Is it true that some things never change? Or are the “glory days” of Isla Vista behind us?
This last weekend, I spoke with my parents, both of whom are UCSB alumni and past IV residents, about their experiences in IV in the early 90s hoping to answer these questions. We covered a broad range of topics, everything from housing conditions, to surfing, to of course, drinking.
Seriously, I cannot emphasize enough how often our conversation circled back to drinking. When I asked my parents what IV residents did for fun in the 90s, they answered, “Drink.” My dad even noted later on that “beer and kegs were the common things that brought people from different friend groups together.” Evidently, drinking culture was and always has been a significant part of life at UCSB. However, it looked a little different back then. According to my dad’s unofficial estimate, 90% of the alcohol consumed in IV was beer, while now, the Princeton Review ranks UCSB the #1 university in the nation for consumption of hard liquor.
My parents also added that “people who didn’t drink were probably very lonely.” Party culture was even bigger back then than it is now. On any given weekend, there were “dozens of parties” happening, anything from formal to informal, and almost all of them were open-door. he biggest party season of the year was – you guessed it – Halloween. “Halloween was the event of the year,” my dad told me emphatically. DP was filled shoulder-to-shoulder with people from all over the state. Police barricaded certain streets to ensure the area remained pedestrian-only. People in homemade costumes brought their Solo cups with them from yard to yard, where they filled them at kegs.
We know that the party scene certainly looks a little different now. For one, Greek life is much more relevant now than it was before. There is also a growing number of “exclusive” parties that bar unknown or unwanted guests from entering, with exclusion tactics ranging from bouncers to wristbands to membership in clubs or group-chats. And we celebrate Halloween by leaving IV a ghost town– festive, right? But in some ways, the party scene has remained much the same. UCSB has upheld its reputation of a party school, coming in at #16 on Newsweek’s list of the top party schools in America.
Ok, but what did people do for fun other than drink in the 90s? When it really came down to it, there were plenty of activities for people who didn’t wish to engage with the party scene. There was an 18+ dance club called The Graduate where students could attend concerts by groups like Public Enemy. Students went out to eat (as much as they could afford it) at Freebird’s, Woodstock’s, Sam’s, and a hamburger joint called McBurley’s. People frequently went to the beach, played street games like frisbee and wiffle ball, and sunbathed in their front yards, enjoying IV’s open spaces.
Overall, the activities sound pretty similar to how students spend their free time now – going to the beach, playing Spikeball, and heading to Freebird’s when hungry. Of course, there are a few minor differences. For one, The Graduate was purchased by UCSB and is now Embarcadero Hall. There was also a lot more open space back then. Storke Field, a popular space for pick-up football, soccer, and baseball games, has been significantly reduced by the addition of San Clemente Villages. In fact, according to my parents, most of the open space in IV in the 90s has since been converted to housing.
Wait…most of the open space has been converted into housing, and we’re still facing a housing crisis? My parents, who never described their housing situation as any sort of “crisis,” attribute this to overcrowding in the 90s as well as the growth of UCSB’s student population. The percentage of Santa Barbara City College students who live in IV has remained about the same over the years, making it an unlikely culprit in contributing to the housing shortage and leaving UCSB student population growth as one of the only viable explanations.
But we can’t envy them too much in regards to housing. My mom made a point to tell me that the general conditions of houses and apartments in IV was “much, much worse than it is now.” She said that “every house and apartment looked like it needed a fresh coat of paint, a power wash, and a landscaping job.” Certainly some places in IV match her description today, but many are much nicer, especially the newer apartment complexes.
So with all this in mind, in what direction is IV headed? What can we expect IV to be like a generation from now?
First of all, I think it’s fair to say that much of IV’s future depends on the police presence in the community. A generation ago, it seemed unthinkable to restrict access to DP on Halloween weekend, and even the 12 am noise ordinance was difficult to foresee, but both of these things happened regardless.
We can only expect the housing crisis to stay the same or get worse. There is a finite amount of space in IV, and if the UCSB student population continues to increase, students will have to look for housing in other communities in the Goleta area. But even if this does happen, we can expect IV to remain active and at the center of UCSB student life. With its amazing weather and gorgeous beaches, students are bound to continue spending time outside during the day and partying during the night.
So on that note, here’s to our little community and its big personality – may it continue to remain the quintessential college town.