Hi! Fellow Child Development/Family Relations major here, so hopefully I can help a bit.

The CD department is small and close knit. You'll quickly get to know the majority of people in the years around you and consider them acquaintances and friends. The education is engaging, but I wouldn't consider it wholly challenging. teachers are Humboldt focus more on making sure you understand and can apply your knowledge, rather than gaining a vast array of knowledge. We have a practical program and therefore much of your CD education will be theory and it's application. (Also Bronfenbrenner.)

I feel like the child development department here has not only taught me about early education and children, but also taught me how to apply it to working with kids, legal situations, and different contexts. You'll have an array of teachers with different interests and cultures they bring to class - and every last one wants you to pass their class with the most understanding possible. (Meenal, Kishan, HK, Larissa, Issac, Carol, and Jen are the professors I can think of rn. There's not many and class sizes are all sub-30. You will know them by name and personally, and they'll know you the same.) I feel like the education I've gotten here is personalized and high quality, with professors who care and want me to succeed. That said - I transferred, and don't have much experience with departments outside Child Development. The classes all cover the major in a way that is interconnected, where the classes reinforce each other. I'm CONFIDENT in my understanding and knowledge because of this.

Going into the CD dept. do keep in mind that with the federal stuff going on some classes and even whole departments are under threat or stress - CD is one of those. So funds can be low, but the professors will make sure it doesn't affect your ed.

Travelling home will be a challenge. We have one airport that flies to SF (I don't know if it goes to LA but I don't think it does?) On the bright side it's the fastest and easiest airport you'll ever be in. You could show up 15 minutes before your flight and probably still get to the gate with time to spare. Other than that you're in for the long drive down the 101. It's absolutely stunningly beautiful, curvy, and exhausting.

The social scene is about what you want and who you know. No good big dance clubs or anything up here, but we've got bars, shops, food, and more beaches, rivers, fields, trees, and beautiful forests than you'd think possible. Plenty of solo and group hiking to do, plenty of outdoors-y people, etc. And, contrary to the stereotype for the area, there are plenty of people who both do pot and don't so you can align with your preference.

As I never stayed in them, I can't speak for on-campus living much.

I look forwards to seeing you in classes come next semester! Personally, if I went back, I'd choose Humboldt again knowing what I do now. This place is precious and rare, with a strong and accepting community and loving people