Day to Day in SD


I'm planning to write a couple update posts, and realized I never published this one from last winter break! Well here it is, a full year later:

Tomorrow I fly back to California, first to LA for a short visit with my buddy Andrew, and then on to San Diego. Winter break sure did go by quickly. This Christmas was my first in Ohio in three years, so I appreciated the time home over the holidays with family. It was also super relaxing to just chill at home and have a whole lot of free time.

View from my parents' driveway; a few weeks of cold was enough for me

In a few days I'll be back in San Diego and back at the grad school grind. Last post I mentioned my classes, which take up most of my time during the week. But during the fall I still managed to get out and about around town, mostly on weekends.

Our masters program has approximately 150 students per class, and I've developed a solid group of friends over the past four months. Once every week or two we wind down with happy hour drinks at Rock Bottom, a restaurant near campus with $3 happy hour beers--as a full time student I need all the deals and discounts I can get!

We also meet up occasionally on the weekends, which is when I have more flexibility. Living in SD without a car can be a pain; it can take over an hour to get downtown or to Pacific Beach by bus. I do bum rides occasionally, but I prefer not to be a burden, so I will take public transport when I have the time (a plus is that my student ID gets me free rides), or split ubers with friends who live near campus.

When I go out on weekends, it's mostly to Pacific Beach or downtown. Kyle, a buddy of mine from Ohio State, lives in PB, which happens to be one of the main bar spots in San Diego. Near PB is an Ohio State bar where I spent Saturdays watching football games with Kyle and a couple other OSU friends who relocated and live nearby.

The boardwalk in Mission Beach, which extends north to Pacific
Beach (PB). La Jolla is the peninsula in the background.
OSU fans gather at Draft in Mission Beach for games every Saturday

The busiest area downtown is called Gaslamp, which is more upscale than Pacific Beach. I could go out to most PB bars in jeans and a t-shirt, but for Gaslamp I'd want at least a polo (San Diego is pretty laid back though, and few places--at least the ones I'd go to--have dress codes). With the classier ambiance comes higher prices, so I haven't been downtown for a Friday or Saturday night more than once a month on average.

Gaslamp, near the San Diego Padres' stadium

Another area I started to explore is North Park. North Park is only a few miles from downtown, so not too convenient for me, but a couple classmates live in the area, and we met there for drinks a few times in the fall. The vibe there is more laid back, although different than PB. If PB is for the bros, North Park is for the hipsters.

There are definitely more spots to check out: after one trip to Ocean Beach (OB) I'd like to go back, and Hillcrest is supposed to be fun. I also need to visit Imperial Beach, which is where another old friend lives. Henry, who I met on Semester at Sea, has been in San Diego for over five years (maybe seven...it's been awhile). In December we reconnected and met up downtown for dinner and beers. He's been living near Gaslamp, although he and his wife just moved to Imperial Beach. Unfortunately for me, it's nearly all the way to the US-Mexico border, but one weekend I'll make it down there.

Other than relax with a cold brew on Friday and/or Saturday, I also try and run or hike from time to time on weekends. Torrey Pines, with picturesque ocean cliffs and walking trails, is less than five miles from campus. Behind our apartment complex is a canyon with a running path, which I need to take more advantage of this winter. As I write this it's 10 degrees Fahrenheit in Columbus and 62 in San Diego. I'll definitely appreciate the weather more after Christmas back home!

Cliffs near Torrey Pines

In terms of exercise, the UCSD campus gym is a stone's throw from my main classroom building. I try and hit the weights 2-3 times a week, and get some cardio too. I cycle every day to class, which is only a few miles from my apartment. Cycling to the grocery store and carrying back food to my place is also exercise I guess!

Oh, and speaking of my apartment, I live with two roommates. One is 22 years old, and the other 32. The younger one is a nice guy and fun to hang out with, but I am glad to have an older roommate too. I didn't want to end up living with two teenagers a few years out of high school. Both roommates play club hockey for the school team, so they can be busy with practice and homework, although we've made time to go out for drinks occasionally.

My roommate's dog, Rocco

My apartment bedroom

The fall was mostly schoolwork and some fun on weekends. My parents made it out for a visit in November, and I had college friends stay on my air mattress on two occasions. Most weeks were pretty standard though. The winter should be more of the same; the workload will probably be higher. Hopefully I'll keep my head above water and still find time to enjoy myself in my new city. Until next time!

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