Going to college at the University of San Francisco is not your typical college experience. There is no football team, no Greek Row, and little school spirit. The campus is located in one of the most famous cities in the world and is a walk-able distance from famous landmarks such as Haight-Ashbury and Golden Gate Park. The small student population of 6,000 undergraduates consists of students from all over the globe.
You may often find yourself talking to your friends from high school who go to UC’s or big state schools in another state and find that there are a lot of differences between the big popular schools and USF.
Here are some things that only USF students will understand:
1. Taking Muni to school for morning classes
There is no such thing as personal space on Muni in the mornings. It is so crowded you can’t move an inch. Bus drivers will drive past you like they don’t even see you possibly resulting in you being late to your 9:15 class.
2. Overpriced cafeteria food
When the prices for food at your school cafeteria food are marked up more than water bottles at an airport and hotel mini fridge snacks combined.
3. Lone Mountain
When you hear Lone Mountain, the first thing you probably think of is the stairs. They are definitely a struggle, especially when you have an 8 am. The views of the city from the classrooms is worth the hike and you can’t find them at any other school.
4. Crammed “house” parties
Most of the time parties thrown by USF students are not even in a house but in an apartment. Kind of like Muni, there is no room for movement and it is not a fun experience being crammed in a small space with 30 strangers.
5. "School spirit” at sports games
Typically there are about 20-30 students who show up for an athletic game. The cheering and USF gear worn at games is also limited. Once in awhile there will be a big game against a rival like Santa Clara and students will actually show up and cheer but otherwise, the school spirit at games is pretty pathetic.
6. The Caf during dead hour
Finding a spot to sit in the caf or undercaf during dead hour is as impossible as finding a parking spot in San Francisco. As soon as the clock hits 11:30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, every seat in the main cafeteria and undercaf are filled. If you're a pro, you'll have a friend get there early and save you a seat.
7. St. Ignatius Church
Most colleges don’t have a huge, ancient church right on their campus. St. Ignatius is beautiful whether it’s sunny or foggy. It always makes a good Snapchat story or Instagram post. Yet again, the entire campus is picturesque and worthy of your Snapchat story.
8. Geary bars
We’re lucky to have a big street like Geary so close to campus with a lot of good restaurants and stores, but most importantly bars. Geary is known for its abundance ratchet pubs taken over by USF students on Thursday nights. Everyone has a love-hate relationship with Ireland's and it's eclectic music.
9. Getting pizza from Nizario’s
If you didn’t order a slice of California pizza from Nizario’s with their special hot sauce drizzled on top after a night out, did you really go out?
10. The fear of making any sort of noise in the Atrium
Moving a chair or accidentally making a sound on your computer will produce some death stares from some frustrated students trying to study. We've all been there.
Going to USF is not your typical college experience but that’s what’s so great about it. Embrace the uniqueness and appreciate it because we’re very lucky to go to school at USF and live in San Francisco!
