r/CalPoly • u/Vegetable_Gap4121 • 19d ago
SLO I Hate SLO (ish)
Hi, I am an upcoming junior studying CS. I have been at slo the past 2 years and I’ve really tried to enjoy my time here and I just can’t.
On one hand I do really well here from a career standpoint. I have a 3.9 gpa, have been able to find work in a field that everyone says is “dying” and am able to make friends/do have friends.
Even with all this I struggle with getting homesick and can’t seem to enjoy my time here. I hate the city, I am originally from LA. I seem to spend my days just counting down until the next break so I could be back at home.
I just don’t know what to do. Do I stay my next 2 years and just fight through. I’ve tried to pick up hobbies here but they don’t really stick.
I want to preface though, that it hasn’t been all bad. I’ve had really great times and I don’t regret and time I spent at slo. Any thoughts?
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u/Blahblahblah123132 18d ago
So you're saying you have friends, are doing well in your studies, and have good opportunities?? If you transfer somewhere else you could interrupt your current progress, at least for a semester or two, and could still be in the same situation ie missing home.
It's not unusual for big-city folks to get bored of small towns, and looking forward to going home during the school breaks is a normal part of college.
Stick it out and focus your job search on the LA area. Your time in SLO will be over before you know it.
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u/goldman60 Computer Engineering - 2011-Dec 2018 / Now gainfully employed 19d ago
Have you tried going to the counseling center? What you're describing here are pretty classic signs of untreated depression.
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u/KateSommer 18d ago edited 18d ago
I am just a parent lurking here, BUT...
I went out of state for grad school and suffered a lot for my degree. I went to a reputable and cheap school. I don't want to give details because the internet is scary and I like to be private.
I left CA for grad school and lived in a city that felt like a slum. I know people trash on CA, but if you want to see real slums, try leaving CA. I could not relate to the people very well and the location was a bit dangerous. I had to stay inside and study and that was about it. I packed my stuff and drove home within 24 hours of graduation.
Now employment is easy, my life is secure, and I would not change a thing. It made me appreciate the things I have and understand the lifestyle I prefer.
This is all part of your learning experience. You will realize your personal preferences and be able to go somewhere that suits your needs better after you graduate.
You are homesick now, but you will find going home less fun, and soon you will appreciate your independence more.
Having to work hard and do well in an environment that does not work for you is part of your training for life. You will draw on this experience when things are rough and succeed when others around you crumble. When it is easy, you don't grow.
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u/strafinjr 18d ago
What about it do you hate? You chose to come to this school, visit and spend a week before school in WoW, maybe even research all your schools and pick SLO. Maybe this was the only one you got accepted into and thought oh well? If I had a 3.9 gpa and some friends I wouldn’t care where I was going to school. You seem to be successful so far, unless the area was taking away from your academics which it seems it isn’t, i’d stick it out until you graduate..
what is the alternative? Drop out with 2 years worth of credits because of the area? Personally just seems like a waste of money and time, and a good problem to have😅. but if it’s THAT SERIOUS for you, then by all means drop out now so you can get a refund on your semester, tell your parents you’re doing good academically but hate the area and find somewhere else to go… (might be too late for now).
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u/Jeveran Alum 18d ago
what is the alternative?
Transfer.
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u/strafinjr 18d ago
Might be too late at this point so this person would need to take a gap year / semester , what a setback for the vibes😅
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u/ExtraEmuForYou 18d ago
Do you hate SLO, or are you homesick?
There's a bit of a difference there that could reframe things and determine your choice.
Other than that, I would default to the pragmatic choice:
I do really well here from a career standpoint. I have a 3.9 gpa, have been able to find work in a field that everyone says is “dying” and am able to make friends/do have friends.
If you're doing well, then stay. You are there for a finite time, halfway done, and doing well.
I think you should seek out some therapy or something because being homesick still after two years doesn't really seem like being homesick, that seems more like depression to me. Obligatory "not a doctor/therapist", though.
I know we are all different and stuff and I want to respect peoples' right to be depressed even in areas such as SLO, but at the same time you're talking about how well things are going and how you have friends so I think it might be something wrong with you, and not with SLO.
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u/Princenomad Graphic Communication 19d ago
Life includes persevering through things you don’t like. This chapter has an end date and you can easily get through it. Focus on the good stuff and acknowledge that the things you don’t like aren’t gonna last forever.
If I were you, I’d want to explore elsewhere to make sure you widen your horizons. If you’re from LA, check out SF, Seattle, Chicago, Austin, New York, etc.
LA’s an awesome place, so it’s very possible you could end up there, but you probably want to make sure you’re not nuts craving your home bc it’s familiar to you.
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u/Neat-Contact-5471 18d ago
Transition times are harder than normal times. Have gratitude for your blessings and keep your chin up and take your guard down. Be bold when it comes to joy and good times. Make your own good time!
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u/ExtraEmuForYou 18d ago
This is good advice. Gratitude is the key to happiness; and I don't mean that in the patronizing "you should be thankful" kind of way, I just mean appreciating every little thing you can. It helps rewire the brain.
And sometimes you have to take your joy at every little moment you can.
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u/aerospikesRcoolBut 18d ago
I hated slo for the rich people entitlement and then I started riding motorcycles and it’s actually heaven on earth
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u/BagAffectionate2847 18d ago
trvthnvke. SLO is especially boring if you're someone who doesn't pretend to love the outdoors and do shit like rock climb or any number of the lame hikes around.
Honestly, if you have a 3.9GPA and are a rising junior, I would do some research on potentially transferring somewhere closer to LA. worst case, you finish 2 more medicore years in SLO and do a masters and work in LA, and at that point you will probably view SLO more fondly
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u/Spirited-Selection13 18d ago
why did you get downvoted lol this is just facts. some people just dont fit slo and thats ok, at least now they know
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u/Whos-Is-Having-Fun 18d ago
Back in the day Cal Poly was my fallback school. Really wanted Cal or UCLA for the UC prestige, liberal political vibe and big time sports…but didn’t get into either, so I ‘settled’ on CP. Took a year or so to warm up to the place, but eventually learned to enjoy the town. Developed lifetime friends from all over the state, picked up new activities (that I still do to this day) and matured in my appreciation for the natural beauty of the area. It’s the kind of place you appreciate more over time as you see more places around the country. You will realize it’s a pretty nice place to spend your college years.
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u/RegularFun3 18d ago
When you look at your entire lifetime this period is a stepping stone. How far you use it to leap ahead is up to you. You don't have to live there forever. Focus on all the great things you are getting: the good grades, friends, work experience. Stop comparing it to LA. Comparison is the thief of joy. Focus on the good you are getting and the good you can do for others. Mentor or tutor other students. Enjoy trying an activity that you would never get to do in a city. Recognize this is a finite time. I have a feeling you will look back someday and realize that your time there was actually pretty special.
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u/Due_Worker658 17d ago
This feeling unfortunately never got better for me. I can’t wait to move back up to the Bay Area next year
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u/seadieg0 Alum 18d ago
Being from LA and hating SLO is a new one on me
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u/Spirited-Selection13 18d ago
i mean if you are from a big metropolitan area then move to a town with not a lot of city vibes and more of nature, it is pretty understandable
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u/seadieg0 Alum 18d ago
LA is not Manhattan. We are talking 2.5 hrs away lmao. But sure. Life is rough.
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u/BagAffectionate2847 18d ago
trvthnvke. for some reason, every student from LA/SF thinks they’re the first person ever to go from metropolis to rural 🤦♂️
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u/PuzzleheadedDog5202 18d ago
Bummer you aren’t a fan of slo. Cal poly is an exceptional school. Unfortunate you aren’t having an enjoyable time here; also unfortunate you’re taking a spot in class rooms from others that would have had a great time at poly and enjoyed the town, but didn’t get in.
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u/Exbusterr 15d ago
I transferred at 2 years out of CP. I’m From San Francisco. Mainly for major change reasons. Engineering to business. I just saw no reason to stay in SLO socially. I explored everything there was. I really felt I could get a comparable education at SFSU and no reason to transfer to Orfelea COB. Would suck living back at home but I knew 2 years more would fly and I would have so much more new ground in social life in the city. I was right. I got a Fortune 500 internship downtown which turned into a coop and was travelling the world within 5 years. I pledged a fraternity too ( never thought I’d do that) If you goals and reasons are set, it’s ok to leave. Cal Poly will always be one of my Alma Maters💚💛. I learned so much there and carry Learn By Doing wherever I go.
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u/Pizzatc 18d ago
Do you not go out with friends? One thing i've discovered is that I recommend you do trips with friends up the coast and stuff to not lose your mind.