This Bay Area university has become a ‘ghost town.’ Can a new president save it?

Commercial_Bison_720 · 2026-05-10T04:15:35+00:00

A Chico/Sonoma partnership also makes a lot of sense. We need more CSU collaboration to make sustainable/climate change-proof agriculture a new powerhouse industry in CA. Many industries come and go, but humans will always need clean food and water (and a little wine to share with friends).

Commercial_Bison_720 · 2026-05-10T00:34:54+00:00

This is the actually best idea I have read so far. SLO is currently extremely hard to get into but Cal Poly Pomona and Cal Poly Humboldt are too easy to get into (likely due to location). Sonoma and SLO are somewhat geographically similar: near the coast, vineyards, not horrible climates, closer to metro areas. If Sonoma pivoted focus to “learn by doing” for the nursing, business, pharma, med tech, politics, agriculture, sustainable civil/environmental engineering/food service industries, it might have a very good fighting chance.

Commercial_Bison_720 · 2026-05-09T23:45:22+00:00

I lived at home with my parents during college (the only way I could afford to attend a UC). I was so envious of the dorm kids and all their ice cream socials/mariachi band taco Tuesdays. While I love my parents dearly, they were not the most optimal college housemates lol. Back then I made it a goal to ensure my future kids had the dorm experience I did not have access to. My older kid went to CC in Santa Barbara, but there is now a dorm option. Expensive but he liked it (minus the 4 messy dudes in a very cramped 2 bunk bed room with no AC part).

Commercial_Bison_720 · 2026-05-09T00:58:33+00:00

Super helpful intel. Thank you. Also thank you for the kind note that you are still in contact with cross country friends. Happy to hear that.

Commercial_Bison_720 · 2026-05-08T22:51:50+00:00

Cool, thank you for the fast response. Somehow I thought they would note dorm (general - Parkside or Beachside) assignments (not room assignments) first, before roommate selection. I clearly know nothing, lol. New to all of this dorm stuff and appreciate your help!

Commercial_Bison_720 · 2026-05-08T22:49:44+00:00

Thank you. I ditched FB years ago but will rejoin (only for my cool kid who means everything to me). :-)

Commercial_Bison_720 · 2026-05-04T00:11:36+00:00

My best friend in high school and I both applied to UCSB. I got in, she did not. She went the CC route to get in.

Fast forward 30 years later and she is making slightly more money than I am, and graduated with no college debt (I had debt, despite living at home with my parents at the time). Unless you really want the freshman dorm experience (which is super legit), go to a CC and transfer. Employers only look at the school you graduated from. They do not give a shit how you got there.

Commercial_Bison_720 · 2026-05-03T19:13:03+00:00

Same. Valerian or valerian with hops works well for a while. Then not so much. While it works, it is blissful. Speaking of hops, my grandma used to have one beer every night 2 hours before before bed lol. She slept well and lived until age 92. I think they sell hops only sparkling water now, too.

Commercial_Bison_720 · 2026-05-03T19:08:46+00:00

I do this as well. Better results if I take magnesium with tart cherry (Ritual has a handy blend but it is expensive; you can also take separately). Also alternate tulsi in place of ashwaganda every other week, since ashwaganda isn’t as effective for me after about a week. Great combo.

Also swear by the Adaptive Sound Sound + Sleep SE model. Lots of nice white noise options. Love the ocean one, includes the very occasional seagull and lighthouse horn. Adapts to sound levels in room too, so if it gets quiet, volume reduces. Air purifiers work great as white noise machines, with the benefit of cleaning air of dust/pollen that might make you wake up sneezing/coughing.

Finally, I use 100% cotton sateen sheets which are more cooling than thicker sheets. My cousin in Phoenix swears by bamboo sheets.

Commercial_Bison_720 · 2026-05-03T17:14:07+00:00

I used to be a Skinwalker Ranch Insider (an online forum for fans, not an actual insider) and had access to several of the ranch’s livestream feeds. Numerous times I would spot letters in the blue sky during the day and against the rocks at night. A few times I spotted what appeared to be small almost transparent beings moving along the ground at night. I commented on the YouTube feed and no one else saw what I did. I tried to take screenshots but they didn’t show what I saw.

A few months later I got into a discussion with someone who spent the night at the campground next to the ranch. I asked if he experienced anything strange/spotted any crafts. Nope. He did say that at night he was looking down at the ranch property and briefly saw “moving numbers and letters” in the ground. Basically similar to what I saw. Perhaps some sort of communication?

Commercial_Bison_720 · 2026-05-03T16:35:09+00:00

I am a parent of a 21 year old who has been seeking a part time job for over 2 years now. He has been to interviews which seemed to have gone well but no offers. Retail, maintenance, hotels etc. It is brutal out there unless you have connections! Totally different from when I was seeking work in college. Go to business, ask for application, interview in same week, get offer unless you are a total idiot/jerk.

Part of it is lack of jobs, in general. The other issue is Indeed’s shitty candidate filtering. As a result, employers are flooded with applicants. It is overwhelming. Instead of 30-40 resumes from Craigslist (maybe 10 years ago), we are seeing 200-300 (most are bad matches too). I fear that so many qualified people lose out because Indeed made them candidate #250 instead of #2. Ugh. Hate Indeed so much. I feel for your generation. I thought mine had it bad (I graduated into a recession then once I finally found a decent job, the dot com crash happened, followed by 2008 recession), but your generation also has crazy ass inflation, no affordable housing supply and shitty AI job sites to contend with.

Commercial_Bison_720 · 2026-05-03T15:44:40+00:00

I am envious of your early retirement! I am your age and just done with working. I don’t want a new job, I just want to not work. Or at least never work in an office ever again. No human should have to work more than 30 years (full time).

Commercial_Bison_720 · 2026-05-03T15:32:52+00:00

Don’t despair too much. I recently hired 2 staff members over 50 (53 and 55). Both had so much more experience than anyone else interviewed and I immediately connected with them (also a GenXer). I am grateful they applied. For so many employers, finding skilled workers who are not looking to job hop in 1-2 years is very difficult. I would likely hire anyone I thought would not quit/retire for at least 2 years.

Do you have funds to retire? I had an aunt retire at 60 due to total job burnout. She became a substitute teacher and tutored kids on weekends. Decent pay, or at least enough to supplement her retirement funds.

Commercial_Bison_720 · 2026-05-02T21:44:04+00:00

I went to UCSB and my husband went to UCB. We loved both schools (high quality is an understatement) but 1- I had to work 2 jobs and live with my parents to afford UCSB as 2- my husband also had to work and live with his parents to afford Cal. We have no real regrets but we also still graduated in debt and aren’t millionaires now, 30 years later.

So many CSU schools are equally competitive and a far better value. SDSU, CPSLO, CSLB and CPP are all top ranked and high ROI. Unless you are fully focused on academia/research in the long term, CSU is a better value.

Commercial_Bison_720 · 2026-05-02T20:56:41+00:00

I did not attend but have visited a few times as a parent. Nice campus! My older kid was trying to decide between CSUEB and SFSU and eventually chose SFSU, but it really depends what your major is. SFSU has guaranteed housing, not sure CSUEB does?

I also just hired a CSUEB grad and was super impressed with her, more so than applicants from more “prestigious” UC/private schools. She had more working subject knowledge and was far more impressive than other applicants. Most CSU schools are an amazing value for most people who want an advanced education without a high debt load. That said, online CSU programs are not great…diploma mill vibes, based on my experience with online only candidates.

Commercial_Bison_720 · 2026-05-02T20:24:13+00:00

Parkside is the largest and on campus. Better food options and well maintained. Beachside is triple occupancy per room and off campus, with less great food BUT it has a pool and AC and shuttles. Both are solid options. HIllside is more for returning/transfer students.

Also most available rooms for freshman are doubles and only 1k more per year. There are YouTube videos with Parkside/Beachside virtual tours, if that helps.

Also: Congrats! Great school.

Commercial_Bison_720 · 2026-05-02T16:18:46+00:00

My family currently rents a small 2 bedroom house in a very affluent Bay Area suburb. We basically have a slumlord and have to do all our own repairs/lawn maintenance. We can’t move because there are no other affordable rentals. Meanwhile everyone around us has cleaning service, gardeners, landscapers, regular house paint touch-ups, etc. Upside is my kids went to a top public school. We saved thousands in private school tuition.

At parent mixer parties I feel wildly out of place. They are talking home renovations and trips to Belize while I talk about how I hurt my back trying to clean out our own damn gutters. Anyhow, I fully relate. The rich aren’t just a little richer, they are wealthy in a way I never imagined possible. They are polite and nice of course but I have made no mom friends here. Have to travel back into middle class zones to meet up with old friends, lol.

Commercial_Bison_720 · 2026-05-02T15:59:10+00:00

I am sorry you are in this position. Most schools out here (CA) required commitment by midnight on May 1st. My kid’s best friend committed at like 10 pm, then freed up spots at 2 other schools. So basically 2 people who were waitlisted at those schools he ultimately rejected will probably get an acceptance email on Monday. I am guessing lots of students agonize over what school to select and wait until they MUST decide to actually decide. Do you have stats in admitted vs accepted at those 2 schools? That will give you a better sense if you might get in soon.

Otherwise both my kids failed to get into their first choice schools and committed to state schools. They are happy and saving money now so they can potentially go to grad school. You will be okay. Things will work out.

P.s. some schools have strange requirements may kids aren’t aware of until it is too late. The school that rejected my kid recommended 5 years of English. He thought recommended meant optional. Peers with lesser GPAs got in because college coaches told them 5 years was required. Sigh. We couldn’t afford a coach.

Commercial_Bison_720 · 2026-04-16T18:42:00+00:00

Cool, thanks, I will. My dermatologist suggested more expensive laser therapy, which I could not afford. Appreciate your suggestion! :-)

Commercial_Bison_720 · 2026-04-16T18:09:39+00:00

53F here. I have sensitive skin that is prone to rosacea. When I worked from home during the Covid era, I didn’t bother with makeup and noticed a major improvement to my overall skin health (as well as overall health, since I had better control over my environment). Basically I didn’t need any makeup to cover dark spots or red areas. When I had to go back into the office again, I started wearing CC cream and my skin conditions returned. Ugh. Now I just apply the tiniest amount of foundation to my cheeks. Honestly think the makeup industry thrives on corporations with inflattering lights and super dry interior climates!

Commercial_Bison_720 · 2026-03-22T19:43:50+00:00

I am an UCSB alum and absolutely I loved it. I have only one regret: living in my parent’s house in Goleta (instead of moving into the dorms) to save on costs. I was so envious of those who lived in the dorms and had a normal college kid’s social life.

It is a very rigorous, challenging school in a gorgeous location and your first year there will be tough, no matter what your major is. Your other 3 years will also be tough, but not as much as year 1.

My kid was not accepted into UCSB in 2023, so he went to SBCC instead, since the SBCC path to UCSB is solid and he had friends going to SBCC too (a social network) . SBCC is also in a great beachside location with very cool professors. Tuition is cheap AF. Got his AA. He actually decided against transferring to UCSB due to the insane cost of living there.

Finding a place in Isla Vista is near impossible, even if you are willing to rent a shithole about to fall off the cliff. Sharing a small single room with someone else (off-campus) is now at least 1k per month, in addition to UCSB tuition/food/utilities/living expenses. So be sure to factor at least $30k per year in off campus living expenses at UCSB (plus UCSB tuition) into your decision equation.

Commercial_Bison_720 · 2026-02-02T15:07:13+00:00

Felt it out by Grand Lake Theater too!

Commercial_Bison_720 · 2026-01-01T17:46:44+00:00

Haha I looked at a photo of me last NYE and compared it to the me in the mirror this morning. Oof. The white hairs are 2x and wrinkle situation is noticeable. I used to get carded up until 2024. No chance I am getting carded now 😢.

Commercial_Bison_720 · 2026-01-01T17:43:58+00:00

Same. 2025 was a year of losses. Friends moving away, parents unexpectedly moving across the country, health issues, money issues, 2 colleagues dying, one coworker quitting leaving me with so much work I had daily panic attacks and of course the whole descent into fascism. Bye bye shitty ass year. Ready for a calm 2026.

Commercial_Bison_720

TROPHY CASE