My experience in San Diego

Hi everyone! Before starting to tell you a little bit about my experience in San Diego, it's worth bearing in mind that I am only half way through my exchange and I still have a lot left to experience. However I do think that I can answer a few small, basic questions about it, so here I go.

Why did you choose to go to San Diego, California?

Okay so, as many of you will already know if you have been reading my posts on this platform, last year I already experienced the Erasmus life in Nice, France. I enjoyed it all so much, that I wanted to experience something similar again but this time a little further away, so I decided that I wanted to go and study English in the United States.

I am from the University of Carlos III in Madrid and to be honest, it has a lot in common with various American universities. I knew that I definitely wanted to go to a university that was known for being good in my field (which is business administration), however there were a few other things that I was looking for too.

I was doing a lot of research, and I was discarding the universities that didn't meet my criteria. For example, I wanted to go somewhere with good weather as I hate the cold so because of that I already ruled out several universities from the north of the country.

So in short, I didn't initially have a clear preference for California, but in the end I opted to go to that state.

Once in California, you're probably wondering why San Diego. Apart from the fact that I really liked it anyway, there were a lot more places available than there were at other universities, so there were more possibilities.

Yet these are all really general reasons and because they are such small details, I wouldn't have minded studying at any other university. However, I have to say that I am very happy with my decision.

Are their any grants available when you go to study in the US?

You already know that when you go away on Erasmus, you get a grant of a set around each month. Well, I'm sorry to tell you that with the "non-Europe based mobility", there is no such grant.

And I say as such because university in the US is super expensive, and when you go on this type of mobility programme, you don't have to pay their prices.

What you do is pay for university normally (your own university) and for the course that you study at home, therefore I guess it could be considered as a large scholarship...

Aside from that, at the university I study at they give a little bit of money to the students who have the best grades, but I didn't get into that group so I'm not too sure how it works.

How did you get to San Diego?

There is an airport in San Diego, so the easiest way to get there is to get on a plane.

However that is the easiest way, not the cheapest. San Diego is only two hours away from the famous city of L. A. so the flights to there are a lot cheaper (I'm talking about a difference of between two hundred and three hundred pounds... ). Obviously, when you get there, you will have to take a train or a bus but in my opinion it's worth it.

If you'd like me to explain a little more how to get from L. A. to San Diego, let me know and I would be happy to explain it properly to you.

What do you do about finding somewhere to live in San Diego?

So, in the US the most common thing to do is live in university halls, however you need to bear in mind that there are two different types: on campus, and off campus.

The "on campus" uni halls, as the name suggests, are actually at the university. That is where the first year students tend to stay and hang out around the university its self. I wouldn't recommend living in that type of accommodation because they're often quite strict about curfews, in terms of alcohol... because we normally want a bit more freedom, I recommend you keep reading...

The "off campus" halls are the most in demand, at least here in San Diego, and I'm living in one of them.

To live in them, you have to contact the accommodation directly and they explain all the application process to you.

You can also live in rented housing and to do so you simply have to look for people to live with and find somebody who will rent their house to you. It's usually more difficult but it is possible.

Where do you live in San Diego?

As I already told you, I live in "off campus" halls, specifically, a residence called BLVD 63 Apartments. It's the most well-known accommodation in San Diego and most of us international students stay there.

It has all kinds of facilities, including a swimming pool, a jacuzzi, a gym, a library... It has everything you need!

Also, the houses are quite good. Usually between four and six people share an apartment together and you can either have an individual room or a shared one.

To give you an idea of the price, the individual rooms cost around nine hundred and something and the shared ones cost somewhere around seven hundred.

Would you recommend living in the BVLD 63 accommodation?

Definitely. It's a really good place to meet people, there's a great atmosphere and if you want to make plans there's always something to do.

Also, considering how much student residencies usually cost, this one is really not that expensive (I think there's only one that's cheaper).

What would you prefer? An apartment or student accommodation?

Even though in Nice I said I would rather life in an apartment, here I feel completely different.

In San Diego most people live in halls so there's always something going on which is why I would recommend it to you.

Saying that, I do also know people who are living in apartments and are really happy, but personally you will get more out of living in the student residencies.

What is public transport like in San Diego?

It is practically non-existent. And I'm being serious, the public transport system in San Diego is really bad, so the best way to get around is either by using Uber or by hiring a car because if you simply depend on the busses, you've got no chance...

In my blog about my experience in San Diego, I talk about the different modes of transport that are available so if you're interested in finding out more, you can go and read it and I'm sure it will answer some of your questions.

What is the San Diego State University like?

First of all, there are three different universities in San Diego but I study at the San Diego State University.

The university is amazing! It has everything you could need and there is a vast range of subjects that you can take so the validation process is quite easy.

Also, the teachers (or at least those who have taught me this semester) are quite good and you can understand everything that they are saying.

It is without a doubt a privilege to study in a university like the one I study at now.

Is the university difficult?

I have good news for you all, as well as the fact that the university is great, I can also tell you that it is not difficult at all. Obviously you have to work hard because they do a lot of coursework and send out daily homework which means that you have work to do every day because it all counts, but when you get to the moment of truth (the final exam) it is actually just a a mere formality because it doesn't really count very much towards your final grade.

What level of English is required to be able to study at this specific university?

To come and study at this university, they ask that you have a C1 in English and that you have an official certificate to prove it. More specifically, as I did, you can use TOEFL and IELTS to get one as proof (of the two, I would recommend the second one because it was quite a bit easier than the other.

Is it possible to take English classes at the university?

Even though in France they offered French classes for the international students, here in San Diego they don't. However, there is a major that you can take in "English Language" so you can choose to attend one of those classes to improve your English.

Is it possible to take subjects that are not actually related to your specific degree?

Yes. When coming to the United States it is best to take advantage of the huge variety of classes that they offer, and they allow you to do so, so it's perfect.

Although you have to bear in mind that they are subjects that are not in your study contract and therefore they won't be recognized when you return to your country of origin. There are subjects that are really interesting though and that alone makes taking them worth it.

For example, I study business administration but I love music, so at San Diego State University I decided to take a course in music.

Is it difficult to get a place in the classes that you want to take?

To be honest, there are not many places in each class (because the classrooms are usually small to give students more personal attention). Therefore, there are times when you can be refused.

However, international students do the registration before American students, so we have preference and it is easier for us to join whichever class we want to.

Also, if you don't get in the first time round, you can sign up for the waiting list and it is most likely that if your name is at the top of the list, you will end up getting in.

How many classes is it possible to take?

In reality, it's not about how many classes you take, it's about units (and it's worth making clear that one unit is the same as two ECT credits in Spain). In theory, the maximum is eighteen units (which would be more or less six classes) and the minimum is twelve units (which would be around four classes).

Despite this they sometimes make exceptions and they allow one or two credits to be extended.

How many subjects would you recommend taking?

That depends on both how much you want to work and how difficult the modules you choose are. If they're not too complicated, I think that you could easily take six. In fact, after seeing that I was able to do six in the first semester, I have decided to do the same thing in this second semester.

Despite this, most people decide to take four or five classes so that they're not too overwhelmed.

What is the grade conversion like to the Spanish system?

In truth, the grade conversion to the Spanish system is quite good, although it does depend on the university (Remember I'm just talking about the University of Carlos III in Madrid).

To give you some sort of idea, an A is the same as a ten and a B is the same as an eight.

What does the university have to offer?

San Diego State University is amazing and it has so many things to offer. They organise loads of events, there are multiple restaurants on campus, a gym... believe it or not there is even a bowling alley.

It's a really big university and although at first you get lost a little bit, it doesn't take long to get used to the layout.

How do you get to the university from your accommodation?

The BLVD halls offer a free bus to students that gets you to the university in only five minutes, and they come quite frequently (every ten to fifteen minutes).

However, you can also walk because the university is quite close so it only takes around twenty minutes to get there.

What I do is walk to university and use the time to chat to my friends on the phone (good idea, right?).

What is the student atmosphere like in San Diego?

Completely amazing. There are so many young people around and I also live directly in the university area so there are even more young people there.

In this area there are loads of student houses and fraternities, and there is always a party going on somewhere (Seriously, I mean it when I say always).

What is the food like there?

You already know what American food is like so nothing I tell you is going to surprise you.

There is a lot of junk food around and in fact, for many of the events that the university organises, they offer free pizzas and soft drinks. To give another example, in my accommodation there is a popcorn machine which you can go to whenever you like to grab a bag a popcorn.

The supermarkets have literally everything, however the fruit and vegetables are quite expensive. Well actually, everything is expensive when compared to prices in Spain.

I am really comfortable in San Diego, but the food has to be one of the things that I miss the most about Spain...

Which restaurants would you recommend?

I have tried a few restaurants here in San Diego and I would say that my favourites are the following:

• Fat Fish: the best restaurant for Mexican food which is also quite cheap. It's worth mentioning that you also get free nachos just for sitting down at a table.
• Cheesecake Factory: it's a typical American restaurant in every way and it is amazing (you can read the post I wrote about this restaurant in my blog).
• La Buona Forquetta: a delicious Italian, the best one I've tried.

There are other restaurants that are quite good but without a doubt these would be my top three (not necessarily in that order).

How much does it cost to live in San Diego?

San Diego is an expensive city, so if you're thinking about going to live there, go with that in mind.

It is a huge city in which there is no public transport, so every time you want to go out you are going to have to pay for a taxi. The supermarket is quite expensive and so is eating out (remember you always have to consider tips which can sometimes be up to twenty per cent).

Therefore, yes. It is an expensive city to live in.

What is the nightlife like in San Diego?

To be honest, there are quite a few places to go out, but I have to point out that you have to adapt to the American timings. Here, nights out start at around nine o'clock at night and finish at two in the morning (as you can see, nothing like what we do in Spain).

Out of the nights out that I enjoy the most, the following are the ones that stand out:

• Taco Tuesday: every Tuesday there is a party at a local place called Duck Dive, and it is worth going to (just to give you an idea of how cool it is, one guy in first semester got a tattoo of the coordinates of this place because of how much he loved it... Crazy!).
• San Diego entertainment parties: are nights out, usually in nightclubs, that are organised by an association. The cool part is that they include a party bus and the whole thing only costs you ten dollars so it's great.
• Tailgate: this only happens in first semester but before American football games, they put together amazing parties that without stay in your memory.

How is San Diego in terms of travelling?

To tell the truth, travelling around the US is not cheap, however it will always be cheaper that doing it from Europe.

However, the best thing about travelling round this area is the famous "roadtrips" in which you travel by car. Renting a car isn't really that expensive, and gas is quite cheap. Also, there are lots of places to visit nearby to which you can travel by car, such as for example:

• Las Vegas
• Gran Canyon
• Antelope Canyon
• San Francisco
• Los Angeles
• Yosemite
• Mexico

And I'd add a large etcetera so that you don't get tired of travelling as you will never be able to see everything.

What is there to visit inside of San Diego?

There is not really a lot of historical importance or many historical monuments in San Diego, however, there are some other interesting things to go and see:

• Bilboa Park: a really beautiful park
• Old Town: the Mexican district
• Downtown and Gaslamp: the best places to go out at night
• Little Italy: the Italian district
• North Park: without a doubt my favourite district
• The beaches: Pacific Beach, Mission Beach...
• Coronado Island

And some other places of course...

What would you recommend to future students going to San Diego?

That they come full of energy and with a desire to party, and party hard. Also that they come prepared for a constant summer, because the weather is amazing here. But, without a doubt, the most important thing, come ready to enjoy yourself because, honestly, your experience in San Diego will be one of the best experiences of your life.