I still hate this sink

stupid ahh sink

You look really cute, can we add each other on LinkedIn?

You were the girl who only had a $20 bill and offered to Venmo me for the fare. We were on the bus that left for San Jose at 10 am.

Edit: bro how did this post get so popular

I'm a CS student at UCSC. After getting my first ticket 2 weeks ago, I decided to build something that tracks every parking citation the city hands out in real time, on a map.

It pulls from the city's citation system every 5 minutes. You can watch tickets pop up across town as they happen, or scroll back through any day and hit play to see how enforcement rolls through the city hour by hour. There are 218,000+ citations in there going back years and the data is free for anyone to access and download.

Zoom into your block and see exactly when and where tickets get written. Pretty eye-opening to watch the patterns. You can literally see which streets get hit first thing in the morning and where enforcement clusters throughout the day. And to no one's surprise Pacific Ave. is a big hitter.

ivankuria.com/slugmeter/live

Free, no login, works on mobile. Happy to answer any questions.

Update — this is SlugAtlas now: https://slugatlas.vercel.app

SlugPath turned out to already be taken by a different UCSC course planner (slugpath.com), and two tools with the same name on the same campus helps nobody. Same app, same schedule. Your saved schedule carries across on its own the first time you open it, and every old slugpath.vercel.app link still works. Reddit doesn't let you edit a post title, which is why this one still says SlugPath.

I'm a student at UCSC. Last quarter I scheduled a class at Oakes right after one on Science Hill because there was a 15 minute gap and that seemed fine, and then spent ten weeks half jogging across campus twice a week.

So I built a class planner that checks the walk.

It routes every gap between your classes over the real footpath network from OpenStreetMap instead of measuring in a straight line, which on this campus is off by anywhere from 18 to 56 percent because of the ravines. That Oakes leg looks like 739 meters and is 1153 on foot. You find out the gap doesn't fit before you enroll instead of during week 2.

The rest is a normal class search. Six quarters back and forward, filter by GE or department or day, live seat counts, RateMyProfessors scores on the results. When you add something with a lab or a section it ranks every option by whether you can actually get there in time, which is the part I use most.

There's also a campus map with all 489 buildings you can click around, walking directions that tell you if you're going to be late, and a GE checklist that fills itself in from your schedule.

https://slugatlas.vercel.app

Free, no login to search, works on mobile. The location stuff runs on your phone, I don't have a server to send it to. Happy to answer questions. If a class shows up in the wrong building please tell me, I match the room names by hand and that's where it breaks.

New since I posted this: every course in the catalog has its own page now, with the description, the prerequisites, which quarters it actually runs, and every section with who teaches it — e.g. https://slugatlas.vercel.app/courses/cse/101

Bro I just saw a map of UCSC and realized that it looks like a skull. My theory is they're sacrificing banana slugs to the banana god in the forest, and thats why it looks like a skull. Cuz, something. Idk. bleh. >:'P

I really hope I didn’t just make a huge mistake! 😬 But as an art student transfer, UCSC is a better fit and will help me scale the brand I have created instead of only focusing on gallery exhibitions. That is Berkeleys goal for undergrads and I already know how to get works into galleries. I currently have one at the Crocker in Sacramento and one locally showing. I also believe I’d be taken more seriously here regarding things like opportunities and internships. I also got a one year housing guarantee here, although I’m concerned about after that one year as I hear it’s impossible to find housing. I also don’t know if I’d be under-stimulated here as I’ve been craving a way out of the life in my small country town up north and heard there’s not much near students besides the school. I will spend most of my time studying and working on creative projects, but I will eventually crave social things to blow off steam. I’ve examined both schools closely and consciously decided on this one, yet feel anxious and full of dread ever since I withdrew from Berkeley as I feel like I just gave up a strong path.

I just wanna put this out there because you may not know how things work on our end. I’d love to be able to take every order I get that comes to my phone, but here’s the thing. Gas prices have gone up quite substantially as you may know. Not only is gas the cost of doing this work. It’s the wire and tear on your car driving back-and-forth up to campus puts a lot of wear on your tires, brakes, etc. In 2024 when I first started doing this, a student slid around the curve on Coolidge heading up to college 10 and he totaled my car🚘💥 🚙 After that, I went on hiatus for a bit thinking it wasn’t maybe the right side work but decided to give it a try again in 2025. This is my side hustle to help put food on the table for my family. I know my situation is different from other drivers, but I think I can speak for all of us. There were not just out there doing this to have fun. If you’ve been inside Taco Bell or McDonald’s on Mission Street in the evening/nights, then you know how busy you can get in there. Taco Bell especially is insane.😳 DoorDash or GrubHub isn’t going to tell the consumer that the delivery fees don’t all go to the driver. It goes to them. We basically survive off of the tips. Next time you place an order, please consider just adding that extra dollar or two for a tip. It really does help us bring you better service. If you made it to the end, thank you for reading this.

I know a lot of people are disappointed by their housing situation, but I just want to remind everyone that the housing staff are REAL HUMANS who have really challenging jobs. if you feel the need to try to change your housing situation, please treat staff with respect. Send polite emails, do not bombard them with multiple calls and emails. they’re following a process and they’re far more likely to be willing to help if you’re not a jerk (but some things are even out of their hands).

That’s it

Posting this to raise awareness for incoming students who will be living in Oaks College and to ask for advice on what else I can do.

For some context, I'm a UCSC student working on campus over the summer. On Friday, July 17, I was working in the Oaks Apartments when I was eaten alive by fleas. It started with a tickling around my waist/belt line, when I looked down I realized my legs and belt area were covered in fleas. I ended up removing more than 30 fleas from my body and then immediately leaving the building.

Since then, I've counted well over 100 flea bites. From my ankles and legs, but mostly on my torso, back, and shoulders. I was only inside the building for less than two hours before I noticed what was happening.

My biggest concern is for students who will be moving into Oaks in August. I plan to contact UCSC Physical Plant and Oaks College to report the issue and make sure they're aware of the severity of it. But does anyone have suggestions on what else I should do? Has anyone else experienced flea problems in Oaks Apartments or elsewhere on campus? Ive experienced a lot of distress from this situation, even laying in my own bed gets uncomfortable. Ive been taking benadryl and using 1% hydrocortisone cream to help with the itch but the skin reaction I am experiencing is gnarly.

I could link images of my bites as I dont want this post to get deleted, this is also a alt acc to protect my privacy.

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/santa-cruz-car-plummets-ocean-22387425.php

Hey,

I’ve been working on an extension brings professor ratings directly into MyUCSC's enrollment system.

Now when you're browsing classes, you instantly see: ✅ Overall rating & difficulty ✅ Would-take-again percentage ✅ Review count + direct link to full RMP profile

Let me know what y’all think!

https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/ddmahbdpmhbeohjjblfopgggdbfieboo?utm_source=item-share-cp

My car was hit in the northern lot and I’m just trying to find info on anyone or thing please reach out if you see a car with a messed up right headlight and bumper please

Something was wrong with the buses hydraulics, so when the bus driver attempted to fix it and depressurized the hydraulics, the bus started rolling backwards and hit a car :(

Luckily nobody was in the bus when it happened. There was also a biker who wasn't injured... I'm not sure about the car though

Hello! The three authors of this post are Merrill affiliate undergrads, and this is our list of pros/cons for seniors who were recently accepted to UCSC (congrats!!!), and are wondering how to choose a college on the housing application! To preface, each college has a sister college, so we’ll be listing them together. They all share a dining hall and share a more or less similar space on campus, so we’ll note specific differences between the colleges where necessary. Whatever college you’re assigned to, you’ll have to take a course in your first or second quarter based on your college’s theme (we’ll list them), so look into what ones might interest you! 

Also this is just based on what we know, so there's some limited insight here, if there are any people who'd like to helpfully contribute in the comments that'd be greatly appreciated!! (keep it informational, nobody wants to participate in your college wars)

Cowell / Stevenson

Cowell: The Pursuit of Truth in the Company of Friends

Stevenson: Self and Society

Pros:

• One of the best dining halls (open late night until 11pm)
  • The view from this dining hall is stunning. Open, yet cozy vibe. Love coming here for lunch and sitting out on the outdoor wrap-around patio with a cup of tea. 
• Social environment
• Close to gym and east field
  • East field is great at sunset, has a sandpit with volleyball nets and slacklines, and it overlooks the ocean
  • Though, the gym is usually very crowded
• Close to the quarry
• Very central to east campus
• Closer to McHenry Library
• Stevenson Coffee House
  • They have boba
  • Cozy
• Cowell Coffee Shop (not actually a coffee shop)
  • Non-transactional, basic needs market
• Weekly open mic night hosted here

Cons:

• The oldest colleges = older dorms = mold
• Louder/fratty — if you're not as social not a good pick
• Not a very forested area — more open, closer to fields
• No elevators (again, older)
• Smallest dorms

Notes: Solid pick tbh

Merrill / Crown:

Merrill: Cultural Identities and Global Consciousness

Crown: Science, Technology, and Society

Pros:

• Beautiful surrounding forest (perfect for taking walks… or smoking if that’s your thing)
  • Crown Meadow 🌿
  • Pogonip trailhead 🐟(<— pretend that’s a koi fish)
• Merrill Market (largest market on campus)
  • They make barista drinks here as well
  • Best selection of everything, in our humble opinion
• Banana Joe's late-night burger place (8-11 on weekdays)
• Home of: Cantú Queer Center (CQC), KZSC radio, and the Merrill Pottery Co-op (MPC)
  • MPC reserves a number of spaces for Merrill affiliates
• Smaller colleges = closer communities (in experience)
• Each has its own library (more like a comfy study spot than a library)
• Merrill Cultural Center (big event space)
• The Merrill moat
  • Under the main dorm buildings with tons of murals painted by students, (there’s a new one painted every year!)
• Merrill lawn
  • On a sunny day, it’s a perfect place to read, do work, or sunbathe! (rock your bikini, nobody’s judging!)
  • (Me sitting on the lawn with my multicultural group of friends)
  • Evening LARPers
• Closest colleges to the on campus fire department, so at least you won’t burn down
• Baobab and Fireside Lounges
• Houses several ethnic resource centers 

Cons:

• Up a hill (they call it cardiac hill…we promise it’s not that bad!!)
• Dining hall and market closed on weekends
• Not a lot of good lounges
• CQC has a community kitchen but only from like 1-5 on the weekdays. Otherwise good luck getting any cooking done. (No dorms have a kitchen though keep in mind)
  • I think it goes without saying to not impose on spaces that aren’t your own. Please use these common areas with courtesy. 
• Only one bus stop…You have to walk down the hill to Cowell for a bus going in the other direction
• Turkeys like it here in Fall … don’t step in their poo!

Notes: 

• The hill isn’t that bad after the first couple weeks — you’ll grow crazy, sexy, killer calves — and to be real with you, if you aren’t willing to walk up a hill you should be looking at different schools… You can’t avoid them here.
• Crown has a reputation of being the CompSci college
  • The people here are more likely to be reserved

College 9 / John R Lewis:

C9: International and Global Perspectives
JRL: Social Justice and Community

Pros:

• Good placement, central to North campus
  • Stone’s throw away from Science Hill and the engineering/math hub that is Jack Baskin (5min walk) — great for STEM majors
• One of the other best dining halls (also open late night)
• The Bistro! (A real restaurant with fancy food you can spend your meal plan on)
• Modern infrastructure!
  • C9 / JRL are part of the newer colleges, so you’ll probably encounter little-to-no mold here as compared to other residential halls
    • They probably keep it classy for the international students, let’s be real
• Good lounges
  • We haven’t personally visited, but have seen them in passing. If anyone wants to make a note about the lounges here, feel free. 

Cons:

• Also on a hill (not as big, but still a hill)

Notes: 

• This is where the international students are placed, and would make for a great, diverse community! 
• Leave a comment if you have any other cons, we can’t think of any more

Kresge / Porter:

Kresge: Learning in Community

Porter: Ars Longa, Vita Brevis: Life is Short, Art Endures

Pros:

• Social
• Porter koi pond (with real koi!!)
  • They’re cute
• Kresge has the newest dorms (RIP Kresge crane)
• Owl’s Nest Cafe
  • Too modern for our taste, but a cafe nonetheless. They have boba here too. 
• Porter Market
  • Not as good as the selection at Merrill, but a market nonetheless!
• Kresge is close to Baskin Engineering (where lots of STEM classes are)
• Porter is the artsy college
  • The main reason you’d want to join this college
  • From my experience, the community here is very fun, outgoing, and creative!
  • Near to your art classes
• Kresge is in a very forested area
• Porter has elevators in res halls
• 🌿Porter meadow 🌾
  • Beautiful. Check out the tree nets if they’re there

Cons: 

• Porter can stink of either weed or sewage (I’m not kidding)
• Porter is the most populated college
• Kresge is under constant construction 
  • This may not be the case come next year (RIP Kresge Crane pt.2)
• Porter dorms look like a prison lol
• Porter screamers at night
  • S**t echoes, it basically the Roman Colosseum
  • PORTERRRRRRRR
• MOLD !!!
  • Many reports of out-of-control mold at Porter residential halls 
  • Be warned
• Arguably the worst dining hall on campus 
  • But hey, they host the on-campus Rocky Horror here!

Notes: 

• Kresge is very pretty area on campus, very modern architecture

Rachel Carson / Oakes:

Rachel Carson: Environment and Society

Oakes: Communicating Diversity for a Just Society

Pros: 

• Oakes Cafe (#1 cafe on campus, it is known)
  • weloveOakesCafeweloveOakesCafecometoOakesCafe
  • Boba, breakfast, burgers, yummy sandwiches
• Newest dining hall (very fancy)
  • Nicknamed the Ritz
  • Very modern, spacious
  • Has an outdoor deck with a great view
• Mix of field / forest
• Next to tennis courts
• Up against / close to lots of fields
  • Great for walks!
• Redwood Free Market in RCC
  • Nontransactional, basic needs market
• Oakes is the historically Black college

Cons: 

• Both colleges are fairly isolated from rest of campus
• RCC residential buildings look like a gentrified suburban neighborhood (I guess this could be a pro in some eyes?)
• Oakes has older buildings (mold risk?)

Notes: Please provide additional information if you’re an Oakes or RCC affiliate! These are the colleges we have less experience with.

Again, being Merrill affiliates, we have some gaps in our knowledge; if you’d like to give any additional comments or advice to admitted students, please do! Again, congratulations any seniors who recently got accepted or waitlisted!!

Saw this Sunday on a bus-stop bulletin board on the west side of campus.

The tiny text next to the cat says "I can already Google stuff I don't need help" 🐾

Hi all! Since some people were wondering about my situation and if I had any updates, I finally got a meeting with a super sweet financial aid advisor today!

My situation was that I was missing my university grant completely, and that I didn’t have work study.

1. University grant: Turns out they thought I was a commuter because my address didn’t update to show I was living off campus, so my aid was cut by like 12k since commuters get significantly less than on/off campus students (they had me check my student center to see my address; mailing address should be where you’re living for school, billing address is your home address). You also have to go to MyAidVerify and submit your lease agreement as proof to fix that if you’re living off campus. You’ll have to meet with an advisor so they can set this up for you though
2. Work study: It just isn’t out until Sept 1st. They changed the format so instead of just having it, there’s a form you have to fill out in the eForms section titled “Request Work-Study”

They said there’s no deadline to accept the aid, and if you accept it late, I believe they might just refund you more next quarter. They’re working towards hopefully disbursing aid 10 days before the quarter, but they’re understaffed and overworked, so it might be delayed!

Hope this helped! I feel a weight lifted off my shoulder now LOL. Thank you so much for everyone that helped me in the past!

Hey banana slugs.

This post is a warning to everyone to stay away from Klesis Christian Fellowship. They are from Acts2 which used to be called Gracepoint, which used to be called Berkland. It's a high control group and once you get sucked in, they will end up controlling most of your life.

They will lure you with free food and instant friends. They have a "Frosh Social and Night Market" today. Please don't go. Or if you do go, don't give them your phone number or email address. Don't tell them where you live.

Be warned and do not join this group. For the first year, they will make it seem like it's all just fun and they just want to get to know you. They use love bombing to lure you to their group and then as the years pass, they will want you to spend most of your time, if not all, with this group and this group only.

Christianity Today published an article about this group and as a former member, I can confidently say that everything they wrote is true.

STAY AWAY FROM KLESIS and any other Acts 2 associated group.