Graduating high school, almost two years ago now, I was all set to go on making my decisions for college. I knew where I was headed. Don’t get me wrong though, I did my fair share of procrastinating on those decisions; I was that girl, still trying to flip a coin between my final two choices down to the last four hours before commitments were due.
Funny thing is, Cal Poly was not one of those choices.
In the summer of 2016, I was all set to go to Howard University— in Washington DC. Around March/April, I had been accepted to Howard and several other schools, but was denied acceptance from Cal Poly.
I ended up here almost by accident, sending in an appeal that I assumed I wasn’t going to hear back from until a phone call in the middle of July told me otherwise. Cal Poly finally said yes. Yet, the decision to come here versus DC wasn’t that easy, from the diversity to the city-life, there was a lot to think about.
But here I am, two years deep, to let you in on a few secrets. Here are seven reasons why I chose Cal Poly SLO.
1. The Weather
I am a California girl at heart, and maybe I say that because it’s all I know, but I can’t handle cold weather without some serious adjusting. That’s why I like it here so much. Give or take a few days of bundling up in January and avoiding layers in September, this place has the perfect balance. Whether you’re going out to the beach or a bundling up with a blanket for sunset chasing, get yourself a place that can do both.
2. Proximity
Sometimes you need a quick trip home for the weekend, and the nice thing about SLO is that it’s on the Central Coast. Being from NorCal (Sac anyone?) puts me right at a solid distance away from home. Just far enough to find a little independence, while still having my family close.
3. Location, Location, Location
Without being smack in the middle of a large city, SLO is right in-between San Francisco and LA— perfect for a weekend trip. I live for those kinds of breaks as a college student. And if you want even more of a beach-y, beautiful coast vibe than you can find here, head down for a quick trip to Santa Barbara. If you need some more ideas of why this is so great, check this article out.
4. Concerts
Surprisingly so, we have some incredible artists come through the little town of SLO. As someone who loves music, just looking up past musicians who have made their way through here gave me hope to get to see great artists with smaller crowds than I might find elsewhere. In mid-April this year, Jorja Smith came to SLO on a Monday night. While I am so sad I didn’t get to go see her, Snapchat helped me live my dream through everyone else.
5. Reputation
Cal Poly has quite the name, some people have ranked it #1 on the Best Colleges list. Even as an English major at a Polytechnic school, being at a place like this offers potential that other names wouldn’t. Don’t get me wrong, certain schools are geared toward certain majors. But that doesn’t mean the reputation can’t help out everyone else there in the process.
6. Learn By Doing
Don’t read too much into this, but I’m a hands on kind of girl. I like to have a feel for what I’m doing and what I’m getting into from day one. Considering our motto here is “learn by doing,” that is exactly what this place is all about. From research opportunities to lab classes, you get hands on experience early on in the game and it’s nice to really feel like you’re doing things. Trust me, it’s been one of my favorite things about classes here and I’ve still got two (maybe three) years of experience to go.
7. SLO Many Puns
I would be lying if a tiny part of me didn’t want to be here just for the privilege of relaying all the ridiculous puns I get to make to all my other friends. Sure, whenever I tell people it’s time to go SLOme or they’re my SLOmies, I always get quite an eye roll of a response, but in good time this place truly does become a home and using some of these puns is really just icing on the cake.
So, whether you go here or you’re considering making Cal Poly SLO your SLOme for the next few years, these are some of the reasons that I appealed a denial just to be here. Two years in, I already know I have done some incredible things at this school I wouldn’t have found anywhere else. “Learn by doing”, right?
Are there any reasons you came to Cal Poly that aren’t on the list? I’d love to hear all about them in the comments below!