By Aileen Lawrence
The CI View’s Declassified Student Survival Guide, SPRING EDITION!
Whether you are back at CI for another semester or here for the first time, the overwhelming doom of a new semester is felt by all. Honestly, none of us know what we are doing and that is a-okay! The CI View has a few tips and tricks to get your semester started off on a high note and hopefully leave you a little less overwhelmed.
Food and Fun
Looking for some fine dining experiences? CI has an assortment of little cafes on campus. The dining hall, Islands Café offers an all-you-can-eat dining experience with a variety of options every day. Visitors can pay using card or Apple Pay to eat, the Islands Café offers multiple meal plans for both on campus students and commuter students. The Islands Café is open Monday – Friday 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10a.m.-2p.m. for brunch and 4p.m.-8p.m. for dinner.
“I like the chefs and the staff, they are super nice. They deserve more recognition.” Angelina Villamil, fourth year theater studies major
The Lighthouse Café, in The Student Union Building serves some of the best grilled cheeses on campus. On top of their phenomenal three cheese delicacy, late night bites are back this semester! Along with their usual hours, Monday through Thursdays 7:30a.m.-8p.m. and Fridays 7:30a.m.-3p.m. Monday through Thursday $7 late night eat specials are offered. Stop by Monday for nachos, Tuesdays for tacos, Wednesday for wings and wedges and Thursday for a chili dog with fries and a drink to wash down the week. Just implemented this semester, students with a meal plan will be able to use meal swipes for Late Night Eats!
Check out Tortillas and Mom Wong Kitchen in Town Center, located up the hill behind the John Spoor Broome Library for a premium sit- down college restaurant experience. Grub up on some quality Mexican food Monday-Saturday 10a.m.-9p.m. at Tortillas. While you are there, indulge yourself in some delicious Chinese food and refreshing boba tea Monday through Saturday 10:30a.m.-9p.m. at Mom Wong Kitchen. Keep an eye out for live music and other fun events on Fridays!
Campus Adventure
If you are eager to find some extracurricular activities on campus after school, drop by CI’s Recreation Center next to Arroyo Hall. Anyone with a CI student ID is welcome and able to use any equipment for free! The Rec Center has everything from volleyballs and basketballs to badminton and croquets available for you as well as regular gym equipment and fun workout classes to check out. Gym too crowded? Stop by our two multi-use fields, Potrero Field and North Field.
If you are more eager to get out into nature, investigate our Outdoor Adventure program! They have all you need to indulge in your inner adventurer. They offer trips off campus including day hikes at all physical skill levels, overnight camping trips to incredible places like Santa Cruz Island or Malibu Creek State Park – all free for CI students. If you are more of a solo adventurer, you can rent out camping equipment from them free of cost.
Last but certainly not least, The Channel Islands Boating Center provides free waterfront activities including sailing, kayaking, standup paddle boarding and instructional and safety classes. If you prefer to adventure alone, feel free to rent out camping equipment including backpacks, tents, sleeping bags and more. Student ID is required for all free services.
Looking for an active job on campus? As of right now the Outdoor Adventure program is hiring!
Click this link to find out more.
Campus Culture and Academic Services
There is an abundance of on campus services catered to help students. The John Spoor Broome Library has a trifecta of academic services to help you with anything from difficult homework, to renting out laptops, calculators and even film cameras.
“The (Broome) library is like a safe haven for students. People study here, but they also sleep when they need to, meet up with friends, or just come here to relax. It’s such an important institution on campus and it deserves to be treated as such.” Claire Winch, third year theater studies major
The Learning Resource Center
The Learning Resource Center, commonly called the LRC, uses subject-based tutoring in an inclusive environment to help students reach their full academic potential. FREE one on one, peer tutoring is offered every day of the week, online and in person. The LRC has drop-in tutoring for any last-minute help you may need as well as limited appointment-based tutoring. While studying at the LRC, you can check out Laptops, iPads, textbooks and more.
“The LRC is an invaluable resource for every student no matter what your needs are. And
I like how they have free food sometimes” Ryanne Slagiel, third year English Major
The Writing Multiliteracy Center
Also, in the Broome Library lies the Writing and Multiliteracy Center. The WMC offers a range of in person, online and asynchronous services and programs to help students unfamiliar with certain forms of communication or programs required by classes. They have quick guides to the most used citation formats, workshops on giving presentations and annotation, as well as links to writing resources to help with grammar, STEM writing and more. If you need to videotape or rehearse a presentation, check out the Multimedia room and play around with the green screen, sound booth or the iMac stations with iMovie, Garage Band and Adobe CC Suite.
Counseling and Psychological Services and Student Health Services
In order to take care of your academics, it is important to take care of yourself as well. CAPS, or Counseling and Psychological Services provides short term mental health services to assist students in their overall well-being. Free services for students include individual and couple counselling, psychiatric consultation, 24/7 crisis phone counseling, group therapy and more. CAPS in Bell Tower East suite 1867.
Physical health goes hand in hand with mental health and is equally important to your overall success. Tucked away in a little modular unit in the parking lot behind Sage Hall is Student Health Services that provides basic health care services for all students at CI. The clinically certified doctors, nurses and medical assistants are available to meet on zoom and in person.
Same day appointments are limited but offered as well. Insurance is NOT required for appointments, but your CI Student ID is. It is important to note that medical excuses will not be issued for missing a class. Their services include basic dermatology, abdominal pains, health education and resources, physical exams, STI testing and referrals to free dental services. You can also find free condoms in Yuba Hall – remember, wrap it before you tap it. Student Health Services is open Monday through Friday 9a.m-5p.m. and Friday 9a.m.-1p.m.
The Basic Needs Program and Dolphin Pantry
Rounding out CI’s free health services is the Basic Needs Program. The Basic Needs Program provides emergency food and toiletries, educational opportunities and critical on and off-campus resources for students. Next to the Rec Center in Arroyo Hall is the Dolphin Pantry, run by Basic Needs. Open Monday 1p.m.-8p.m. and Tuesday through Thursdays 1p.m.-6p.m., the Dolphin Pantry is open to provide five free food items or hygiene supplies of choice a day to any student with an ID present. Free cleaning supplies are available as well upon request.
While you are at the Dolphin Panty, check out their Hot Meals program where you can get an Islands Café dining card with two free meals loaded and ready to go. If you are not a fan of Islands Café, Basic Needs can help you apply for Cal Fresh, California’s food stamp program. Sometimes unexpected circumstances come up in our lives and put a bit of a strain on our finances. If so, Emergency Funds Grants are available for application through our Basic Needs Program and short-term emergency on campus housing.
If you need some help locating these hot spots on campus, download the CI Go app on the app store! CI Go offers a 3D interactive map of CI that includes building names, descriptions, and most importantly, a floor map of Bell Tower to help limit the number of lost students. Available for Apple/iOS and Google/Android devices.
