finding it to be way harder/ somewhat harder/ about the same/ easier (probably not) than cc?</p>

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<p>Wow! Thanks so much for posting this! Even though I visit my friends constantly, I can never learn too much! ^-^</p>

<p>I should work on my sleeping habits too, it doesn’t help that I’ll be arriving back in the States hours before I head off to TSP! </p>

<p>Thanks again and feel free to post more info as you continue! TSP is totally going to kick our a#% then! Hahaha!</p>

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<p>nice i guess i cant bring my two basses and amp.</p>

<p>maybe we can jam sometime</p>

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<p>Thank you so much for posting! Shawnee has said that us TSP kids are living in Rieber Hall, so it’s cool that they’re newly renovated! </p>

<p>The unit thing scares me- I’m taking 12 with the TSP, but I suppose that’s different as it’s a specially designed group of courses. :frowning: right? lol </p>

<p>And that omlette incident, that sounds nightmarish. I’ll be watching. lol.</p>

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<p>@karol</p>

<p>Personally I don’t feel that my summer course’s material is any more difficult than the majors courses I had at JC. However, the pace at which we are covering topics/concepts is considerably faster than what most of us coming from a JC are probably used to. But this is also during a 6 week summer session, which is 4 weeks shorter than a typical quarter. </p>

<p>Just to give you an idea of the pace, I just started on Monday and my first mid-term is next Friday. Two weeks from then I have another mid-term. Then, another two weeks and I’ll be taking my final. Also, both of the mid-terms are cumulative and there’s no grade padding (HW, quizzes, etc.). In the last 5 days I’ve read ~250 pages and am still just keeping pace with the class. Plus, I have an entire 160 page work book of exercise problems which is pretty essential that I complete if I am to do well in the class. Remember, this is for a single class.</p>

<p>Everyone that I have met here who is a continuing student is taking either 1 or 2 classes per session. However, some of them do research as well, are studying for the MCAT, etc. It’s apparent that they have had 2-3 years to learn how to prioritize and use their time efficiently given the time constraints. </p>

<p>I don’t feel that I am struggling to keep up or that I am studying anymore than I typically do, but I am finding that there is much less leisure time and breaks between my study blocks. Haha. But I expected this.</p>

<p>@evan and RheeL </p>

<p>When that guy at Scholars Day stressed that you guys aren’t going to have ANY free time he REALLY means it. 12 units in 6 weeks is no joke. I think it’s do-able but you’re going to have your head buried in books 24/7. But hey, if you can manage that you’ll be primed for the fall quarter.</p>

<p>All of you guys in TSP will probably have much more of a camaraderie than if you had come here army-of-one style (like yours truly). MOST of the people on campus right now are a part of some summer program (sports, academics, foreign exchange, etc.) and they tend to stick in the social circle of their particular program. There are not a whole lot of regular attending students here right now, and you can spot them easily (they are the ones in the dining halls eating by themselves). Also, the age range around here is ridiculously broad (we’re talking toddlers through late 20’s).</p>

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<p>Ah thanks so much for your post. Your experience with the eggs kind of… sucks. Haha. Hope you’re feeling better though. (:</p>

<p>But even 10 weeks is short… How many units is too many for regular quarters, you think? I want to take four courses, which is normal, but apparently three is a good place to start, especially for us since we’re making that transition from the semester system.</p>

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<p>That might be helpful, at the same time, 10 weeks is about where I’m at usually when I come down with “Who Gives A F***” Syndrome so that being all the longer courses are, it might help keep me in check. Three would probably work but four doesn’t hurt!</p>

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<p>I’ll be used to it! I’m sleeping as much as possible (7 1/2 hours max) and getting ready for all that. Sucks we have Monday-Friday! =\ </p>

<p>I have a group of friends who participated in TSP last summer and they were okay so I’ll just be learning to manage my time with their help. </p>

<p>I can’t believe it’s a month away already, boo.</p>

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<p>thanks for the response! very informative. wow, that sounds a bit intimidating specially considering you’re only talking about one single class. =l at least you’re doing summer session and in the fall you’ll be a little prepared. I’m going to be thrown into the madness.
what class are you taking?</p>

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<p>Uccasualty! You are my hero!!! Your post is seriously awesome… I loved all the details… As far as the omelette bar that makes me sad! Maybe tomorrow you can ask for some Pam cooking spray?? For the TSP program we are taking 11 - 12 units over 6 :slight_smile: </p>

<p>Lee you’ll have to share your time management skills to get through the summer… Do you know who is teaching the English Comp 100W class? Or which books we’ll be using? Share all your details! or how about how early classes start?</p>

<p>So I just read through all the posts & I am excited! ! </p>

<p>Uccasualty- what class are you in? from what I remember you are MIMG? right? my other screen name was shawna b… </p>

<p>ciao - did you find a place??</p>

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<p>I haven’t talked with my friends for over a week, so I’ll be sure to ask them. Of course they’re hooking up their old books because I’m not paying for them, ha-ha! They owe me anyways! I’ll keep in contact, but I’m sure there will be more information in that thing you’ll be getting the week of the 5th. I won’t be seeing it until I get home (that’s a maybe too) haha!</p>

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<p>sorry shawna, I just saw this. NO i haven’t… I haven’t even been looking! My friend wants us to live together but she’s out of the country right now so idk when we’ll look =l. I may just be one of those homeless students lol. (not that funny)</p>

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<p>@ciao- did you end up putting a deposit down for oncampus? I ended up finding a place on Veteran & Santa Monica Blvd so it’s about 1.5 miles away… It’s a condo & the girl I’ll be renting from is a super senior MIMG major. I found the place on the Ucla community housing board. I can park my car on the street & it is a private room / private bath so that sold it for me! </p>

<p>Lee- yes please ask what books we’ll be using! I’d rather buy the books online versus paying 3 or 4 hundred at the school bookstore… I tried to find out what books were required today and the bookstore doesn’t have the booklist yet.</p>

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<p>No, I figured why waste $30 when I knew I wouldn’t be living on campus lol. That sounds good, what’s your rent if you don’t mind me asking?</p>

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<p>I feel really lucky I am paying $800 including utitlities… I jumped on the deal pretty much the day I saw it & put 2 months down… Everything else I found that was private room was $1200… just crazy! or $500 or $600 to rent a livingroom. westwood is very expensive.</p>

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<p>Wow! You are lucky! I would have done the same thing, lol. </p>

<p>I will keep you updated, but just FYI- we’re heading to Hong Kong/Japan next week sometime so I might be lagging on CC posts.</p>

<p>Haha…I just re-read the post about the omelet. Yep, egg substitute, that’s the way we’ll be eating eggs now, lol. I got sick the first time too but then just got used to it, mehh.</p>

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<p>yes it is!</p>

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<p>Eww, egg substitute, really? If I need anything eggy, I may just make it in the room. I’m going to be buying one of those burner thingys and a mini-oven for pizzas and stuff. The burner/skillet will let me cook pancakes and stuff… mmmm.</p>

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<p>I already bought an electric burner! It’s great and was pretty cheap but great quality! Up next: rice cooker! Hahaha!</p>