Woot woot Foothill!!! I LOVED living at Foothill it's like living in a mini forest. I would take the night safety shuttle to visit my friends in the units and would come back to peace and quiet at Foothill.
This is super helpful, thank you! I'm an incoming freshman moving into a Stern double next month, and I couldn't be happier with the outcome of my housing haha (first choice). I am a little annoyed that Stern is pretty far away from most things like grocery stores and boba shops, and it's pretty far from where my classes will be in the fall but that's alright! Taking the bus won't be so bad. Do you know how big Stern's rooms are? I've seen a few Stern tour videos but they don't really show the size of the rooms even though I heard that they're some of the biggest dorm rooms in the housing units overall. I have a big pc setup I'm bringing with me so wanna make sure I'll have room for it, lol.
Woo congrats on Berk & Stern! I don't know exactly the dimensions of the rooms, but I remember the desks in the dorms generally being pretty decent size, and you'd have even more space if there are only 2 of you. I don't know if this helps but you can check out the room layouts here: housing.berkeley.edu/3d-room-views. Good luck with move in and your first year! ☺
Ha ha, our all -girls 7th floor in Cunningham Hall, unit 2 was definitely not less social than the other floors. In fact, it was the opposite. We had guys from the other floors coming to hang out often. We had to ask them not to use our bathroom. Back in the ‘90s, Units 1 & 2 had their own dining halls. Unit 3 is NOT older. It’s just that Units 1 & 2 have been renovated. IIRC, Unit 4 was Manville Hall (closed down in the mid ‘90s). Unit 5 is Bowles/Stern. Unit 6 is Foothill. Unit 7 is Clark Kerr. I don’t know if they’ve changed this numbering.
I loved this video and I was just admitted! I have a couple of questions: 1. do all units give students access to a kitchen (like to cook for yourself)? 2. Can students stay on campus during breaks? I am from out of state so I would not be able to go home every break so could I stay on campus? 3. can students not in Blackwell use the Blackwell gym? that's all my questions for now! Thank you again for the awesome video!
Omg congrats!! 🥳 That’s so exciting! I *think* all dorms allow students to access kitchens, but I’m not sure if they provide cooking utensils (ie pots, pans, spoons, etc). I would check with housing though as I’m not 100% confident! You’re definitely allowed to stay for Thanksgiving and spring break, but for winter break the dorms so close and I don’t think you’re allowed to stay-I’d check with housing again though as there may be some exceptions! And I don’t think you can use Blackwell’s gym if you don’t live there but there are a ton of other on-campus gyms you can use 😊
@@SenecaBrynn thank you so much for all the info! I'm so excited to go to Berkeley, but I'm nervous so I'm gathering as much info as possible haha, your videos help a lot!
@@SenecaBrynn Hi just asking, cause coming from the UK i have no idea of the purchasing power in Berkeley, would you say that $1000-$1500 is enough for transport, restaurants, a data plan, stationary, laundry(washing machine), and snacks in a month, or should I budget for more, like as pocket money?
Hi! Excluding the cost of housing, I would say it definitely depends on the person as far as how much to budget. Personally, I think that $1000 is definitely plenty--you may even find you need less than this as the transportation in Berkeley is usually the buses, which are included in tuition, or BART (the train system), which is usually $3-$6/ride. Everyone goes to restaurants/uses up stationery/spends different amounts on cell plans at different rates, but for context I think the average meal at a Berkeley restaurant is about $15, and I used to use around 3 notebooks per semester (depends on your classes--you can also wait until a few weeks into the semester to see if you'll need them), which are usually below $5 each at a store like Staples or Walgreens/Target, etc. I believe laundry is $2 to wash and $1.75 to dry in the dorms, usually around the same in off-campus housing too. Snacks are super variable but some are included in the dining plans, if not Trader Joe's is probably the best price for food in Berkeley! I might make a video about this soon, but hopefully that helps a bit for base prices? Sending you loads of good luck for the start of the year, go bears!
When I lived in the dorms at Sacramento State, the annual rate for the dorms was close to the annual rate for a one bedroom apartment. I always thought that cost of dorms was overrated since most students go home during breaks, leaving an apartment on a lease vacant.
Blackwell shares Cafe 3 with Unit 3, and yes! Most of the dorms have communal kitchens you can use, but they don’t have pots or pans so it can be easier just to go to the dining hall day-to-day. A few of my friends did make cookies in the kitchen once though!
I think it’s just traditional! To be 100% sure I’d check with Cal Housing. There are suite options in Foothill for sure though, which is attached to Stern 😊 Thank you sm for watching!!
Hi Seneca, If I live off campus but want to eat at any of the dining halls, can I just show up and pay cash/credit per meal or only students with meal plans can eat there?
You can! There's also an option I think to buy an off-campus meal plan where you can still go to the dining halls for meals even if you live off-campus.
I keep hearing that putting blackwell on your list isnt worth it unless you are a regent scholar or your roommate is... is that because blackwell is for that group of students or they just get priority?
Honestly I had a ton of friends who weren't Regent's that got into Blackwell so I'd just say to go for it! As far as I know being Regent's only guarantees that you'll get housing, it doesn't guarantee that you'll get into a particular building/your top choice.
Hi! I believe most grad students probably live off-campus, though there are also university-owned apartment complexes specifically for grad students, so that's also an option. Thanks for watching! :)
aahhhh hiiii again seneca!! back again with another super helpful video out here savin lives💖💖also for your first year did u happen to just get random roommates or did you find them through Facebook or another platform? how did you like them? edit: OOPSS just saw you had a section in the video for it!! sorry I got too excited and wanted to comment hahaha
Hi! So sorry if this ends up sounding like a dumb question, but if we were to go random when choosing roommates, would we be filling out the “roommate quiz” on the same housing application? I hope that makes sense, thank you for this video!
Yes! Basically you fill out the roommate quiz on the general housing application regardless of whether you’re going random or not, then the housing department uses those responses to match you with someone similar.
Thank you Seneca for a very informative video. I would like to ask if you can provide any info on Berkeley's single suite housing. My youngest daughter is joining UC Berkeley as a Junior, I am exploring my options including off campus one bedroom apartments and or Berkeley's single suits housing units. I appreciate your advice and feedback.
Congrats to your daughter! I would check out Berkeley's housing page here for a run-down of all the different housing options: housing.berkeley.edu/options. I know people who've enjoyed living both on- and off-campus.
Heyy!!! Thank you so much for this it is really helpful :) I'll be an exchange student (coming from the Netherlands) for only the fall semester, do you have any tips for housing for a shorter period of time? I e-mailed Cal Housing and they said that on campus is an option but now idk if that would be better than off campus in order to get the full experience (especially during covid times). If so what dorm would you recommend for an exchange student? And also joining clubs/sororities for only one semester bc I'm part of a sorority here but I have no clue how it would work in the US :)
Aw I'm so glad, that's so exciting!! 🥳 Honestly I'd join the Berkeley "Free & For Sale" page on Facebook, and maybe see if anyone is subletting spots in an apartment for the semester? Sometimes people will do internships/take a semester off and they'll need people to live in their apartment for the semester--this is actually how I found my apartment last year! I think on-campus next year should be a lot closer to the normal than this year has been, especially with all students being vaccinated. I'd say then that pretty much all the dorms would be fun, but they also might put you in an apartment--I'd ask Housing if they'll have spots in the regular dorms for just fall? In the regular dorms it's a lot easier to meet people. You could also check out International House! As for joining clubs/sororities for just one semester, it's totally possible! I would just say to go for it :)
Ooh that's a good idea! Personally I don't have experience living in the on-campus apartments/suites so I'd have to do some research but here are a few videos I've seen from others: Mini-suite tour (Unit 1): th-cam.com/video/oiasBz-gu_M/w-d-xo.html Apartment tour (Martinez Commons): th-cam.com/video/i2TsihR3rpc/w-d-xo.html Suite tour (Clark Kerr): th-cam.com/video/3Gdmd74uqGQ/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for all the advice! I was wondering how common it is for students to use bikes to get from dorms to classes and if the housing units offer bike racks under rain shelters?
Thanks for watching! 🥰 It’s not very common to use bikes on campus just because the city and the campus aren’t configured very well for biking and the campus is pretty compact! Berkeley is also extremely hilly so it can be difficult to bike up the steep hills on campus. However, there are bike storage units in all the dorms with roofs if you do want to bring one.
Comment down below your favorite dorm or any questions y'all have about the different dorms! 🐻 I hope you all have a fantastic day!
Thanks for the help! Seeing all of the dorms as you explained them was really helpful
I'm so glad! Thank you so much for watching! 🥰
Woot woot Foothill!!! I LOVED living at Foothill it's like living in a mini forest. I would take the night safety shuttle to visit my friends in the units and would come back to peace and quiet at Foothill.
also luv u seneca always so proud of you!
Aww I love that! I thought of you when I took the videos haha 💙
wow thank you so much for this video!! 🤍 it was extremely helpful omg
Aw I'm so glad! Thanks for watching! 😊
This is super helpful, thank you! I'm an incoming freshman moving into a Stern double next month, and I couldn't be happier with the outcome of my housing haha (first choice). I am a little annoyed that Stern is pretty far away from most things like grocery stores and boba shops, and it's pretty far from where my classes will be in the fall but that's alright! Taking the bus won't be so bad. Do you know how big Stern's rooms are? I've seen a few Stern tour videos but they don't really show the size of the rooms even though I heard that they're some of the biggest dorm rooms in the housing units overall. I have a big pc setup I'm bringing with me so wanna make sure I'll have room for it, lol.
Woo congrats on Berk & Stern! I don't know exactly the dimensions of the rooms, but I remember the desks in the dorms generally being pretty decent size, and you'd have even more space if there are only 2 of you. I don't know if this helps but you can check out the room layouts here: housing.berkeley.edu/3d-room-views. Good luck with move in and your first year! ☺
So informative, thanks Seneca!!
I LOVED unit 1!
YES! the units >>>
Ha ha, our all -girls 7th floor in Cunningham Hall, unit 2 was definitely not less social than the other floors. In fact, it was the opposite. We had guys from the other floors coming to hang out often. We had to ask them not to use our bathroom. Back in the ‘90s, Units 1 & 2 had their own dining halls. Unit 3 is NOT older. It’s just that Units 1 & 2 have been renovated. IIRC, Unit 4 was Manville Hall (closed down in the mid ‘90s). Unit 5 is Bowles/Stern. Unit 6 is Foothill. Unit 7 is Clark Kerr. I don’t know if they’ve changed this numbering.
I loved this video and I was just admitted! I have a couple of questions: 1. do all units give students access to a kitchen (like to cook for yourself)? 2. Can students stay on campus during breaks? I am from out of state so I would not be able to go home every break so could I stay on campus? 3. can students not in Blackwell use the Blackwell gym? that's all my questions for now! Thank you again for the awesome video!
Omg congrats!! 🥳 That’s so exciting! I *think* all dorms allow students to access kitchens, but I’m not sure if they provide cooking utensils (ie pots, pans, spoons, etc). I would check with housing though as I’m not 100% confident! You’re definitely allowed to stay for Thanksgiving and spring break, but for winter break the dorms so close and I don’t think you’re allowed to stay-I’d check with housing again though as there may be some exceptions! And I don’t think you can use Blackwell’s gym if you don’t live there but there are a ton of other on-campus gyms you can use 😊
@@SenecaBrynn thank you so much for all the info! I'm so excited to go to Berkeley, but I'm nervous so I'm gathering as much info as possible haha, your videos help a lot!
Aw Seneca road to 1000 subs! Thank you for the shoutout 🥰🥳
Anytime! Gotta share the Berkeley love hehe 💙 Thank you so much for watching! 🥰
@@SenecaBrynn Hi just asking, cause coming from the UK i have no idea of the purchasing power in Berkeley, would you say that $1000-$1500 is enough for transport, restaurants, a data plan, stationary, laundry(washing machine), and snacks in a month, or should I budget for more, like as pocket money?
Hi! Excluding the cost of housing, I would say it definitely depends on the person as far as how much to budget. Personally, I think that $1000 is definitely plenty--you may even find you need less than this as the transportation in Berkeley is usually the buses, which are included in tuition, or BART (the train system), which is usually $3-$6/ride. Everyone goes to restaurants/uses up stationery/spends different amounts on cell plans at different rates, but for context I think the average meal at a Berkeley restaurant is about $15, and I used to use around 3 notebooks per semester (depends on your classes--you can also wait until a few weeks into the semester to see if you'll need them), which are usually below $5 each at a store like Staples or Walgreens/Target, etc. I believe laundry is $2 to wash and $1.75 to dry in the dorms, usually around the same in off-campus housing too. Snacks are super variable but some are included in the dining plans, if not Trader Joe's is probably the best price for food in Berkeley! I might make a video about this soon, but hopefully that helps a bit for base prices? Sending you loads of good luck for the start of the year, go bears!
@@SenecaBrynn thank you ❤️
When I lived in the dorms at Sacramento State, the annual rate for the dorms was close to the annual rate for a one bedroom apartment. I always thought that cost of dorms was overrated since most students go home during breaks, leaving an apartment on a lease vacant.
Great video- thank you.
Thank you so much for watching! ☺
Does Blackwell have a dining hall? Also is there anywhere to cook your own meals in the dorms?
Blackwell shares Cafe 3 with Unit 3, and yes! Most of the dorms have communal kitchens you can use, but they don’t have pots or pans so it can be easier just to go to the dining hall day-to-day. A few of my friends did make cookies in the kitchen once though!
thanks for the info!
Thank you for watching! :)
This was so helpful - thank you so much! :) Are suite options available in Stern or is it just traditional?
I think it’s just traditional! To be 100% sure I’d check with Cal Housing. There are suite options in Foothill for sure though, which is attached to Stern 😊 Thank you sm for watching!!
@@SenecaBrynn awesome thanks!!
Hi Seneca, If I live off campus but want to eat at any of the dining halls, can I just show up and pay cash/credit per meal or only students with meal plans can eat there?
You can! There's also an option I think to buy an off-campus meal plan where you can still go to the dining halls for meals even if you live off-campus.
@@SenecaBrynn Thank you so much, Seneca. I am all set, then.
I keep hearing that putting blackwell on your list isnt worth it unless you are a regent scholar or your roommate is... is that because blackwell is for that group of students or they just get priority?
Honestly I had a ton of friends who weren't Regent's that got into Blackwell so I'd just say to go for it! As far as I know being Regent's only guarantees that you'll get housing, it doesn't guarantee that you'll get into a particular building/your top choice.
Hi! Thanks for the videos :)
Where do the graduate students usually live?
Sororities/Fraternities or off-campus?
Hi! I believe most grad students probably live off-campus, though there are also university-owned apartment complexes specifically for grad students, so that's also an option. Thanks for watching! :)
Good video!!!
Thank you so much for watching! 🥰
aahhhh hiiii again seneca!! back again with another super helpful video out here savin lives💖💖also for your first year did u happen to just get random roommates or did you find them through Facebook or another platform? how did you like them?
edit: OOPSS just saw you had a section in the video for it!! sorry I got too excited and wanted to comment hahaha
haha nw! I did find them through Facebook and it turned out great--we lived really well together ☺ Thanks for watching! 🥰
@@SenecaBrynn aww thats awesome!! also i saw birthday balloons in the back so happy birthday!! 🎉
@@angelaling9441 aw thank you! it was last month and i can't bear to take the balloons down, they're too cute 🥺
hiii, your 94th subscriber here lol
Thank you so much for watching & subscribing! 🥰
Hi! So sorry if this ends up sounding like a dumb question, but if we were to go random when choosing roommates, would we be filling out the “roommate quiz” on the same housing application? I hope that makes sense, thank you for this video!
Yes! Basically you fill out the roommate quiz on the general housing application regardless of whether you’re going random or not, then the housing department uses those responses to match you with someone similar.
Thank you Seneca for a very informative video. I would like to ask if you can provide any info on Berkeley's single suite housing. My youngest daughter is joining UC Berkeley as a Junior, I am exploring my options including off campus one bedroom apartments and or Berkeley's single suits housing units. I appreciate your advice and feedback.
Congrats to your daughter! I would check out Berkeley's housing page here for a run-down of all the different housing options: housing.berkeley.edu/options. I know people who've enjoyed living both on- and off-campus.
Heyy!!! Thank you so much for this it is really helpful :) I'll be an exchange student (coming from the Netherlands) for only the fall semester, do you have any tips for housing for a shorter period of time? I e-mailed Cal Housing and they said that on campus is an option but now idk if that would be better than off campus in order to get the full experience (especially during covid times). If so what dorm would you recommend for an exchange student? And also joining clubs/sororities for only one semester bc I'm part of a sorority here but I have no clue how it would work in the US :)
Aw I'm so glad, that's so exciting!! 🥳 Honestly I'd join the Berkeley "Free & For Sale" page on Facebook, and maybe see if anyone is subletting spots in an apartment for the semester? Sometimes people will do internships/take a semester off and they'll need people to live in their apartment for the semester--this is actually how I found my apartment last year! I think on-campus next year should be a lot closer to the normal than this year has been, especially with all students being vaccinated. I'd say then that pretty much all the dorms would be fun, but they also might put you in an apartment--I'd ask Housing if they'll have spots in the regular dorms for just fall? In the regular dorms it's a lot easier to meet people. You could also check out International House! As for joining clubs/sororities for just one semester, it's totally possible! I would just say to go for it :)
I just want to know why my ps4 doesn’t work on Blackwell
hi!! do you think you could make a video about rushing at berkeley (esp. for someone who knows nothing about sororities lmao)
Yes, absolutely! Definitely planning on making a video (maybe even a series) on sororities/what my experience at Berkeley has been, stay tuned! 👀☺
Hi can you make a video on the apartments and suites?
Ooh that's a good idea! Personally I don't have experience living in the on-campus apartments/suites so I'd have to do some research but here are a few videos I've seen from others:
Mini-suite tour (Unit 1): th-cam.com/video/oiasBz-gu_M/w-d-xo.html
Apartment tour (Martinez Commons): th-cam.com/video/i2TsihR3rpc/w-d-xo.html
Suite tour (Clark Kerr): th-cam.com/video/3Gdmd74uqGQ/w-d-xo.html
Clark Kerr is also very expensive.
Thanks for all the advice! I was wondering how common it is for students to use bikes to get from dorms to classes and if the housing units offer bike racks under rain shelters?
Thanks for watching! 🥰 It’s not very common to use bikes on campus just because the city and the campus aren’t configured very well for biking and the campus is pretty compact! Berkeley is also extremely hilly so it can be difficult to bike up the steep hills on campus. However, there are bike storage units in all the dorms with roofs if you do want to bring one.
great, thanks!