Costa Cat or other opinions of San Diego
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TV ClubHouse: archives: Costa Cat or other opinions of San Diego

Aus10

Monday, August 12, 2002 - 06:43 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Here I am..little midwest momma and have a son who's contemplating USD. Looking for opinions on San Diego or the University itself......Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

Moondance

Monday, August 12, 2002 - 06:55 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
A neighbor who grew up across the street from me... I consider her my little sister goes to USD and LOVES it. Sorry not much more I can tell you but I am sure there are others here that can say a bit more:)

Costacat

Monday, August 12, 2002 - 06:55 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Hey Aus! Thought I'd check the General boards...

I'm a native San Diegan. Born 'n raised. Been here for 45 years, and absolutely LOVE this city! I've been all over the States, and always come "home."

USD is a great university. Most of the students who go there are brains, and so it's a serious university. Housing nearby is relatively inexpensive (for San Diego), and the area is mostly safe (versus, say, SDSU). A good friend of mine graduated last year from USD; I can hook up your kid with her (she's out of town for the summer, though).

San Diego is a very laid back big city. It is nothing like LA or San Francisco. Then again, it's not Kansas City either! <grin>

I live in Hillcrest, and it's like a little Greenwich Village. I walk everywhere -- grocery store, video store, restaurants, gym, hardware store, drug store, everywhere -- and it's a pretty safe neighborhood for a single female. It's largely a gay community (I'm not) but the folks here tend to look out for each other. There are other neighborhoods that are the same -- very friendly.

Would this little midwest momma's son be living on campus or off?

Aus10

Monday, August 12, 2002 - 08:12 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Son will definately be living ON campus at least the first year. We are from a small (less than 5000 people) town in a rural area of IL, so going to the big city is scaring me to pieces, so safety is definately a concern. He is going to major in marine science and then hopefully go on to get his PhD he says. I haven't a clue how he decided to check on San Diego....his other choices are in Massachusetts and Florida. We've visited these. He is a serious student....but to be quite honest we're kinda Mayberryish so any advice on what the bad things are could be useful as well. Thank you both so much!!!

Costacat

Tuesday, August 13, 2002 - 07:33 am EditMoveDeleteIP
For a big city, San Diego is quite laid back. It *might* be a bit of a culture shock, but not too much. Although, yeah, we definitely have a few more people than 5,000! <grin>

I have no idea how we stack up against other areas with regards to marine science. But we have Scripps Institute, and Sea World. So I imagine we've got some pretty decent programs for him.

There's a lot to do here. And there *are* some areas of San Diego county that are quite rural.

There are also some bad areas, but I doubt if he'll even be anywhere near 'em. USD is located within the Clairemont/Linda Vista area. It's fairly central to San Diego, and is within an older established neighborhood. When I was little, we used to go swimming at the USD pool (it was open to the public); that's where I learned how to dive off a high-dive!

As with all cities, there's good and bad here. I don't think our crime is any higher than other cities of our size. I've always felt safe here; but then I use common sense whenever I go about my daily activities.

I think he'd like San Diego. Our weather is a lot better than Mass or Florida. Where the university is, the average summer temps are probably only around 75 degrees (F). And we do *not* have the humidity of Florida. I've been to both states, and definitely prefer our climate here!

Tisha90029

Friday, August 23, 2002 - 10:03 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Just to be clear, are we talking about UCSD here? If so--I'm getting a PhD in the UC system--UCSD is renowned for its marine sciences. And SD is a great place....even if its po-dunk compared to my lovely LA. ;-P

Mystery

Saturday, August 24, 2002 - 11:19 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I got my law degree from USD and USD does have a marine and environmental studies program, and I think a master's program in marine science, but I don't remember a PhD program. If your son is thinking of getting a PhD and undergraduate degree at the same place, I think Tisha might be right and he might be thinking of UCSD.

Either way, San Diego is a great place to be! I especially miss the weather as I'm typing in a freezing Northern California room with fog everywhere!

Costacat

Saturday, August 24, 2002 - 01:13 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Tisha, it's USD (University of San Diego) and not UCSD (University of California at San Diego).

And we're having just LOVELY weather today! Not too hot in the city itself (maybe 77 degrees). Sunny, nice breeze... bee-yoo-tee-full!

Mystery

Saturday, August 24, 2002 - 01:23 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Costa, up here it's more of a day for watermelon toddies than watermelon margs.

Marysafan

Tuesday, August 27, 2002 - 09:33 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Hey Costacat! Our very first apartment was in Hillcrest!

I left home in 1969 to fly to San Diego to get married. Hubby found us a cute little place on 10th and Robinson. They were called the "Del Oro Apartments" and the bed actually folded out of the wall. The kitchen was so small that you could sit at the table and reach everything without getting up from your seat!

A perfect place for newlyweds who wanted to be close to each other! It is where we watched Neil Armstrong land on the moon.

Mercy Hopsital was the tallest building I had ever seen in my life! lol! I fell in love with San Diego. Unfortunately, the San Diego I knew no longer exists....except in my memories.

It was my first "big city" and will always hold a special place in my heart.

Costacat

Tuesday, August 27, 2002 - 02:12 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Mystery... I'm not sure if a watermelon toddy will do the same thing as a watermelon margie! And, I'm not sure I'd want one! <grin>

ANd... OMG Mary! You were a block away from me!! I live at Richmond and Robinson (in the 1200 block of Robinson). I know exactly where those apts are -- I drive by them at least once a day to hit the freeway onramp on 10th at University. They DO look tiny!

San Diego still exists as it does in your memories. There are pockets that are reminiscient of the late 60's and early 70's. I was born in San Diego, so I clearly remember those days. The downtown skyline is definitely different, though!

Hillcrest has changed, but it's still a little community. Everything is walking distance -- I walk to any of my local grocery stores (Ralphs, Trader Joes, Whole Foods), drug stores (2), video stores (3), my gym, lots of restaurants! It's really gotten to be an expensive area within the city of San Diego though!

What a SMALL WORLD!!!!! Where are you now, Mary?