California State University--Humboldt

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Hallmarks and Quirks

Women's Rowing. My women's rowing team consistently wins national championships, which is quite the accomplishment for a school my size. There must be something in the air…
Science. I am an excellent school for any type of outdoors-related science. Some standout majors are botany (which just so happens to be the nation's largest undergrad program), marine biology, oceanography, forestry, and fisheries & wildlife. I even offer a scientific diving minor. Try finding that at an Ivy League school.
Environmental Activism. My students are all about saving the environment. I offer an organic gardening course in my on-campus garden, and I proudly boast more compost bins than trashcans. I even have an Office of Sustainability to help ensure I stay green in more ways than one.

A friend with a car. You'll need a car to get down to Eureka (the larger town just south of Arcata) and to go to the beach, but parking on campus is terrible. You're better off just carpooling with a friend.
Vitamin D supplements. Like the Wu-Tang Clan, Humboldt fog rolls deep.
A dryer for your clothes. Hang drying takes four or five days here, and even then everything still feels damp. I guess sometimes you have to sacrifice sustainability for practicality.
A pair of Birkenstocks. They are quite literally the "sole" of Humboldt County.
An open mind. Humboldt is a strange mix of gruff mountain folk, old hippies, and general odd ducks. You never know who you'll end up talking to on any given day.

Spongebob Squarepants. Stephen Hillenburg—the creator of Spongebob Squarepants—majored in marine biology and minored in art here at HSU. Stars Hamburgers (which is located near campus) is a delicious greasy spoon and basically the real-life Krusty Krab. Seriously, compare the links and see for yourself.
Marijuana. Yeah, that's not a skunk you smell. Lots of people associate Humboldt with this stuff. While it's not inaccurate, it's certainly not all there is to me.
Music. For my size, Humboldt State and Arcata attract a ton of incredible musicians. I'm located smack dab between Portland and San Francisco, so I think I'm a good place for bands to stop while on the road. Hey, I'm not complaining.

House Parties. Arcata is full of big, old Victorian houses that are perfect for a low-key rager with your friends.
The Plaza. The Plaza is located at the center of downtown Arcata. It can be a little seedy at night, but the place comes to life during the Saturday Farmer's Market and other community events. It's also a tradition for everyone to storm the Plaza on Halloween, and things get truly wild.
Sidelines Sports Bar and Everett's Club. These two bars are located right on the plaza and are about as divey as you can get. The crowd here leans towards hicks, drifters, and athletes.
Don's Donuts. This is where everyone buys donuts around 2:00AM after the bars close. It gets really crowded in all the best ways.

The J. This is the "fancy" dining hall on campus with really good food.
The Depot. This place offers good food and a convenient central location on campus. It's a great hangout spot between classes, and you'll definitely run into some familiar faces.
The Quad. The Quad is located right outside The Depot, and it is the epicenter of campus. People can be found hula hooping, participating in a drum circle, or dancing to the various DJs and aspiring musicians who set up and play here. A surprisingly large amount of dancing occurs here.
Wildberries Marketplace. This is Arcata's own version of Whole Foods: wildly overpriced, organic, and with amazing sandwiches. There's also a juice and coffee bar, as well as a fancy little patisserie built inside of it.

My campus is really hilly. Some people like to say HSU stands for Hills and Stairs University
During WWII, Founder's Hall (which is at the highest point on campus) was camouflaged and used as a lookout post for Japanese ships and airstrikes.
My marching band is hilarious and their halftime show is more like a weird sketch comedy than a typical performance.

Stephen Hillenburg. Creator and illustrator of Spongebob Squarepants
Mike Patton. The lead singer of Faith No More
Raymond Carver. A short story writer and poet credited with bringing the short story back into popularity
Kenneth Fisher. A very rich investment analyst
Jenny Scheinman. An accomplished jazz violinist