The Avenue is one place that students can eat on campus

Food, food, food…it’s the power source of every college student.  With the stressful schedules we have at Cal Poly, we cannot afford to miss those important meals.  Luckily there are a number of places on campus to eat and meal plans that help us balance our eating habits.

 Campus dining plans  are required for all freshmen living on campus.  There are four different plans that vary depending on the number of meals a student gets per week and depending on the plus dollars they receive as well.  A meal is a set amount of money that can be spent at one time.  For example, if you spend $10.75 at lunch, you can “use” a meal.  (Prices differ for breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night).  If you go over this amount, the money comes out of your plus dollars, so don’t think that some alarm will sound if you go over the limit.  Meals on these plans may only be used at certain dining facilities to be named later.  Other places only take plus dollars, so it’s important to learn which places take which kind of money credits. 

 These plans allow you to not have to worry about carrying around cash because the plans are placed directly onto your Cal Poly ID card.  It is also guaranteed that at least one dining facility will be open at all dining hours, so there’s always somewhere to eat.

 On campus dining facilities include:

 -VG Café:  This is the closest place to the dorms (located next to the Sierra Madre towers).  It serves baked subs, pasta, and salads and has a grill that cooks up burgers, chicken strips, etc.  *You can use meals here.

 -The Avenue:  Commonly known as the Ave, this place has a wide variety of food.  You can get salads, chick-fil-A, Mexican cuisine, sandwiches and even yogurt.

 -19 Metro Station:  Metro serves “home cooked” meals such as carved meats, pasta, and tossed salads.  You may also get grilled burgers, fries and desserts.  *You can use meals here.

 -Backstage Pizza: Here you can buy pizza by the slice or whole pizzas.  There is also a salad bar with a variety of beverages. 

 -Sandwich Factory:  The favorite place of many students, Sandwich Factory lets you custom make your own sandwich- you can choose from over 45 items.  For breakfast, you can pick up croissants or breakfast burritos.  *You can use meals here.

 Other places include: Lucy’s Juice, Curbside Grill, Starbucks Coffee, Jamba Juice and Einstein Bros Bagels

–A slideshow that takes a look at The P and Bishop’s Peak.  Both hiking locations are easily accessible for Cal Poly students.

 -Bowling: Cal Poly has it’s own bowling alley, Mustang Lanes, located in the University Union.  It is the only bowling alley in the city, so not only is it open to Cal Poly students, but it is open to the general public too.  Prices are cheap- $2.25 per game for each Cal Poly student and $2.75 per game for the public.  The bowling alley comes equipped with several bumper lanes, a big screen TV, and music to last the whole night.

            *Inside Mustang Lanes is also a full arcade with a variety of video games and pool tables.

 -Rock Climbing: Right outside the University Union is a rock wall in which you can climb.  Keep an eye out for special rock climbing events too.  There are often nights where, for example, ladies may climb for free.

 -The Craft Center: Also located inside the University Union is the Craft Center.  The center is open to students and non-students, so cost per class will vary.  Types of classes include: bike repairs, ceramics, flame working, jewelry making, skateboard shaping, stained glass, surfboard shaping, and wood working.

       *Students may either take classes, which are offered every quarter, or buy specific studio area passes.  Studio passes are suggested for those who have more experience and wish to access the studio in their own free time.

        *Students may also take part in the Craft Sale, where they can sell their hand-made crafts alongside other students, staff and faculty.

 -Attend a sporting event: Cal Poly has a number of sports teams from football to lacrosse to baseball to swimming.  Admission is free as long as you have your Poly ID card.  Cal Poly athletics are year round and there is a sport for just about anyone.

            *Not only does Cal Poly have division ranked teams, but there are also club teams that are worth watching.

 -Chumash Challenge: Chumash Challenge is a learning program that encourages teamwork and at the same time, individuality.  The challenge enables students to take part in “team building workshops” like decision making and problem solving.  There is also a high ropes course for those feeling brave enough.

            First year college students are often surprised when they are thrown new responsibilities, and it can be quite overwhelming.  Here are some responsibilities that college freshmen should be aware of.

 -Waking up on time:  It’s absolutely necessary to have some kind of alarm to wake you up in the morning.  I use the alarm on my phone, which works well.  Nobody is going to make sure you wake up in the morning just in case you sleep through your alarm clock.  It’s also important to make sure you go to bed a decent hour.  That way you will be less inclined to be tired and sleep in too much.  If you don’t take that responsibility, then you will miss a lot of classes. 

 -Taking care of yourself:  This is a broad term, but I mean it as taking care of your body by eating right and staying active.  Nobody is going to be monitoring the meals you eat, so it’s your job to eat a variety of foods and take into account the nutritional value of those foods.  Also, make a good effort to stay active.  Don’t just sit in your dorm room all day.  There are plenty of activities on campus that you can participate in.

 -Money management:  College is probably the first time that you are really dealing with money on your own.  You’re probably new to using a credit card too.  It’s easy to overspend if you have a credit card because it’s not actual cash that you’re spending.  It is important to save money for essential items, so don’t just take your credit card and go clothes shopping every weekend. 

 -Time management: Managing your time in college is probably the biggest responsibility of all.  Class schedules get very hectic throughout the year, and it’s extremely important that you learn how to divide your time between having fun and getting your work done.  It is too simple to fall behind and flunk out of college if you don’t take your schoolwork seriously.  I’m not saying to do homework 24/7, but don’t sit around and watch television for hours.  Procrastination is also something to be careful of.  I do it more than I should, and having to cram all of your homework in on a Sunday afternoon is too overwhelming.  So, plan ahead and get things done early if possible.

Take this quiz to learn some fun facts about staying in shape at Cal Poly.

My Week Of Welcome group climbed Bishop's Peak

Ah, the freshman 15.  If you have never heard of this term, you will by the time you are finished moving into your dorm room.  The term refers to the weight gain that some college freshman will acquire during their first year at college.  This is typically because college is the time where most people stop playing the sports they played in high school and the time where people have to switch their eating and sleeping habits to fit with their new schedules.  Personally, I don’t know anybody who has gained that much weight throughout the first year, but that doesn’t mean it’s not possible.

            Here are some ideas for staying in shape during freshman year.

-Exercise classes:  Cal Poly’s recreational center offers a number of exercise classes throughout the year.  Classes include: total body conditioning, yoga, J.U.M.P, pilates, cardio dance, cardio kickboxing, six pack abs, etc.   

            -Within the exercise programs offered, you can also choose to participate in personal training.  Through this, you can organize your own schedule for working out.  Personal trainers at Cal Poly are nationally certified.  In addition to working out, you’ll learn how to properly use exercise equipment and receive nutrition advice.  You may choose from the One-on-one package, the Buddy package (two people), or the Group package (3-6 people).  *Rates depend on the chosen number of sessions and type of package. 

 -Common Room Workouts:  Several girls in my dorm do small workout exercises in the comfort of our own tower common room.  It’s as simple as having one person bring his/her laptop out into the common room and look up a quick workout video on YouTube.  This method is quick, easy and you don’t have to even leave the dorms.

 -Hiking: The Cal Poly campus is surrounded by land that is perfect for hiking.  The hill known as “The P” by most students is located directly behind the Sierra Madre dorms.  Bishop’s Peak is another option for hiking.  It’s off-campus so it’s not as convenient, but it’s a more advanced hike than The P. 

 -Bike rides: Bike rides are a great way to stay in shape especially considering all hills that surround Cal Poly. 

 -Join an intramural sports team: Cal Poly offers ways for athletes to continue playing after high school.  The intramural sports consist of three different levels (highly competitive, moderately competitive and recreationally competitive).  Sports include: soccer, speed soccer, basketball, volleyball, flag football, dodge ball, softball and tennis.  The sports vary by quarter. 

           -For more information about intramural sports, click here: http://www.asi.calpoly.edu/intramural_sports

            Anyway, there are several solutions to the problem of distractions.  First, unplug your Internet cord from your computer when you are typing something because that way, you are less tempted to surf the net.  Second, find somewhere quiet and away from dorm noise and friends.  It’s great to have classes with friends and be study buddies, but it is very difficult to be productive when doing homework together, unless you can be extremely focused.

–Some places that you can go on campus to study in peace include:

-The library: Of course, where else would you go to study? That is the thought that crosses everyone’s mind, so that’s where most people go.  Cal Poly’s library is huge, but sometimes leaves me feeling a bit crowded. Note: Library hours 

-Sierra Madre Main Hall: The main hall is a great place to go to study mostly because it’s close.  Why walk all the way across campus to the library when a study room is two minutes away?  The hall has tables on the first level and actual study rooms on the second level.

-Tables behind Sierra Madre Towers: If you walk out the backside of the towers you will find small walkways leading up a slight hill.  Once you reach the top you’ll find several wooden tables at which you can study.  There are rarely any students out there, especially during the week, so it is a good place to go if you need to concentrate.

-The University Union: The U.U. is louder than the library, but still a good place for casual reading an hour before class.  There is even a Starbuck’s with a few tables for studying.

-Dexter Lawn: Located out front of the Dexter building, Dexter Lawn is the perfect place to do some homework and relax.

-English Building: On the first floor of the English building is a small room that can serve as a quiet place to study. 

-Rec Center Pool: The pool is a great place to lounge around at while doing homework…of course when the weather allows it.

Resident assistants are specially trained students who attend Cal Poly just like everyone else.  Their job is to assist students living in the dorms with any problems that might arise.  When I first met my resident advisors, the first thing they told us was that they were there to help with whatever we needed.

 My resident assistants are good at what they do, but still very relaxed.  They want to be your friend, not your parent.  There are some R.A’s, though, who take their job extremely seriously and won’t be lenient at all.  One of my R.A’s even admitted that she sees differences between how R.A’s go about their jobs.

 There is always an R.A on duty during night hours, and R.A’s check tower bathrooms three times per night, every night, including weekends.  This is to make sure everything is ok within each community.  R.A’s will typically make rounds around 10 p.m., 12 a.m. and 2 a.m.

 It is also the job of any resident assistant to enforce the standard rules of the dorms.  These rules can be found in the Residence Halls Handbook, a small booklet that each student is presented with on move-in day.

If a student is in violation of any of the rules, the R.A’s are required to write the student up.  If a student reaches the maximum amount of write-ups, he or she can be removed from living on-campus.

 Some important rules to note are the following (the handbook goes into more detail):

-Alcohol Policy: Cal Poly is a dry campus.  This basically means that you will be written up for the “possession, distribution, consumption, or being under the influence of alcohol…in or around the immediate area of on-campus residence hall communities.”

-Drug Policy: This policy is identical to that of the alcohol policy, but involves drugs.

-Animal Policy: Students are not allowed to bring any animal into residence halls with the exception of fish in aquariums.

-Explosives and Weapons: Any kind of weapon is prohibited.  Weapons may include: firearms, knives, explosives, replica swords, bows and arrows, etc.

-Harassment and Assault: Students are not allowed to engage in activities that would violate personal safety such as harassment, pranks, stalking, threats, assault, etc.

 There are many other rules noted in the handbook, and it is recommended that students read through the book shortly after move-in day to ensure that they are familiar with the expected policies and conditions.

 For more information on county information involving alcohol and drugs, check out this site:

San Luis Obispo County