Stockholm Syndrome

Sitting in a park in Paris, France
Reading the news and it sure looks bad
They won't give peace a chance
That was just a dream some of us had
Still a lot of lands to see
But I wouldn't want to stay here
It's too old and cold and settled in its ways here

Oh, but California
California I'm coming home
I'm going to see the folks I dig
I'll even kiss a sunset pig
California I'm coming home

- Joni Mitchell, "California"


According to Wikipedia, UC Santa Barbara is:

- Holder of he #2 best school psych program in America as of Winter 2007, the quarter when it was obvious I would have to change out of the psych major
- The approximate location of the Hellmouth
- Ranked 94% selective, on a scale of 1 to 99, by the U.S. World and News Report
- The only university in California to offer an undergrad degree in Pharmacology
- Home to six Nobel Laureates (although any good tour guide will tell you that right off the bat, lest you think your precious darling is going to a good-for-nothing party school)
- The fourth most selective UC in admissions in 2005, the year I got accepted (I'm guessing the other three were Berkeley, which rejected me, LA, which I refused to apply to, and Davis, which accepted me)
- Third in applications to the UC system, behind LA and SD (neither of which I ever wanted to attend)
- Giver of Pell Grants to 25% of the student body (including my own lucky self)
- The 35th university worldwide (and the 27th in the United States) in the 2007 Academic Ranking of World Universities
- One of sixty American members (including Canada, sixty-two in all) of the Association of American Universities
- 44th best university (13th public, fifth UC - behind Berkeley (DUH), LA, San Diego and Davis) in America, according to US World and News Report in spring of 2008
- The #4 party school in the nation as of 2005, the year I entered
- The #10 party school in the nation as of 2007, and tied with the #3 party school (University of Austin) for highest-ranking party school (#44) according to US World and News Report
- Home to the only Freebirds outside of Texas besides Norman, Oklahoma (the newest branch), the first of the chain, and founded the year I was born
- Probably the only school whose mascot is named for Argentinean cowboys (which, coincidentally, lend their name to a style of pant popular with its female students)
- Second only to UC Berkeley (those hippies) in antiwar activity during the Vietnam years
- Associated with (although not located in) a city which is a sister city to where I was born
- Site of the first Kinko's (well, kind of - it's in IV, right at the border of campus where the bike path ends)
- One of a few universities in the United States with its own beach (which is why I chose it over Davis, har har).
- About a mile away from the first McDonalds to serve an Egg McMuffin, the McDo version of my favourite American breakfast food (Eggs Benedict)
- Going to have Nas play at Extravaganza this year (YOU BEEZIES. I LOVE NAS. Nobody stands between me and Mr. Jones.)
- Now home to Santa Catalina Dorms, the off-campus halls formerly known as Francisco Torres (and affectionately as "F--- Towers")
- Where I will graduate

You know, I don't feel that bad for being rejected by Berkeley a second time. I don't hate Santa Barbara as much as I used to, especially now that certain people are gone going to Berkeley would throw a wrench in my plans to graduate in 2009 with a double major ANYWAY, since they use semesters instead of quarters. Also, I can always find a place on the beach to be alone and just SING. I can't do that in Paris because the walls are so freaking thin, the music room at AUP is always reserved when I am free, and the parks are filled with tourists (or creepy people).

I love Paris (in the springtime!), and I don't want to go home yet (if ever, haha)... but I kind of do. If, for nothing else, you can eat wherever the hell you please without someone making a comment (French people look at you funny if you eat outside your house, a park, or a restaurant, even though everyone does anyway) and there's always someone to walk you home at 4 in the morning.