Student review [#22567] for Politics and Sociology
at University of California, Santa Barbara - UCSB

The unique student experience at the University of California, Santa Barbara can be summed up in the well-known phrase, “Work hard, play hard.” The rigor of academics at UCSB is sometimes overlooked by its reputation for accessible and near-constant partying, vivid student life, and sunny atmosphere — referring both to the friendliness and general disposition of students, and the beaches on which the campus physically exists. Classes are large and often require independent learning and self-discipline to succeed. However, this is not uncommon in most public universities, especially in the University of California system. The pace of the quarter system and the fact that most professors are not career-professors, but rather researchers, lends to a quick cycle of classes where most interaction is with Teaching Assistants. Most alumni can name one or two professors they truly enjoyed and several they hated, and can’t remember who taught the rest of their courses at all. Still, the academic culture should not be minimized. Most students choose to take on additional majors and minors, and fill their schedules with a variety of extracurriculars and career-advancing activities. I cannot recall meeting a single student who completed their degree and strived for nothing else while at UCSB. While the reputation of UCSB as a “party school” is not unfounded, I would argue that the unifying characteristic of student life is an attitude of enjoying one’s time at university fully, whatever that may mean to you. With hundreds of welcoming clubs and associations, an eclectic beach town next door, and beaches and mountains constantly within sight, students have a tendency to complete their responsibilities and studies ferociously in an attempt to take advantage of everything else UCSB has to offer. The close-knit student community of IV lends to a rare feeling of neighborliness within a large university, and many students work passionately towards causes of social justice, environmentalism, and more that affect their town and society at large. In short, one can expect UCSB alumni to excel under pressure, keep their passion and compassion close to their work, and smile through the week’s responsibilities because they know they will be making the absolute most of their weekend.