Arcata, CA
Humboldt State University

College has been a real eye opening experience. I am the first of my family to ever attend college and go on to get a college degree. While attending, I have learned so much. College is a place where you are open to be independent, meet new friends, and learn all at the same time.

While I wrote earlier that living on campus was the worst part of college thus far, I have gained much from living here as well. My new found friends have made such a big impact on my life. I have learned the value of friendship. These upcoming years in college are some of the hardest in life thus far. You leave the security of home to live in a new place all on your own., you have a lot of classes you have to do more than study a little bit the night before to pass, basically you learn to be independant. But you don't have to do it alone. There are friends everywhere that love you and are willing to help you make it through those hard times. No matter who you are, you will find people who are like you and who can relate with what you are going through. They have been so valuable to me because they have helped make my life worth living in those hard times, and likewise I am learning to be a dependable friend for them.

Living in the dorms. One, it is hard to escape the campus bubble when everything you need is right in front of you, food, library, classes and home. However, at least the forest is next door to take a relaxing walk in and escape for a bit. Two, I do not like living under house rules. Of course the rules are nothing ridiculously obscure, but all the basics. And three, there are a lot of messy people that leave the community areas a wreck and the whole building gets fined if no one confesses it was their mess.

To attend HSU you should be a person who likes the outdoors and doesn't mind walking a lot. Due to the great variance in elevation accross the campus it helps if you like stairs and hills too. The typical student either is an artist in some form or has great appreciation for the arts but is also environmentally concious. Also, a big part of coming to Humboldt is accepting the rains. If you don't like being in colder, rainy weather Humboldt probably is not for you.

Humboldt State University is well known for its Marine Biology program, and is the only university on the West Coast that has a research vessel for undergrads as well as upper division students.

While attending Humboldt State University, I have gained the ability to think critically. Whether I am reading, writing, debating, or listening, I try to view the subject at hand through different lenses and ideals. This method has allowed me to gain a world view by considering and analyzing the opinions of others. While in school, I have grown as a person and have developed better social skills. This growth positively affects the confidence I have in my school work. I am developing better study habits and have gained more self motivation.

I love the environment at Humboldt State Univerisity. The campus has a casual and friendly atmosphere, and professors are passionate and involved in thier studies and their students' progress. Class sizes are small, allowing for interactive learning and discussion.

I have recieved alot of valuable experience from attending college so far. I am now a Sophmore and I love what I have already accomplished. I have developed the confidence and motivation to become a leader in my community. I am a student-athlete. I participate in Rowing and I am currently striving to complete my pre-nursing prerequisites at Humboldt State university. Being an athlete this past year has taught me about perserverence and discipline. I feel strong winning a race and passing a math class because it takes hard work to excell at both together. I realized that no matter what the challenge or obstacle ahead of me I know that if I keep pushing I will win in the end. I have been able to meet the most intellectual and knowledgeable coaches, teachers and peers that I will forever cherish and keep. And with confidence, I decided to persue a career as a Medical Assistant at Carrington College of California. It is my stepping stone towards Nursing. Because I am in college I know the knowlege and hands-on expereince that I am gaining will launch my career goals and get me into the real world.

The best thing about Humboldt State University is the outdoor tourist destinations. To name a couple. There is the Redwood Forest. It is right behind the university and also there is a park along side it. It is beautiful and full of huge eucalyptus trees and more. It has rivers and paths to travel on. Also, we have alot of beaches along highway 101 as you drive north. My favorite is Trinidad beach. I simply adore all the beauty.

Humboldt State University is a science , natured school. Alot of the students are interested in sciences like biology, chemistry, astrologly; also diving, hiking and camping. One must be a outdoors type because there is alot of beautiful nature to be explored in Humboldt County. One must like or even better love the rain because it is inevitable in the winter. The students and faculty are very friendly and calm people. I felt very comfortable because of the outgoing people that are willing to try new things and meet new people. One must be open to a somewhat diverse ethnic campus.

HSU is a diverse college that offers opportunies for almost every student and has a very relaxed yet fun atmosphere.

So far I haven't gotten too much out of my college experience. I've only been in college for about two months though and I haven high expectations for the future. I'm getting help with trying to study abroad and I wuoldn't be able to go abroad at all if it wasn't for school. That is one of the things that I am most excited about.

It's hard to schedule classes into a workable scedule. many class time are back to back or all at the same time.

College is something everyone should experience. It gives you more confidence and teaches you about life and how you can survive in the world on your own. It isn’t As each as middle school or high school, but at the end its worth it. I remember going on the first day. I had the stomach ache you get when your nervous. But as soon as I walked into my first class I knew I was going to like it. The students were interacting with each other and the professor as well. I made new friends and learned new things. Homework is probably the hardest thing about college. No one likes writing essays and staying up all night studying for the big exam, but at the end it’ll be worth it. You can get a better job and better opportunities in the real world with a college degree. My college experience has been great. I made new friends, gained more confidence to go out on my own, and I know professors and counselors are always going to be there to help me. Attending college has been very valuable to me. Attending college is a great life experience.

Humboldt State University has a beautiful campus, a friendly disposition, and an outdoorsy and artsy atmosphere, with great academic programs including biology, music, anthropology, art, child development, oceanography, and others.

So far, the most valuable thing I have learned from attending college is how to adapt to new situations. Living on my own, or rather with a roommate, has certainly been a challenge, but a rather refreshing one. Being able to choose all my own classes is fantastic, and I am able to learn much better this way. I am already learning so much in my critical writing class and my music classes. I am learning how to think for myself and am greatly improving my skills. Attending a university is an awesome way for me to specialize in the areas in which I am naturally good.

The most frustrating part of attending HSU is revealed in the nickname - Hills and Stairs University. Having to walk up and down hills and stairs all day is hard work. Apparently, there are more stairs than students. However, it certainly keeps you in shape.

My college experience has been amazing i must say. It is quite different than high school but it is definitely worth my time. I have met many people here and it is a great feeling to be studying something that i love. I get to meet new places that i had never visited and it makes me grow as a person. It makes me more independent the fact that i am away from home and it prepares me for my life as an adult. I definitely believe college has been worthwhile because it is fun to learn while knowing that in the long run i will be accomplishing my dreams.

A person who cant live without the sun and hates the rain or the cloudy weather. The weather here is cold, foggy, and rainy, so if a student loves the hot weather i dont recommend them to come here. Also if a student loves big classes this is not the right school, here we have a small student to teacher ratio.

That's hard to say, but the only thing i can come up with is that our football stadium and gym should be a bit bigger i think.

Going away to college was the best thing I have ever done. Originally I was from Anaheim, and now I am going to school eleven hours away from home. It has given me independence and made me grow accountable for my own actions, but that is what everyone says. The majority of my friends, like me, chose to go away to college. Many chose to stay at home but some went hours and hours away from there homes. Unlike me though many either quit or ended up going back home to go to the community college that is only an extension of high school. Here I am now in my third year of college and about to get my degree in psychology. I know that without leaving everything at home and moving away I would not be where I am today. These days it is really important to go to college. Without college, I would not be able to support myself let alone a family. Even with a part time job, one can barely make the cost of living in California while attending school. College is an important step in becoming an adult, and making a living for the future.

There isn't much that I really needed to know. But if I had to pick one thing, it would be that the people despite how crazy they may look are nice and very friendly. There is the feeling of love and peace in Humboldt. Rather than being scared to go out and make new friends because of all the new and different people, I should have been open and confident in myself and those around me.

When you look around you see so many different colors, and different looking people. It is true that Humboldt is still stuck somewhere in the 60’s, but then you look deeper into the community and it to the school and find an interesting assortment of people from all around the world. Outgoing people are the best in this kind of environment, especially with all of the people hanging around the school. But it isn’t just those people, anyone looking to step out and find themselves in anew adventure would enjoy life here.

Humboldt is full of characters....In the history department we are always cracking history jokes during lecture (and taking notes of course). We are incredibly devoted to becoming better researchers, better students, better people. There is a lot of laughter here at Humboldt, but there is also the time to be serious. Students are generally serious about their course work and about their major. Most students are also involved in more than one outside activity. Student organizations are everywhere. Students here are proud of their work, in and out of the classroom.

"Only at Humboldt" are words you hear a lot here at Humboldt State University. Here students give trees hand knit sweaters in the winter, here a man walks around campus with a pet goat. Here you see students zippy around the cruddy hilly streets in the pouring rain. Here people always are smiling and discussing all sorts of current events whether they be political, economical, artistic, cultural, athletic, etc. Students at Humboldt are very unique, loving, environmental and opinionated. There is never a dull moment here at Humboldt State University.

Not only have I studied at Humboldt State, but I have also been fortunate enough to study abroad in Berlin at Freie Uni. Both studying in Germany and in Northern California have given me the tools to expand my cultural and educational identity, making me-in short- a more well rounded person. I have also been fortunate enough to be able to compete on the track team at Humboldt. Apart from my studies as a history major, the team, and competing fills my life. Much more than a team, we have become a family; from them, I have learned the values in perseverance, dedication, and the love of sweat. All these experiences I take away from college help me to better understand how I can make my place in the world. Humboldt has been so valuable to attend because I cannot see myself learning the lessons I have learned anywhere else. I fit in, like a jigsaw piece, at Humboldt State University. I have made it my home and my life. It is the place from which I will jump into the world, the only place I could ever jump from.