<p>Can somebody tell me the reason behind this abbreviation and how it came about. I will soon become a Golden Bear and it will be embarassing if someone asks me why I use "Cal" to refer to my school and I don't even know except for the fact that everyone else says it, lol.</p>
<p>from answerbag.com:</p>
<p>Cal is short for “California.” Why just “California”? It’s the same reason the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor is just “Michigan” or the University of Texas in Austin is just “Texas” – Berkeley is the oldest and premier institution of the University of California system. Hence, the school is called California, or just “Cal” for short.</p>
<p>That’s so sad to exclude the other UC’s :(</p>
<p>Originally there were no other UCs, so at athletic events it would to be long to say University of California, so they ignored the “University of”. The “ifornia” got ignored due to initialism, and that is why we are called Cal.</p>
<p>Well, at one time the state of California (hint hint) had only one state university - first enabled by legislation in 1849 and practically established by another act in 1868 combining two predecessor institutions. [History</a> - 19th-century founding of UC’s flagship campus - UC Berkeley](<a href=“History & discoveries - University of California, Berkeley”>History & discoveries - University of California, Berkeley)</p>
<p>Since the University of California was sited at Berkeley and there were no other locations in the system, it was called Cal (for the state) by its students. Over time, the southern branch, built in 1919, was spun off to form UCLA (1927), the northern agricultural farm started in 1906 in Davis was spun off as a general campus in 1959 as UC Davis which was also when the southern agricultural station at Riverside (started 1907) became a general campus, and the UC system grew over time to its current 10 campuses. </p>
<p>Since Berkeley was the original, it is still termed the flagship campus of the UC system. We are California’s public university - Cal. </p>
<p>The annex (UCLA) did steal the UCB song and adapt it due to an unfortunate failure to properly protect it legally. They also copied the nickname of the Cal sports team - the Golden Bears - with a twist to make their teams the Bruins. </p>
<p>CalSO should have presented the traditions and histories. If not, look at [Traditions</a> of Cal - UC Berkeley](<a href=“Traditions - University of California, Berkeley”>Traditions - University of California, Berkeley) for some self-study.</p>
<p>There is only one Cal.</p>
<p>Yep, it is because we are the original University of California. </p>
<p>As for UCLA, I have only one thing to say:
W.tf is a bruin a bruin anyway? (Please don’t really answer this since this is a joke for those who know it)</p>