Stephanie’s Corner!: Isla Vista, California

By Stephanie Schechter
Photos Derek Street

This week in Stephanie’s Corner, I am going to actually welcome you into my little corner of the earth: Isla Vista, California! Isla Vista is the beachside college town next to my school, the University of California, Santa Barbara. Over 20,000 people, mostly students, reside in the 1.8 square mile neighborhood, which is officially a part of the city of Goleta. Because we live so close to our school, everybody rides bikes around town and to campus, which is super fun!

Most people know of the area for parties and crowds, but there is much more to I.V. than just that! For starters, the beach is RIGHT HERE! There are a bunch of awesome places to eat, like the infamous Freebird’s burritos! Someone once made a map of all the fruit trees in town, so we can gather delicious fruit year-round!

Also, the channel islands block the waves, so the surf is small most of the time, but sometimes, it can get REALLY good. We have two point breaks and a few reef and beach breaks, so there are plenty of waves to go around. If you’re ever near UCSB, come catch some waves and say hi to me!