Trip Through Golden Coast (Antonio Monteiro)

How My Trip Through The Golden Coast Taught Me To Become a Better Student at SBCC

When we think of someone as being successful, we normally assume that he or she is resourceful, knows how to deal with adversities, and is an action taker. Being a successful student, like any other craft, requires these three aspects that I mentioned.

But to learn how to be more resourceful, or make things happen, you don't have to just sit in front of a class, work on a job, or read a book.

In my opinion, one of the best ways to learn how to be more capable in terms of adapting to new environments, challenges, and situations, is by traveling.

And my spring break trip, a van trip down the Golden Coast through San Clemente, Encinitas, Carlsbad, Oceanside, San Diego, Murrieta, Joshua Tree desert, and the Big Bear mountains, thought me how to become a better student.

I'll share my insights with you right now, as a way to show you that being a student here is not only about academics, but also about learning how to mature and become a helpful adult in society.

This 6-day trip was programmed with the intention of having a path, but not a strict schedule. Therefore, we just agreed that we would surf for the first two days, and then move on to the desert, and the mountains.

My friend, Pierce, owned the van with a bed, Cássio, my other friend, and I was sleeping on sleeping bags in the van as well. As you might imagine, it was not a comfortable situation. But here lies the first lesson.

Be comfortable with uncomfortable situations, because they're mostly temporary.

By sleeping in a van for 5 nights, I learned that all the discomfort that I went through to sleep, for example, thought me to value what I already have in life, and what I aspire to accomplish as well.  

The main reason lies in the fact that is going to take discipline and hard work to make a good job, at school, work, relationships and so on.

Therefore, the appreciation of discomfort changed my perspective about how to endure long study periods, work shifts, and times when I needed to push through in order to get a good result

Another lesson that I learned came by seeing so many different natural environments in such a short period of time. In 6 days we saw the beautiful spring blossoms around the salty coast, the dry, harsh and yet full of life desert in Joshua Tree, and the snowy forests of Big Bear.

All these different environments developed fairly near to each other, but yet they are different, and this was the same for me and my friends.

We came from different backgrounds, countries, and ways of living, and yet we managed to stay all the 6 days together. To see our differences, and how every one of us can be ourselves and respect the other, was very profound.

Here in California, you're going to see that is a cultural melting pot everywhere you go, so people won't necessarily live in the same way as you do, think the same things, and value the same practices.

You can get annoyed with that sometimes, as I did during the trip, to be honest. But as you learn to deal with differences in a more intimate way, the number of things that you learn about life, and yourself, are paramount.

By far, this trip was my best learning experience in terms of cultural differences. And thank the school, my friends, me, and the van (which was named Beth, by the way) for this amazing opportunity.

Learning how to deal with different environments, cultures, plans, and needs thought me how to better understand myself and apply all this knowledge towards my academic and professional progress while in here, and throughout my life.

So if you ever come here, do not miss out on traveling to different places, with people that are not very much like you.

Be impressed on how big this world is, in terms of ideologies, idiosyncrasies, and nature.

Student life at SBCC (Antonio Monteiro)

1. Relationships

One of the main things that you're going to realize that is different once you move away from home, is the development of new relationships. As soon as you get here, you won't have any attachments to people, which therefore might boil some loneliness and homesickness inside of you. But don't think that you're the only one that has faced these issues, it is more normal than you imagine! Sometimes could be difficult to make new friendships in the beginning, primarily if you're international, since the language could be a barrier at first. I highly recommend that you sign up in a club, sport, or even seek to meet some veteran people that are from your country in the begging, this could be helpful to make new friends and connect with people, because we're social creatures, and by not having any relationships you could get on a rut of being depressed or sad with your choice, believe me, because I've been there.

One thing that I advise against, however, is to close yourself with your nationality. I do know a lot of Brazilians, Chinese, Swedish, etc. that normally only hang out with people from their own country.

By doing that you're missing a lot of important lessons on learning how to deal with differences, understanding how relationships work in different cultures, and of course, improving your English skills. In other words, you're missing out on a lot.

2. Education and Career Opportunities

This comes in two ways, academic education and cultural education. People here are different from your country, and therefore, they act and talk differently. This could be an issue if you're not open to learning from them how to properly interact, but if openness to new experiences is a part of who you are, it won't hurt to learn their culture, because you can teach them yours also.With regards to academic studies, the educational system is something that most people struggle in the begging, on my previous blog post I've shared some advice on how to cope with that, I believe you should check it out.

Talking about professional life, career is something that is going to be a bit challenging here. Unfortunately, our visa allows working on campus or in an internship mediated by the college. At the same time that this could limit you, it could also force you to look for new alternatives to develop yourself professionally.

Nowadays with social media, the internet, and this huge amount of connections and knowledge that you can make, there could be a possibility of developing a unique set of skills that will benefit you in the long run. Give it a shot, try something new. This is the best time to experiment and learn new things.

3. Lifestyle in Santa Barbara

I love Santa Barbara, so this section is a bit biased towards the positive side (luckily). In short words, Santa Barbara offers a lifestyle that fits most peoples', because even though the city is small, there are a lot of things to do. Mostly, the city emphasizes the local community in general, so there are a lot of activities, such as the farmer's market, that you can enjoy by just being here.

Also, Santa Barbara hosts its famous Santa Barbara Film Festival, a full two-week of movies, speakers, and cool stuff to watch. And yeah, all the Hollywood famous people come over, so you'll probably see them around.

In addition, Santa Barbara is a very cool spot for nature lovers. So if you like hiking, surfing, relaxing at the beach and gardening, for example, you'll have a great time while around.

Housing (Antonio Monteiro)

Moving away from our parents is not easy. Yeah... sometimes this is all we have been wishing for. You might be just moving from a different city in California or a state in the U.S., but the "moving" part is much more intense for exchange students. The cultural adaptation, homesickness, and loneliness that comes with the first few months it's all part of the journey. More maturity about your choices and the type of living situation that you are looking for yourself is going to become much more important if you chose to move away from your country, state, or city. 

In this blog post, I'll share with you some insights on what you have to look for and think about when searching for a place here in Santa Barbara. And also, I'll share my thoughts on what I perceive to be the pros and cons of the following neighborhoods: The Mesa, Downtown/East Beach, Goleta, and Isla Vista

Basically, I asked myself "what would have helped me finding a good place when moving to Santa Barbara?" And the answer it's what follows.

Variables To Be Analyzed 
We're going to analyze three main variables that will help you knowing more about housing in Santa Barbara

- Pricing around Santa Barbara

- Location & Locomotion

- Your Living Situation

Pricing Around Santa Barbara
If you don't live here in California, probably you have no idea how expensive things are around here. Coming from Brazil, and already living in Australia, I felt that here is different in terms of pricing. What you should be looking for is to pay around $750-$1200 per month for a single room. And in some places, such as Buena Vista, or Beach City (apartment complexes next to school), an one year lease is required, plus a security deposit. So keep that in mind. However, you can find places that charge monthly. But you will need to make a security deposit, which is normally the same price as the rent that you're paying if you chose to close the deal. 

Location & Locomotion
Santa Barbara is relatively small, with the population of only 92,000 people (2018 census, from Santa Barbara County). This is good because most things aren't that far, and you won't have to deal with much traffic if you happen to buy a car around here. Also, you can manage your routine with the buses that the city provide, SBCC students can get them for free with our student ID in hands. One thing though, is that the bus schedule is very limited, so you are going to have to build your routine and schedule with this in mind

Your Living Situation

You can't have it all. If you want to live in a quiet house, do not expect to be able to make pull up the living room table, stack some red cups and play blasting music. If you want to live in a party house, do not expect to be lighting up incenses and reading a book with a cup of tea on your Friday night. So, chose what you want. I would say that you can choose to live with people of your age, older folks, and a family. I've lived with all of them, all are good (except for the family) With students, if you find people that resonate with you, you're going to have more fun at home, and hang out more often. Also, you might meet more people because everyone is making friends and connecting with each other. This is the good part. But keep in mind that most students are lazy regarding household duties (a.k.a. doing dishes, laundry, keeping things clean in the bathroom...) So you might live in a mess... but that's not certain. You never truly know until you live the experience. 

With older folks (in their late twenties or thirties), it's fun too. But it is a different kind of fun. No partying, more talking about life, going to restaurants, and any other random subject that comes up. People are more mature, and therefore you should expect a more respectful, clean and "home-like" environment. This is the type of living situation that I liked the most so far.

Living with a family is not that good, because you are out 1000 miles from the student life. And families have discussions, and they are at their house. So if you are renting a room, expect to live in the room. No more than that. And I did not like that idea. 

Now let's look at the neighborhoods around town

The Neighborhoods Around Town

The Mesa

School is located at the Mesa/West Beach. So you can find places that are walking distance from the College. This is nice because you don't have to worry about buses and all of that.

Pros:

- Near school

- Supermarkets Available

- A lot bus stops

- Great for people who do not have a car

- Quiet neighborhood

- Amazing sunsets.

Cons:

- Don't expect to find $750 single rooms too easily. I would be expecting a $1000+ month for a single in a good spot. 

Downtown/East Beach

This is the most populated area of Santa Barbara, and it is near everything. Also, there is the transit station, which you can get buses to anywhere in town.

Pros:

- Near shops, places to walk/visit, supermarket, laundry mats

- Buses to school available

Cons:

- Difficult to park if you have a car and no parking spot. 

Goleta

This is a city located near Santa Barbara, I don't consider outside of Santa Barbara because both cities connect. It is a good, organized place to live. 

Pros:

   - Can find cheaper housing options

Cons:

   - Relatively far from school if you don't have a car

Isla Vista

Isla Vista, known as IV, is next to UCSB, and it is a university town. There are a lot of students there, and parties too. 

Pros:

- Student environment

- You meet a lot of people

- There are plenty of parties

Cons:

- Too much partying, difficult to study and focus at school

- It is not so safe (people might steal your bike)

- It is far from SBCC (there is an express bus though)

- If you live in a party house, there will be strangers there, so it's riskier to have your stuff hanging around the house

Bonus: Be Careful w/ Scammers (They are out there) 
If you're looking to find places to live here, you would probably have to go to craigstlist.com and search for housing there. However, I would recommend you to beware of scammers. The most common type is when someone says that he/she is out of town, but can send you the keys if you send them the security deposit. I know, it sounds so obvious... but if you're looking for a place to stay, you might be stressed out. Therefore, this could be your "only hope." But don't act too quickly if this situation comes up to you.

Another classic "scam" is when people post an unbelievable room with cheap price and ask you to sign in on Roomster or any housing website. They're not trying to sign you up for your good, they earn a commission based on that. Therefore, I would say that 95% of these postings, the room is not even real. 

To Sum:
This is a helpful guide to decrease a bit of your anxiety if you're planning to come on over. However, it is still going to be a difficult process to find a place and settle. Just pay attention to how much you want to pay, what environment you want to live, and who is offering the place, and you will be good! I wish you all of the best

Resources that might be helpful:

Sbcc housing list: https://www.sbcc.edu/housinglist/

Best, Antonio

Top 5 Things to do in Your First Semester at SBCC (Antonio Monteiro)

It is hard to list all the great things that I enjoyed during my first semester at SBCC. Meeting new people, moving away from home, and learning how to be more responsible is just a few. But as a veteran, there were a few things that I wish I knew before coming to SBCC. Your first semester are vital for future success during your school years. And oh boy, they go by really fast. So without further due, here are the top five things to do in your first semester at SBCC.

 

1) Learn the College Requirements for Graduation

You need to learn the rules of the game. Otherwise, you will not know how to play it. And this could make or break you. 

Learning the requirements for graduation, the necessary general education provisions, and how to plan your years at school is vital. 

Get to know more about the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC), and how to use assist.org to pick your chosen universities, and learn their course requirements. The sooner you understand the educational system, the more comfortable you will become at SBCC. You will know why you are taking the specific classes, and what to do.

 

2) Plan your courses, major, and routine.

By failing to plan, you are planning to fail. Plain and simple. I have not yet met any successful student here at school that does not plan his/her school year. Not only that, the successful student plans his/her days, weeks, and months. If you do not plan, you will be stressed out during midterms and finals week. And this could impact your grades and health (not good). Therefore, go ahead and prepare your course plan, major and daily routine. And if you do not know your major, no problem. You can always plan your general education requirements.

 

3) Meet your counselor

Go ahead and meet your counselor as soon as possible. He/she will be the person that can help you with your course planning, and any other type of question or issue related to your preparation for success here at SBCC.

Do not be afraid to tell them what is going on, what are your challenges and what you want with their advice. They are highly trained professionals with the willingness to make you successful. So help them help you! And if you feel like your counselor does not fit with your personality. Do not be afraid to look to ask for changing your counselor.

 

4) Check out the school resources

Our college is like a breakfast buffet for helpful resources. There is something good for everyone. Therefore, go away and learn more about them. And give it a try on the ones that you think it might help you.

5) Take the initiative to meet your professors

Go ahead and meet your professors. They want to see you succeed if you have questions. Or even if you want to set expectations about the classes and ask for tips on how to do well, do not lose the chance of going to their office hours.

 

Bonus: Get good grades ASAP! This is serious. Get good grades, primarily in your first year.

 

The GPA is cumulative, which means that if you have a 3.8-4.0 GPA during your first year, it is most likely that you will keep it high. Think about it like that, the earlier you get good grades. The easier will be for you to transfer to a top-notch university. You will be setting yourself with the habit of achieving excellence, and you will keep up with ease once you get the grip of it in the beginning.

  

To Sum
I know that college is much more than grades, and studying. There are a whole array of things going on in our lives, new experiences and so on. However, keep in mind your priorities, and why you are here. You do not want to get stuck in a wrong group of friends, abuse too much of parties, and other things. But by any means, do not cut your fun out, this is important too. Just learn how to manage.

 

I wish you the best of luck and an excellent experience here at SBCC!

Best, Antonio

 

Useful Links:
SBCC Student Services: click here
List of Majors Available: click here
Campus tour hours: click here
Transfer Academy: click here