This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Cal Poly chapter.
It is undeniable that Cal Poly is growing in popularity as a public university. New dorms are being built and administration is stressing more with each round of class registration to find seats because it is inevitably true that the notorious “happiest city in America” that we call our home is increasingly becoming desired by so many students.
But with escalation in the population of our beloved school comes more critiques. People begin to question… is this really the happiest city in America? Well, while many people claim that this is just some small beach town along the central coast of California, I have to disagree.
For me, San Luis Obispo is the perfect place to live while pursuing my degree.
While at Cal Poly, I have met so many incredible, yet diverse types of people. Our campus demographic may not be the most diverse, but the personalities that fill it most definitely are. Cal Poly students are among some of the most driven and passionate individuals that I have ever known, but we still know how to have a good time—this is important.
When I say that we know how to have a good time, I do not just mean dancing on tables with cheap alcohol—though I will not deny this occurs. What I mean is that the students at Cal Poly regard their academia as their highest possible priority but they don’t let it control them. Most students spend their free time hiking some of the many incredible hikes in San Luis, going to the beach or spending time in our oh-so aesthetically pleasing downtown. And most importantly, ask any Cal Poly student what they love about Cal Poly and I guarantee one of the most popular answers will be, “everyone is SO nice.” This is completely true. I had never experienced such a wealth of genuine people until I came to school here.
But, there is much more as to why Cal Poly is so great other than just the people that make up our campus. San Luis Obispo is truly breathtaking. I am so taken back by the surrounding rolling green hills in juxtaposition with the beachy vibes of the town. It is almost the perfect combination of Northern and Southern California…what more could you ask for?!
Maybe I am just another resident of SLO that defends it’s notorious title, but all I can say to anyone considering spending their college years at Cal Poly is that the answer is simple: Do it. I know that I did and I’ve never stopped adoring this adorable slice of California I call “SLOme” since.