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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Cal Poly chapter.

My name is Giulia and I am a second-year Political Science/Pre-Law student at Cal Poly. I have absolutely loved my time at Cal Poly so far and want to share some advice on what I wish I would have known before coming to Cal Poly! Cal Poly has given me some of the best friends and memories, and I would love it if some of my advice was able to sway someone on the fence about coming to Cal Poly.

  1. Slo is the best town to go to college in. Slo is an amazing blend of a college town and a tourist destination. Tourism is super beneficial in getting jobs in service industries, but you still get those small college-town vibes. Most of the people you meet are in college, either at Cuesta or Cal Poly, so it’s super easy to meet people your own age!
  2. There is so much to do outdoors! There are so many options to hike, walk, bike, go to the beach, and so much more, even on campus. Cal Poly has a number of hikes on campus, and it’s super unique! All the way in the back of campus, there are some awesome hikes in the foothills. Whether you want to just walk in the architecture graveyard (the space where architecture students build their projects), or do a grueling hike up to serenity swing, there is something for everyone. Another awesome outdoor activity is the tri-tip challenge. If you hike the Poly “P”, Madonna, and Bishop’s Peak, you get a free tri-tip sandwich from Firestone! Off-campus, there are such cool places to walk and hike, like Montana De Oro in Los Osos and the Shell Beach Bluff Trail just south of Avila. The weather is near-perfect all year round so there is plenty of time to spend outside.
  3. Cal Poly’s favorite holiday is St Patrick’s Day- or St. Fratty’s as we call it. It was such a surprise to me when I came to Cal Poly just how much people love St. Fratty’s. It’s such a fun tradition where students all wake up at four in the morning, have a block party right off campus, and party for the whole morning. It happens the Saturday before finals week in Winter quarter, so it’s such a fun way to have a last hurrah before we all go into finals.
  4. On-campus food is terrible, but off-campus food is amazing! Freshmen at Cal Poly have to purchase a dining plan. Most of my meals freshman year consisted of a Starbucks panini and a coffee because the dining hall food is horrendous. I was definitely not prepared for the lack of options the dining hall provides, but luckily there are a ton of awesome restaurants in the area. I highly recommend going down to the farmers market on Thursday nights to get some amazing dinner! I could write an entire article on the best places to eat in Slo- there are so many! 
  5. The quarter system is super fast. Most high schools are on the semester system, so the quarter system is a huge change. My best advice- plan out every assignment and test so you don’t fall behind because, in all honesty, it is really hard to catch up once you’re behind. I enjoy the quarter system a lot because classes feel very purposeful since we don’t have a ton of extra time. The time spent in class is (usually) very productive and concise, which is awesome. I also love going back to school in late September- it’s a great time to travel while everyone else is already back in school!
  6. The central coast beaches are unmatched! I was born and raised in the Bay Area and spent every summer going to Santa Cruz, but I have to say, the central coast beaches are incredible. Between Montana De Oro’s beach, Spooner’s Cove, with beautiful cliffs and California poppies growing everywhere, and Grover Beach, which is so much fun for bonfires and car camping. Some of the coolest beaches in California are within 30 minutes of Slo, and it is so nice to be able to go for a swim in between classes. From Cayucos to the North and the Oceano Dunes to the South, some of California’s best beaches are within a day-trip distance!
  7. The class sizes are super small! Speaking from a College of Liberal Arts student’s perspective, I have mostly had classes of about 25-35. The biggest class I have ever had was a GE with about 120 students. This is a major drawing point to Cal Poly in my opinion, that I had no clue would matter so much before coming here. I have always known my professors, have only had one TA teach a lab, and know a ton of students in my major. This is one of my favorite things about the classes here in addition to classes being discussion-based, which is an awesome way to get to know my professors and classmates. 
  8. Housing is cutthroat. I think this goes for any college town, but it is near impossible to get an apartment/house with everything you want. The best solution is to start looking as early as possible and just understand that nowhere will be perfect! It’s best to pick two or three priorities for yourself and go from there! For me personally, my top three priorities were having my own room, being within walking distance from campus, and being fairly low-cost. There are a lot of options that offer different things so it’s important to decide what is important to you personally.
  9. Sha. bang. Shabang is a two-day music festival in Slo in May, and it is hands down the best weekend of the year. A ton of Cal Poly students go because it’s so close, and it’s such a good time. They have an awesome mix of indie, EDM, and rock music and it’s amazing vibes. They have local restaurants set up booths for food, and incredible art installations from Cal Poly students. It’s everything fun about Cal Poly wrapped into one weekend!
  10. Clubs are so much fun! Definitely join everything you have time for! There is something for everyone, and you can meet the coolest people. I’ve met some of my best friends through one of the clubs I’m involved in. Not only is it a great thing to put on your resume and a conversation starter, but it helps you acclimate to a new environment if you’re involved in your school and meeting new people. It also gives you something productive to do in your free time! Club rush happens at the very beginning of the Fall Quarter, and although overwhelming, it’s a great way to see the clubs Cal Poly has to offer. The clubs are all super welcoming and inclusive, so if anything piques your interest- just join it!

Cal Poly has something for everyone- majors, classes, clubs, opportunities, and people. It’s so important to take advantage of those opportunities, even if that means getting out of your comfort zone! The college experience is so much more enjoyable if you are comfortable being uncomfortable.

Giulia Spano

Cal Poly '25

Giulia is a second-year Political Science major with a concentration in Pre-Law. Outside of school, she loves to read, crochet, and cook fun, new recipes! She is also involved in Cal Poly's Pre-Law professional fraternity, Phi Alpha Delta. This is her first quarter involved in Her Campus and she could not be more excited!