<p>Right now im trying to decide between...basically...Davis and UCSB. I live about 45 minutes down the freeway from SB (i went on a field trip there in elementary school :P). </p>
<p>UCSB has the reputation of being a party school - and im not a party guy. I've sworn off both drinking and smoking for very personal reasons and I'm completely fine around it (All of my friends are crazy partiers) but i want my college environment to have options. I'm really excited about my major - computer science - and am almost positive that im going to remain in it. I love the SB campus although I could care less about the beach besides nice weather.</p>
<p>Ive been constantly told that Davis is a perfect fit for me. I'm visiting soon but im just worried about it being boring or barren. I want a very collegey feel to the school I go to and plenty of access to different pages. SB doesnt really have access to anywhere but santa barbara (old news for me) unless you want to drive, but im not sure davis is any better.</p>
<p>Any input? Is the partying really that bad?</p>
<p>I don't think partying is that bad. It's there if you want it, and if you don't, no one is going to force you. In fact, I'm kind of upset by the lack of partying in my dorm and considering joining a frat next year. UCSB offers a substance free floor in one of the freshman dorms, and you can always pick a dorm which has a reputation of being quiter, like Manzanita Village.</p>
<p>I think that if you live on campus and everything, the proximity to your home won't really make a big difference (unless your parents plan on making unannounced visits or something). Good luck with your decision!</p>
<p>You'll survive without partying, drinking, smoking or whatever.</p>
<p>If you have questions about CS, just message me; i.e. what profs to avoid, what to expect from each class, etc. I'm nearly in my fourth year as a CS major.</p>
<p>I was just at UC Davis this weekend. There's a bunch of hype about Davis in their part of the forum and I was kind of disappointed after the visit. It really is the small town atmosphere but I'll admit that the area is beautiful. There are alot of trees and animals running around. I thought the campus was kind of confusing and there's this forest in the middle of it all. The weather really turned me off though. It was raining and FREEZING. That's my thought about Davis. I can't say much about SB because I haven't been there...and I may be a little bitter towards it because I was rejected :b</p>
<p>I believe California in general these days is ugly, freezing, and raining. Davis is typically warm because of it being inland. Santa Barbara currently has also seen better days. It's been raining pretty much non stop today, and the campus has an issue with lack of draining. Really a damper on the mood, especially during the first week of Spring quarter.</p>
<p>Yes, don't judge Davis (or probably any of the other UC campuses for that matter) by our recent weather. I've lived near Davis since 1989, and the spring weather is usually really nice. But this year, we broke the all-time record for # of rainy days in March. </p>
<p>I can see some blue sky right now....doubt it will last, though!</p>
<p>neo bonzi, they have a halls call "substance free". its dedicated to kids like you who swore off smoking, drugs, drinking. theres like 45 spaces in FT which hosues liek 1/3 of freshmen, so... im guessing you wont have too much of a difficulty getting a spot. they have those halls in other residence halls as well. go on the ucsb site and check it out.</p>
<p>Hahaha...my friend just came back from spending a couple of days at UCSB and yeah she said that there is a ton of partying going on. She was telling me about how on this one street right when it hit 9 o'clock kids flooded the streets, drinking and smoking. Oh my. I'll get her to post something soon and share her experiences. Hahaha</p>
<p>We live just a bit east of Sacramento, about 40 minute drive from Davis. It seems to me that Davis is a good combo of college town and (like where we live) GREAT access to tons of stuff nearby. San Francisco and the greater Bay Area are only an hour or less from Davis - if you can't find enough to do there, then you'll have to move to NY! Amtrak runs right through there, too, so you don't have to have a car. It's also only about 2 hours to Tahoe for skiing or other outdoor adventures. Sonoma - 45 minutes, downtown Sacramento - 15 minutes. Of course, for my son, Davis is just a little too close to home... :(</p>
<p>I visited SB again this weekend (not really a drive for me :/) for their welcome day. I was very impressed - their comp sci department seems to have it together and the campus is beautiful (as always). Wherever you go you have an outstanding view of the beach - I'm still going to go visit davis this weekend so we'll see how it goes.</p>
<p>It all depends on what type of college experience you want. Would you like a campus where it's a little more quiet and easy to concentrate on your studies? Then choose Davis. But if you want to be a little more social then go for Santa Barbara. Though people at SB do party, that does not mean YOU have to. I am sure that not every single student there is out every night, so I doubt you will feel like an outsider if you do not drink nor smoke. I am going to UCSB and living in the substance free hall so you are not alone! Just visit the campuses and see where you feel most comfortable!</p>
<p>^^^^^^High school humor that im trying to get away from. Its obviously not the drugs/alcohol im worried about, just the annoying people that use them.</p>
<p>Davis is in a way in the middle of nowhere, so you would definetely need a car. However, the area is nice and serence and a good place to concentrate and simply enjoy life. Nothing can compare to SB's social scene, and if you are looking for a more quiet way of life then I recommend Davis.</p>