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DILATEDUCSC | CABRILLO | THE SANTA CRUZ GUIDE TO STUDENT PUPIL LIVING | SANTACRUZ.COM 2014 2015 dilated pupil 1 CONTENTS 32 HIKING TRAILS Welcome to Santa Cruz, now get out 36 MUSIC 6 slug life For those about to rock UCSC events, the story of the slug, 38 GOOD HEALTH and where to meet people We need our medicine 8 GOOD KNOWLEDGE 40 DIY Offbeat facts about the campus scene Start a revolution, or whatever 10 ROOM SERVICE 42 BRAINY PURSUITS Understanding Santa Cruz housing Where to find study spots and more 16 SEX, SLUGS & ROCK ‘N’ ROLL 45 FAITH UCSC mascot Sammy the Slug’s first Don’t stop believin’ tell-all interview 48 CAFES 20 OTTER THIS WORLD So, anyway, caffeine is a thing Discover UCSC’s world-famous science research, the non-boring way 51 FOOD 24 EAT CHEAP! The Santa Cruz dining scene Our resident expert explains how 56 CRAFT BEER 26 TRANSPORTATION Where to raise your glass Bike and bus your way around 58 CAMPUS CALENDARS 27 REBEL Save these UCSC and Cabrillo dates Tattoos and other adult fun 30 FITNESS Gyms, yoga and martial arts 10 THE HOUSING SQUEEZE How to make sense of it 31 SURF SPOTS & BEACHES Where to catch a break Webmaster Publisher Roseann Hernandez Jeanne Howard Advertising Director Editor Debra Whizin Steve Palopoli Senior Account Executives t was either Pliny the Elder or Green Day who said, Managing Editor Kate Kauffman “Make the best of this test, and don’t ask why; it’s Maria Grusauskas Ilana Rauch Packer not a question, but a lesson learned in time.” How Contributors Account Executives about that ancient wisdom, right? In any case, Brendan Bane John Bland there are actually hundreds of questions that Sven Davis Doug Hull Cat Johnson Tiffani Welsh can come up for college students in Santa Cruz Sydney Moorhead County, and in this issue of Dilated Pupil, you’ll Jacob Pierce Accounting Alix Crimbchin find hundreds of answers. Also, a banana slug uses Proofreader human words. That’s pretty cool. So check out Josie Cowden Circulation Manager our guide to student living, and whether you’re at Mick Freeman Art Director Cabrillo, UCSC, or any other place of higher learn- Joshua Becker CEO Iing, we hope you have the time of your life. Dan Pulcrano –STEVE PALOPOLI, EDITOR Designers DiAnna VanEycke Vice President Julie Rovegno Lee May Rosie Eckerman 6 l DILATED PUPIL | SANTACRUZ.COMSANTACRUZ.COM Photographer Keana Parker ROOMService Understanding Santa Cruz’s complicated housing market By CAT JOHNSON ew to Santa Cruz? There’s some good news and find it, it can be outrageously expensive. Ask around a bit some bad news. The good news is that you now and you’ll meet people paying more than $700 a month for a live in one of the greatest places on earth. Our room in a house, or several hundred dollars a month to sleep magnificent coastlines, ancient redwood forests, in a closet. Yes, a closet—and not a walk-in closet that’s been Nthriving arts and music community, world-class waves, prox- transformed into a room. Just a closet. imity to the Bay Area, abundance of locally grown organic But don’t get scared off too fast. You know the old saying food and more make Santa Cruz a truly unique place to live. about necessity being the mother of invention? Well, impact- The bad news is that, due in large part to this uniqueness ed housing markets inspire creative thinking around where to of ours, we have a housing market that is severely impacted, lay one’s head, and our little town is no exception. People are and regularly ranks among the most expensive in the nation. very creative when it comes to where they live. Here are five Off-campus housing can be hard to find, and when you do Santa Cruz-style alternatives to traditional housing. 12> 10 l DILATED PUPIL | SANTACRUZ.COM 1/Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) Also known as granny units, ADUs are legal in Santa Cruz. Because of this, as well as the fact that this is a beach town with lots of little beach shacks, we have an abundance of these dwellings—including sheds, con- verted garages, cottages and more. Some of them are charming, some are so-so, and some you’re going to want to steer clear of, but if you want more privacy than you’ll get with housemates, and you have a little more money to spend, ADUs can be a good option. The downsides of ADUs include the fact that you may have to go into the main house to use the bathroom and kitchen, and if they’re not well-insulated, it’s going to get chilly during the winter months. But, plenty of ADUs are beautiful, stand-alone houses that have everything you need in one little unit. 2/Housemates Living with housemates is very common in Santa Cruz. Ranging from big party houses that hold 10 or more people to situations where you have just one or two housemates, it’s a practical housing solution. It’s among the most affordable options, and you can usually find someone who needs a housemate. Plus, it can be really fun. Gotchas to watch out for: people eating your food, scheduling clashes where one person’s party time is your study or sleep time, and housemate drama—so choose wisely. 3/Tiny Rooms A variation on the housemate theme, tiny rooms defi- nitely exist in and around Santa Cruz. Some of them are adorable little spaces that have been converted into bed- rooms, some of them are rooms that have been divided to create more space (and rental income), and some of them are, quite literally, the closets mentioned earlier. Depend- ing on your budget and lifestyle, these tiny rooms can be either a dream come true or a claustrophobic nightmare. The upside: tiny rooms are inexpensive and force you to be a minimalist. The downside: they really are small. 4/Work Trade Work trade is an attractive solution to finding housing, if you can find a situation that fits your skills and lifestyle. Services traded for partial or full housing include garden- ing, elder care, child care, maintenance, pet sitting, house sitting and more. Living where you work isn’t without challenges, but with clear communication and bound- aries, it can be a good way to build community, exercise your skills and save money. 14> 12 l DILATED PUPIL | SANTACRUZ.COM 5/Co-ops Santa Cruz has a long and storied history of co- operative housing. Some of them are formal, and some casual; some have lots of rules and expec- tations, and some just want to have shared meals. Some of them have themes—anarchist, queer, gardening—and some of them are wide open. But they all share core cooperative principles. The idea of living in a co-op is that there is democratic decision-making and a vision for community living rather than just a bunch of people living in the same place. If you choose the co-op route, be prepared to contribute time, energy and ideas. Challenges of cooperative living can include unnecessarily long decision-making sessions and expectations on your time. But when managed well, it can be a great way to meet people, expand your comfort zone, pick up some communication skills and become part of a community. 6/Bonus: Couch Surfing This isn’t a very good long-term housing solution, but if you find yourself unable to find a place, it may be time to call in some favors and start surfing friends’ couches. The upside is that couch surfing is as close to free housing as you’re likely to get. But remember, etiquette says that you should contribute to your host; if not money, then with help around the house or yard. And be sure to check in with your host to see how long they’re willing to have you—more than one friendship has fallen apart due to someone over- staying their welcome. The downside of couch surfing is obvious: you’re sleeping in a common space with no privacy, limited or nonexistent space for your stuff, and a couch (or sometimes floor) for a bed. 14 l DILATED PUPIL | SANTACRUZ.COM ROOMService Understanding Santa Cruz’s complicated housing market By CAT JOHNSON ew to Santa Cruz? There’s some good news and find it, it can be outrageously expensive. Ask around a bit some bad news. The good news is that you now and you’ll meet people paying more than $700 a month for a live in one of the greatest places on earth. Our room in a house, or several hundred dollars a month to sleep magnificent coastlines, ancient redwood forests, in a closet. Yes, a closet—and not a walk-in closet that’s been Nthriving arts and music community, world-class waves, prox- transformed into a room. Just a closet. imity to the Bay Area, abundance of locally grown organic But don’t get scared off too fast. You know the old saying food and more make Santa Cruz a truly unique place to live. about necessity being the mother of invention? Well, impact- The bad news is that, due in large part to this uniqueness ed housing markets inspire creative thinking around where to of ours, we have a housing market that is severely impacted, lay one’s head, and our little town is no exception. People are and regularly ranks among the most expensive in the nation.