Maximizing Your UCSD Experience: A Comprehensive Look at Campus Resources

Something I wish I had known more about when coming to UCSD was all of the available resources. And I’m not talking about academic resources such as books, but fun, recreational resources. Especially when living on campus, I would’ve used them so much and probably be more skilled in certain things if I did. 

I’m not a pro on everything that UCSD has to offer. But over time I’ve become more aware of some resources that I think are worth sharing. I hope to educate you all on some of the less obvious but more fun classes, spaces, and workshops offered at UCSD!

The More Obvious Ones

1. Geisel: Of course, we have our library and the resources we have through that. Many different texts, etc. You’ll learn about these through your classes so I don’t want to spend much time going into depth here but Geisel is great and has a lot to offer on its own.
2. News Sources: You have a free membership to most news sources! I know the NYT and Washington Post subscriptions have come in handy for me. 
3. UCSD Recreation: RIMAC and New Gym are the two main gyms available. However, you can also access workout classes, surfing lessons, and many other recreational classes. There is an entire outback sector to UCSD rec too which I think is super cool. There are lessons you could take to learn a new musical instrument.
4. Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS): UCSD offers free therapy to all students where you can meet online or in person. CAPS also offers programs to students such as RISE which provides workshops that help students reach their highest emotional, physical, and social potential. 

Entrepreneurial

1. I recently learned that anyone can schedule a 15-minute meeting with the Chancellor. This is a pretty great resource for networking, getting an idea across, or sharing a concern about the school. 
2. The Basement is a space on campus that is available for students to explore innovation and entrepreneurship. They constantly have events or workshops where students can learn more and test out their ideas. It’s a great space to check out and keep yourself updated on their events! 

Creativity

1. There is an Arts and Crafts center right in the heart of Sixth College! I always wanted to go here but never did. You can even take lessons to make your own surfboard! However, it does cost money.
   1. It has a ceramics Studio, the Stankard-Graeber Studio (jewelry-making), a surfboard shaping studio, a mixed media studio, and a woodworking studio. 
2. Annabel’s Kitchen is part of the Craft Center, but I thought it needed special attention because I just found out about this and think it’s one of the best resources UCSD has. I hardly knew how to cook anything when coming to college and, while I’ve gotten much better over time, would still not consider myself a great chef. If I had known about the available cooking classes at UCSD, I would have certainly taken advantage of them when living on campus. This is a fun and educational resource! 

Health and Wellness

1. The Zone is a space where you can go to relax, hang out, and partake in some fun activities. They have a wide range of programs that they offer such as Tea Time, Therapy Fluffies, Financial Literacy, and more! 
2. The Center for Mindfulness provides classes, workshops, and speakers that help students practice and learn more about mindfulness. 

I hope you enjoyed learning about the resources at UCSD that I think are super fun! If you’re not a student at UCSD, I hope I convinced you that my school is cool. But ideally, this post gets in the hands of some incoming freshman, so share it with anyone you know who might benefit from this post! 

Sending virtual hugs and high-fives,

Chlo

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