08 Apr Reaping the benefits of being a Gator!

Written By: Warren Cortezano

Using the Muni to explore the city. It is a fun way to explore San Francisco using public transport for free! There are certain restrictions like the Bart trains but using the Muni is a really good opportunity to quite literally stop at each place to explore the main districts. It can be a way to socialise with fellow Gators to have a day out where the road (or Muni) takes you. This is a really cool initiative from the University in order to make students travel and make the most of the city.

Using the gym facilities – Mashouf Wellness Center. This is a really good way to keep oneself fit and healthy for your lifestyle as a college student. It is a really good way to wind down after a long day of studying or at the start of the day. I had plenty of facilities such as courts for a variety of sports like volleyball, basketball, and badminton. The gym also has table tennis facilities, rock-climbing, and dance studios. There is also a swimming pool! The gym also has weekly sessions such as Pilates and Yoga. This is a fun way to meet new people but also socialise with your peers for friendly competition. There are a few communities in the gym, so there is always a place to feel welcome.

Get involved with campus life. There are spots within our campus which is definitely something you should go explore. The top of the Cesar Chavez is definitely a view worth checking out, especially in the night! It is quite picturesque. There is also a Planetarium in Thornton Hall, which allows you to look at the heavenly bodies in the sky! It is such an amazing experience. In addition, there are loads of clubs and societies which you can join such as Greek life or sport teams which you need to undergo trials. Definitely making the most of the GatorXperience, I went with my friends to a silent disco and an outside party! It was a lot of fun and had a lot of great friendships and memories formed then!

Make use of the study spaces available in the library! This year abroad also includes studying and revision. The library is a nice place to get on top with work by yourself or have group study sessions with your classmates. This is a really good way to focus on getting schoolwork done in a nice environment. There are also rooms which you can book for certain group projects or meetings, which I found quite helpful when I was doing a group assignment. There are also a lot of events taking place in the library including the IEEC Language Exchange Program. This is a really good way to start learning the basics of a range of languages from your fellow year abroad peers; I made a few friends here too!

Places which are a must-see! These places are free of admission if you have proof of residence in San Francisco. If you live on campus, you can show your valid student ID with a sticker of your student residence. The Conservatory of Flowers, Japanese Tea Garden, and San Francisco Botanical Garden are only a few examples of places to go and explore. These places are absolutely incredible which would be ideal in a lush and sunny climate. A few museums around San Francisco are also available to visit free of charge but only at specific dates, so it is a good thing to plan and put in your calendar early on so it can be a nice planned trip with your group of friends! We cannot forget the most popular places here in San Francisco: the Golden Gate Bridge, the Palace of Fine Arts, the Coit Tower, Fisherman’s Wharf, and the Ocean Beach. These are awesome spots which you can use the whole day for an amazing adventure, but it does not stop there – there is Chinatown, Little Italy (North Beach), and even Japantown. San Francisco is rich in culture and different walks of life which make it the city of vibrance. Please take the time to experience the city and fully immerse yourself– get lost in all the craziness and be grateful for whatever San Francisco brings forward to you.

Let your voice be heard. California, especially San Francisco, is known to have great diversity of views, opinions, and belief systems. This is an opportunity to voice your passions and politics such as social movements and certain legal reformations. For example, there are certain groups such as the CSU which is an organisation to strengthen the student body as well as support the staff in the University. Interestingly, due to the political climate, there are various groups and networks you can build by showing support, solidarity from local to global issues. There are a few events on campus which allow students to have the opportunity to partake in a strike or petitions. I believe that this is an excellent way to express freely what you believe and stand up for which I think provides rich and worthwhile experiences, especially in a free country like America which symbolises the land of the free.

Build up your professional career! SFSU has great links with a lot of companies around the Bay Area, which is ultimately an advantage of being within an area quite popular in fields like Biotechnology, Data Science, Finance, and Business. There are plenty of work and career fairs available during the semester which would be a great opportunity to grow one’s professional self. Having this experience here in San Francisco would set you apart from other individuals, so utilise what networking SFSU offers. There are also quite a fair bit of networking events, conferences, and workshops dotted around the Bay Area, which are free to attend; you may just have to register your interest. Ultimately, the city of San Francisco is an amazing place to build your professional career as its location is surrounded by an array of private companies.