My freshman year, I lived in the Santa Catalina dorms, whose name is also known amongst UCSB students as “FT.” I remember being nervous about selecting off-campus housing and looking up every possible pros and cons list I could find online that compared the shorties to the off-campus resort.
Before the start of the year, every student gets a random time slot assigned in which you can pick your room within the available list of dorms. By the time my slot arrived, every dorm was already full besides FT, because this mega complex holds about 1500 or 1/3 of the freshman student population.
I remember when I moved into FT met my freshman year roommate, and all the exciting feelings associated with starting a brand new chapter of life. Even though it is about a mile off campus and further away, FT has so many great qualities that go overlooked. Off-campus housing during my freshman year taught me community, independence, and responsibility.
what is the dorm style like?
FT has a North Tower with 11 floors and a South Tower in located on the main road in the front with 10 floors. All halls are suite-style triples and doubles, meaning you each have a sink in your own room and share a bathroom with the room next to you. It honestly feels like one big room at times, because we became good friends with the people next to us, and it is convenient to share a bathroom between five people rather than the whole floor. The rooms are spacious, with a big window in every room either overlooking the ocean or the mountain side.
Even though the dorms are new and considered more luxurious, you pay the price of living further away from campus. Personally, I have never minded the distance. There is a very straight-forward, easy to ride, bike path that goes straight from FT to campus. FT is also located adjacent to four bus lines, where the bus stops every couple minutes and with one easy tap of your student ID card brings you straight to campus. I know FT is further away and it can feel like a hassle going to campus for your early 8 am section or if you have a long day on campus and just want to chill at home for an hour between your classes, but truly it taught me to be efficient, find a schedule that works for me, and stay very productive throughout my days. Also, it prepares you for your sophomore year where you will be living off-campus, I personally really enjoyed the separating between school and coming home to something else away from campus.
Let’s talk food options at FT. Portola is the dining hall located on the edge outside of the intersection between North and South tower. I love the layout of this dining hall with boots and outside patio seating, compared to the on-campus ones. I would say the overall menu is good, with fresh fruits, sushi, and other entrees you cannot find on campus.
Even if you do live on campus, I recommend making your way over to Portola here and there for a good lunch, it seriously has not failed me once this year. Tenaya Market is open from 10am to 10pm everyday and has snacks, meals, coffee, anything really that a small market holds. It is nice in case you miss dining hall hours or just want to get a snack without having to make a trip.
things to do around ft
By far, my favorite thing about FT is the pool located right behind Portola. When the sun is out, my girls and I love to tan and take a swim here. They have sun beds all around the pool, cabanas, and a ton of grass to lay out on, and some tables if you like to do your homework out there.
If you are looking to shop or explore the area around UCSB, Camino Real Marketplace is a quick one-stop bus ride, 10 minute walk, or five minute bike ride away from the dorms. The plaza has a cinema, food places, your regular Starbucks, Costco, Target, Core power Yoga, and so many other things to do. FT is located on a main road that is very accessible and it is a great dorm location to experience Santa Barbara and Goleta outside of the campus. My friends and I are always out and about exploring the area which is something Ft has really encouraged me to.
There are also plenty of options to get your daily exercise in if you do not have time to go to the recreation center, because FT has a small gym downstairs with treadmills, yoga mats, machines, and weights, great for a quick run on the treadmill or workout routine. Also, Sands Beach and Devereux Beach are located right on the edge near FT. There are a lot of trails and pretty walks to the ocean that I loved exploring during my year here, whether it was just a sunset walk with the girls or a run to clear my mind between classes.
I know it is nice on campus to have the library close by for last minute studying and you might wonder how to escape your room, floor, or building to get some quiet study times. FT has a bunch of study rooms called espacios and a huge downstairs fiesta room to study in. There is enough space to get some work done and meet up with other people to work on projects or homework.
FT will challenge you in various ways as it is different than the traditional on-campus housing experience; however, in my experience it is really the best of both worlds. I got to meet so many amazing people both at FT and on campus, so it is truly an awesome experience getting the best of both worlds. Coming in I knew FT had a reputation for being very social due to the distance, and I leave FT with nothing but great stories to add to that statement, having met my best friends and a great freshman experience.