University of California--San Diego

About Me

Intro

I'm a place of learning, of new beginnings
My sports teams are always winning
There are oodles and doodles of sights to see,
while you figure out who you want to be…

I can't keep up with this rhyme scheme. Sorry. I suppose you should expect more from a school that named its library after Dr. Seuss, but…well, that's all I got.

I may not wax poetic on the daily, but I'm still a top-notch school. Even though I'm young. I'm still in my fifties, you see. (Fifties are the new twenties…for universities.) I'm regularly ranked in the top ten public universities in the nation, and I dominate in the studies of psychology and oceanography.

Speaking of oceanography, my awesomeness in that field should tell you something important about me. Ahem. I'm right by the beach. It's literally a ten-minute walk from campus to the ocean.

People like to spread rumors about my penchant for quiet nights, but anyone who says I'm a bore clearly hasn't lived in the area long. I'm situated right outside of sunny San Diego, where the weather is great year-round and the restaurants are always hoppin'. Admittedly, that may make the social scene on campus seem a little lacking. At least you can always count on the Greek houses for a lively night out.

I also host the Sun God Festival, which attracts huge names in music and entertainment every year.

The slightly quiet campus may also have something to do with my students being so into community service.

Wait, stay with me here.

I send my students all over the world to help others. I'm pretty big on that. So much, in fact, that Bill Clinton actually selected little ol' me as his Clinton Global Initiative University. It's part of the plan to bring together creative minds that can think of innovative ways to solve the world's problems, like hunger, disease, and the forces of evil.

Oh, the places my students will go…to send poverty a-packin' and punch AIDS in the gut.

Name

King Triton. "Shock 'em!"

Hometown

La Jolla, or the Jewel of San Diego

Birthdate

1960

Body Type

Let me lay it down for you. I'm a pretty husky guy, but that's really because there are six of me. That's right. I'm six colleges squeezed onto one campus. That means you should probably get a bike or at least get used to riding the shuttles. My campus loop is about five miles long and we've got some major hills.

On the upside, I'm about to keep you so in shape. Get ready for some calves of steel. Yep, the freshman fifteen won't be a fate you're familiar with.

It's also pretty important to use bikes and take public transit because I have about 23,000 undergrads and about 7,000 grad students fighting over parking. You don't want to end up late because that Smart car drifted into your spot out of nowhere.

Plus, you know, you could help diminish my carbon footprint. I'm known for being pretty green, after all.

Current Living Situation

Where do I even start? Having six different colleges means also having six different freshman dorms. Just for freshmen. After that, I got six different apartment suites, an international house, transfer housing (called "The Village"), and grad housing. I'm pretty sure I'll find a place for you somewhere.

If you don't want to live on campus, that's cool. You totally don't have to. Unlike some other schools, I don't need to keep all twelve of my eyes on you at all times.

Off-campus housing is about a mile or two away, and with the MTS bus system, getting to school is a breeze.

A lot of the upperclassmen live in Pacific Beach, which is a bit south of me. You'll likely need a car if you live there, but it's right on the beach, so who's really winning here?

There are also tons of clubs and nightlife activities for all you night owls, too. That's really what makes Pacific Beach pop, so it's best to come here after that twenty-first birthday.

Relationship Status

With those soothing ocean waves right in my backyard, it's hard to get stressed out. Once in a while, I get competitive with my UC siblings up north, but after a ride on the waves, I'm back to my mellow ol' self.

You should apply to me if...

you want to go to college to make a difference in the world rather than scream about whose sports team is better.