College is the best time to find out who you truly are, get the best education you can, and meet new people. California offers a multitude to schools to choose from, but the heart of the school system lies in the UC schools. The University of California school system consists of nine amazing schools. Although they are spread across the entire state, from Davis to San Diego, and offer different things to students, every UC school has these five things in common:
1. Excessive love for blue and yellow
Every UC has a different shade of blue and yellow. No, it’s not the best color combination, but we somehow make it work. At every game or event, everyone sports blue and yellow clothes, faces, and even bodies.
2. Weird mascots
Oh yes, the UC mascots. For some reason, they couldn’t find anything better than a banana slug or an anteater. And does anyone outside of the UC Santa Barbara student body know what a gaucho is? Probably not, but we all love and take pride in our mascots and will be a Gaucho or a Banana Slug forever.
3. Amazing research opportunities
The UC system prides itself on its amazing research opportunities open to all students. With Nobel Laureates and gorgeous facilities, how could it not?
4. Large, diverse student body
Every school, besides the newest UC addition (UC Merced), has an average student body of about 20,000. Any UC student can tell you that one of the best things about his or her school is the diverse variety of incredible people that makes the school so unique. No matter his or her background, every student is a Golden Bear or a Triton, and they always have each other’s backs.
5. Beautiful California
North or South, beach campus or city campus, California is the best state to go to school in. With gorgeous weather, beautiful people, thriving cities, and never-ending adventures, California is a dream for college students. There is always something to do, and it is definitely always a good time.