Humboldt State University

I graduated from Humboldt State University in 1998 with a BA in Social Science and stayed for an additional year to earn my teaching credential. I look back on my HSU experience as some of the best years of my life. As a high school teacher, I actively encourage my students to check out this lesser known Cal State. I truly believe it is one of the best kept secrets of the CSU system. Small class sizes, passionate professors who actually teach their classes,a beautiful and inspiring environment and a community that really caters to its college students makes HSU a wonderful institution to pursue higher learning.

I would recommend visiting before attending because HSU and Arcata can be a culture shock for some city dwellers...everyone smiles, strangers say hello, "hippies" sun themselves on the Arcata plaza, the lack of fast food chains, the constantly changing weather...while easily embraced by some these factors can be deal breakers for students who want a cosmopolitan lifestyle during college.

If you want a small college that offers lots of educational and cultural experiences in a beautiful setting with a liberal minded and accepting/tolerant community...you and HSU may be a perfect fit for each other.

4th Year Female -- Class 1998

Faculty Accessibility: A+, Social Life: B

Yes, people smoke pot. Some of them come to HSU just to simply smoke pot and somehow pass classes. That was the biggest turnoff. Immediately after telling people that I was going to HSU I had to follow up with "but I don't smoke weed." If you are coming here for just for that, then all the more to you, but if you are coming here for a good school with great people in a wonderful town then you will be pleased. The school is gorgeous and just the right size. You can walk from one side of campus to the other and run into at least five people you know on a name to name basis. Once you get past the lower division GE classes the class sizes shrink dramatically. My average class size last semester was around 20 students. I haven't had a professor that I've absolutely hated. Generally I've liked them all, though some more than others. Some of the classes seem like jokes but some of them have expanded my mind like no other. The professors are actually there for you and your undergrad experience is more hands on than at a bigger school.

The other students are great. I'm socially awkward and I fit right in. It's easy to make friends with people and rarely do I find someone snobbish or rude (except for maybe the art students). For the most part, everyone is eco friendly, health oriented, and very concerned with mental and physical wellness. With that said, there is definitely a large group of students who come just to party and smoke weed. In terms of social life, Arcata has a lot to offer if you look closely. It may seem like a quaint sleepy town but it has a lot of culture. There's always a band playing or an event going on. Naturally, there are parties and, for the most part, it's a blend of different people.

Weather wise it rains a lot. It rained till late June this last year. It rarely gets in the 70s and the fog can get you down after a while. But with that, it's incredibly green and clean, never baking hot, and it rarely gets colder than the 20s. Sometimes we get a wiff of snow too! All in all, I really enjoy this place. It's not for everyone but behind its reputation it has a lot to offer.

2nd Year Male -- Class 2012

University Resource Use/ spending: A+, Collaboration/Competitive: B

So when people hear about HSU, they expect the worst. Well big news people, yes there is weed here, there are bad influences everywhere. If you're stupid enough to be influenced by negative things and blame it on the community then this place is not for you. I have had a wonderful time at Humboldt. The town is friendly, it's safe to walk around at 3am and buy a donut, which I frequently did with friends during finals week. VIVA DON'S dounut, pizza, sub, and icecream shop.

As for minority, if you're not ready to adapt to certain situations you probably shouldn't be in college in the first place. The multicultural center has improved drasticaly and supports a lot of culutral clubs and even some hispanic sorrorities. My room mate was involved with an African American club that tended to be very popular and threw formals and dances every semester. I also would recomend Latino Peer Mentoring which helps hispanics adjust to to a new kind of environment...It is one of my favorite programs at HSU and in case you're wondering it did not only help Mexicans. Most of the people I met in that class were of central American decent.

I happen to work in housing and dinning and the food is not as terrible as others have posted. They get most of thier food from the neighboring farms (INCREDIBLE SALAD BAR)..it's always fresh and we replace it daily so there is reason to panic over food poisoning.

Arcata and Eureka, (the neighboring city) both have Arts ALive, which celebrates culture and the arts every month. It is absolutely beautiful around the holidays. During Halloween there is a gaint pillow fight and the town turns into a cornicopia of exotic and strange adventures (no pot intended). People are just so eccentric there, and from what I learned, the evil pot heads are nice, just don't bother them and they wont bother you. The only town I had trouble with was the town north of arcata, that's definately an ignorant hic town. However I did get free tacos at taco bell when I went there, and no they weren't laced with some kind of drug. It's called saying please and thank you, something we all learned in preschool.

AMTRACK is the best method of getting back to socal. Yeah it takes 16 hours, but it's only $90 dollars versus the $400+ it takes to get back by plane, which involves stopping in the San Francisco Airport (which is the worst airport I've ever been too, bad customer service), then finally to LAX.

There are three types of freshmen dorms. The Hill (drugs and party central/ the better social life, no studying is done here), the canyon (quieter, smaller living communities and newere building) and cypress (suite style living, specialized living communities, native american, gender neutral and regular freshman dorms) Campus Apartments and Creekview are for non freshmen who want to live on campus. And they are building new Campus Apartments for returning students and a new soccer field. Off campus housing is relatively cheap compared to other areas in Norcal. My friend lives in a two bedroom apartment, 1&1/2 mile away from campus for around $800 a month, utilities paid.

THE beach is beautiful. Moonstone is my favorite so far. Trinidad and Patrick's Point are breathtaking. Mad River not so much.

By far the journalism program is good too. The Osprey has one several awards and the Lumberjack is a very good community newspaper that deals with many social justice issues. The library needs some work/ that computer lab sucks. But in other building the computer labs are better, you just need to know where to look. SCIENCE SCIENCE AND MORE SCIENCE, wildlife and biology programs are wonderful. The oceanography class lets undergrads abord thier boats, most univeristies don't let that happen.

By far the best class I have sat through is Religious Studies! Brilliant professor and awesome student teacher communication. Best thing is he never picks on just one religion, he isn't biased. After taking that class I almost changed my major to Religious Studies (seriously it was that good). Overall, I love going here, but it's so far from family so despite my good review I will end up transferring...It's a wonderful school for freshies and Marine Biologist Majors. It taught me responsibility, and how to live self-sustained. It also gave me a huge appreciation for the environment. It is a place of understanind and acceptance, and I wouldn't trade this experience. I may have to transfer but deep down I will always be a lumberjack. :)

1st Year Female -- Class 2013

Faculty Accessibility: A+, Collaboration/Competitive: C+