#csssa alumni

hello there! i was at csssa for creative writing and i thought i’d make a list of things that i wish i had known before coming to csssa for everyone applying/attending next year! 

1) there’s a gender neutral hall (at least there is one right now) i know a lot of non-cis people who attended and had no idea that it existed until i got here. i don’t know how to get into said hall, but its there!

2) you have a joint bathroom with the dorm next to yours. you become very comfortable with the people in the neighboring suite. it’s a pretty good idea to make some sort of shower schedule/structure to avoid really awkward encounters

3) its pretty fuckin hot (shocker, i know), but its really fuckin cold inside the classrooms and some of the dorms, especially at night. its a good idea to bring a jacket or sweatpants. layers are your friend.

4) you don’t need a shower curtain. the door on the shower is frosted over and nobody can see inside of it so you don’t really need it unless you’re super uncomfortable without one

5) you don’t need an ethernet cable the wifi’s totally fine (even in the dorms. yes, there is wifi in the dorms)

6) you definitely need a trash can, and probably a big one. the packing list says to bring a small trash can, but my dorm definitely needed a bigger one.

7) kinds of shoes you should definitely bring: flip flops or sandals for showering/pool/generic hot weather, sneakers or every day shoes, and maybe some running shoes if you’re planning on being on the active side while you’re here

8) to avoid having to cross the massive hill from the main entrance of the main building and Chouinard Hall, there’s a little shortcut. if you come directly from Chouinard and just keep walking straight, you’ll see a pair of double doors on the side of the main building. you might want to figure out how to navigate the halls before you use this shortcut, but it’s air conditioned and is a shorter way to get to the dining hall/classrooms once you figure it out!

9) Chouinard is pronounced “shih-nard” CSSSA is pronounced “see-sah” 

10) curfew is VERY IMPORTANT. they mean it when they say that 1 minute late is late (unfortunately). teachers are a little more lax about time, but the RA’s aren’t.

11) the Valencia Shopping Center isn’t as close as they make it seem. it’s not a long walk, but it’s hot. there’s a Von’s (supermarket, basically the LA version of Safeway or Publix), Michael’s Crafts, Party City, and Walmart (amongst other food establishments)

12) you’re allowed to put up streamers and decorations on the dorm walls as long as its done with scotch tape or masking tape. we went to party city and got some Dora the Explorer decorations. edgy, i know.

13) if you forget some supplies, you can get some from the student store on campus! it’s a little more expensive than Von’s or Walmart, but it’s closer

14) there are two cool cafe hang outs on campus! one is Mom’s Cafe, which is by Chouinard and it’s usually pretty crowded but has microwaves and games and you can watch TV and stuff. Tatum Cafe is inside the main building by the nurse’s office. it’s a little coffee shop that is reasonably priced and has really good iced matcha lattes. a lot of cw kids hang out there

15) laundry is a BITCH AND A HALF. on the weekends there are always huge lines (i’ve spent upwards of 3 hours doing one load of laundry) so definitely try and do it on week days or when there’s open washers and dryers. the washing machines accept credit/debit cards and quarters, not cash or dollar coins.

16) they mean it when they say that they’ll expel you for drugs or alcohol or doing anything stupid and irresponsible. just don’t do it. it’s only 4 weeks.

17) always wear your name tag! you won’t get in serious trouble for it like michael fields says you will it’s embarrassing to get called out for forgetting so it’s easier to just wear it

18) it’s super easy to make friends, even in different departments, so don’t stress about it. everyone’s really nice and just wants to have a good time. nobody WANTS to be an asshole

19) the food’s actually pretty good. better than you’d expect. even if you don’t like what they’re serving, there’s always a salad bar, cereal, pastries, and multiple vending machines across campus

20) the sublevel’s fucking awesome (it’s one of my favorite places on campus!) it’s in the main building so just take the stairs all the way down to the basement. have fun!!

21) they don’t let you take prescription medications back to your dorms - you have to leave them at the nurse’s office (in the main building) and take them there when you need them. for non-prescription drugs (like advil) you should let the nurse know that you have them, but you can keep them in the dorms

22) if you’re going to bring and play Cards Against Humanity, definitely keep it on the down low. since it’s rated 17+ most people aren’t really supposed to play it and if the RA’s catch you, they might take it away. just be sneaky about it

23) attach your key to your lanyard/name tag so you don’t lose it. i brought a piece of ribbon and tied my key to my lanyard, other people slid the key on their string, etc. (speaking of lanyards: you don’t need to bring a new lanyard to put your ID badge and stuff into. the ones they give you are fine)

24) go to all the events that you can, even if it’s not specifically marketed towards your department! it’s always cool to see what everyone’s up to

25) the cots are actually pretty comfortable (arguably more comfortable than the Actual Beds) so don’t flip out if you’re sleeping on them.

26) so many people dye their hair at csssa. it’s fun and kind of a rite of passage, but just rinse the dye out in the showers by the pool so it doesn’t stain the bathrooms

I would also like to point out that Claire is a fellow CSSSA Alumni, and that is really serendipitous!