UCB vs. UCI – Living Comparison

While down in SoCal this past weekend, I visited UC Irvine and got to stay at Nick’s little brother’s place for a night. I haven’t been able to visit many UCs but we’re all part of the UC family so it’s only fair that I pay a visit to some of them at some point and time.

After being at Cal for four years, it’s easy to forget that other universities don’t run the same way mine does. Cal is the only UC that runs on the semester system while other UCs run on the quarter system. While I’ve always liked the semester system because it allows for longer sessions of class and we get a dead week at the end, the quarter system has its advantages as well. Shorter class terms mean a lesser breadth of information to be tested on during finals and more of that “fresh start” feeling at the start of each quarter. (edit: UC Merced is on the semester system too!)

UC Berkeley -  Wheeler Hall

The biggest thing that I noticed, however, was the living situation at UC Irvine is vastly different from that of UC Berkeley. At Cal, most students choose to move off campus after spending their freshmen year in the dorms (or more accurately called residence halls). Moving off campus and into apartments means you’re completely responsible for your lease and your living situation. With Irvine, however, the school actually has apartments that are still considered school property and come pre-furnished with lots of appliances and furniture. It’s almost like living in the dorms again, just not directly on campus. The rent is also cheaper than that of an apartment at Berkeley.

Another great thing about the rent is that each tenant at Irvine is responsible for his or her own portion. That way, if your roommate forgets to turn in their part of the rent, you won’t get penalized with the late fee. And lastly, to get to class, there’s a shuttle that’ll drive you over to the main campus!

I think a lot of these differences arise from the fact that Cal is much, much older and as a result as had to tack on living and rooming situations as it’s gone alone in the years. Irvine has the benefit of being under 50 years old and having a much larger space to build on. The entire feel of the campus is much more uniform and modern. Don’t get me wrong; I love the patchwork feel of Cal and the history behind each building. Nonetheless, my visit to UC Irvine has me itching to take a look at some of the other campuses. And my inner tour guide wants to take all the tours!

UC Irvine's physics building...I think. Anyone want to confirm this for me?