The showdown between the East and West coast is a competition as old as time. This week, we teamed up with HC UCSB of Santa Barbara, California to see just how different we really are.
What is your campus known for?
EAST COAST:
“We are definitely known for Lake Fred, hands down.” – La-Tasha, Class of 2018 “Stockton is known for our environmental consciousness as we’re in the Pine Barrens, being the home of Lake Fred and being ‘distinctive!’ We’re a very nature-friendly school!” – Savannah, Class of 2018
WEST COAST:
“As much as I’d hate to say it, most people would say we’re known for partying. I think we’re known for our beautiful campus, we’re right on the beach! But don’t get me wrong, we know how to party.” – Amber, Class of 2016
“Sunny days and Beach babes! Why else would we be called UCSB?” – Kristine, Class of 2018
Describe a day in the life at your campus:
EAST COAST:
“Our day begins with rolling out of bed and getting ready to get on the shuttle. We then are either in line at Dunkin Donuts or Au Bon Pain bakery for a morning pick me up. But, if you’re not careful with your timing, you could be in the Dunkin line for your entire first class. Around lunch time it’s a fight to the finish in the food court as we decide between Chick-fil-A, Johnny Rocket’s and Primo Pizza. Afterwards, it’s back to class on a fully tummy. We end our nights with either a free SET or Campus Center Event then back to a cramped shuttle to take us to the place we’ve been dreaming of all day – our beds.” – La-Tasha, Class of 2018
“Walking to class is probably one of the most scenic and calming decisions you’ll ever make! You get to hug all the trees you want and be one with nature (and with Fred) on the way. You’ll probably grab the best bagel of your life at Au Bon, or inhale some Dunkin before you make your way to a class about seaweed. Lunchtime means stuffing your face with some Chick-fil-A with friends and regretting it immediately after. You’ll walk past the professor you’ve been avoiding on your way back from the gym and promise to email him as you mentally prepare yourself to either go out or sing karaoke in the coffee house.” – Naijasia, Class of 2018
WEST COAST:
“We usually wake up to great sunny weather. Most students ride their bike to classes, but you can also see a lot of people skateboarding or walking. Our campus is pretty clean in terms of trash because we take eco-consciousness pretty seriously. You can also see a lot of people just chilling on the lawn in front of the new library. We usually get to see a stunning sunset by the end of the day.” – Carmen, Class of 2019
“A day in the life of the UCSB campus would consist of not falling off your bicycle while commuting to class, not crashing with other bicyclers and becoming roadkill, eating, a lot of eating! And then distressing at the end of the day with alcohol.” – Janet, Class of 2016
What do you think of the other coast?
EAST COAST:
“Some of my perceptions toward the west coast is that the majority of the people specifically those of a younger age, go surfing frequently or even go to the beach a lot.” – Laura, Class of 2019
“I’m probably too obsessed with the west coast (even though I’ve never been there!). I mean, there’s In-N-Out and most of the celebrities seem to end up over there. The people are all really cool and like laid back, know how to dress really well, and seem to just always have that “taking it easy” vibe.” – Naijasia, Class of 2018
WEST COAST:
“I think it has its perks. I’d like to go to school somewhere where you can actually experience seasons, like seeing the leaves change in the fall. I’m not too fond of the idea of going to class in the snow though.” – Amber, Class of 2016
“I think the East Coast is full of down to earth people, that it’s full of prestigious schools, and gets cold!” – Cheyenne, Class of 2019
What are the most popular slang words on your coast?
EAST COAST:
“Fleek and slay.” – Rachel, Class of 2018
“I know a few years ago saying “salty” was a huge thing here. (Ex. Realizing you’re wrong during an argument you feel “salty”). A lot of people still say “swaggy” and for a short lived time people used “as bricks” as unit of measurement (most popular phrase being “it’s hot as bricks”).” – Jessica, Class of 2018
WEST COAST:
“You can’t go five minutes without hearing ‘dude’ or ‘stoked.’” – Lily, Class of 2019
“UCSB is unique in that it’s more or less in central California, so we get a good number of students from Northern California and Southern California. Nor-Cal students say “hella” pretty often, while So-Cal students tend to say ‘like” after each word in their sentence.” – Naomi, Class of 2017
Where can most students be found on the weekends?
EAST COAST:
“We go to a ‘suitcase school,’ so a large majority of students travel home for the weekends, but if not they’re usually hanging in our coffee house or at a local pub, Pitney’s Pub.” – Jessica, Class of 2018
“We have a lot of commuters and most students go home on the weekends regardless.” – Savannah, Class of 2018
WEST COAST:
“Downtown, at the beach, or at Sandbar!” – Kim, Class of 2016
“If not visiting SF, LA, SD or Disneyland, I like to go camping on the weekends. There’s a huge range of options – Death Valley, Sequoia, Big Sur, Yosemite, Joshua Tree. A lot of students are really active so we like to go rock climbing or kayaking or four wheel driving locally as well. Of course, the party scene is definitely a factor keeping a lot of students in IV and drawing a lot of visitors for the weekend! There is never a lack of big parties, gigs and events going on, the struggle is to decide which ones to go to and which to miss.” – Sian, Class of 2017
What shoes are most popular on your campus?
EAST COAST:
“Probably some variation of combat boots in the colder months and flip flops in the warmer months.” – Jessica, Class of 2018
“Riding boots, UGGs and Nikes!” – Savannah, Class of 2018
WEST COAST:
“Rainbows! Or no shoes at all. I know, it’s weird.” – Kirby, Class of 2016
“Converse or Rainbows, although Birkenstocks are definitely making a comeback.” – Allison, Class of 2017
So, it seems like while we have things that set us apart, we also have similarities!
Finally, HC UCSB answered our toughest coast-specific questions:
What aspect of the East coast do you wish you had at school in the West coast?
“I wish we had all the seasons! I’d love to experience the colorful leaves in the Autumn and to know what it’s like to get class canceled because of a snow day. Also, being able to experiment with different clothing pieces and using the weather as an excuse to do so is always a plus!” – Naomi, UCSB Class of 2017
Are students at your school into juicing and eating really healthy? Like organic 24/7?!
“There is a pretty large community of people here who love the organic food and juicing, but that’s not to say we don’t indulge every once in awhile! What you see online and on Instagram is usually the healthy stuff and the juices, but what we don’t show you is the late night pizzas and french fries. But, generally I think the West Coast is pretty mindful of what we put into our bodies.” – Lily, UCSB Class of 2019
“People definitely eat pretty healthy or at least try to. It’s a pretty interesting balance between alcohol and kale.” – Sydney, UCSB Class of 2016
Are you more influenced by celebrities? Are they more apparent in your life or is LA not a big deal at all?
“Celeb culture definitely affects us, since we’re pretty close to LA. In LA people dress up more and live more lavishly, like celebs. In Santa Barbara it’s much more laid-back!” – Kirby, UCSB Class of 2016
Are you like all YouTubers?!
“This is a really funny question, but no we aren’t all YouTubers. Although, I’ll admit my friends and I have thought one too many times about how neat it’d be to become YouTubers.” – Naomi, UCSB Class of 2017
Have you been extras or actresses in movies, TV shows, etc?
“I was an extra in a student film. So, basically, I am waiting on my Oscar. #Oscars2017” – Lisa, UCSB Class of 2016