Chris Mefford är ett välkänt ansikte hos alla som studerar utomlands på California State University Long Beach i Los Angeles. Chris har nämligen hand om internationella studenter och delar här med sig av sina bästa tips för dig som vill plugga på ”The Beach” som universitetet kallas.
Hi Chris! Tell us about you and your role at CSU Long Beach?
I’m a native Californian born in Huntington Beach (Surf City, USA). I grew up spending a lot of time at the beach riding waves and enjoying the lifestyle with family and friends. I’m fortunate enough to be in the position to share this kind of living as the Director of the Study Abroad @ the Beach program at California State University, Long Beach. What better way to bring the world together though higher education than doing it at “The Beach?”
Name one thing that you can only get at ”The Beach”?
To stay on the ‘surf’ theme: Students have the opportunity to get college credit while learning how to surf by taking our Kinesiology 124 course: Surfing. Besides this, they have the once in a lifetime experience of watching our NCAA Division 1 Men’s Basketball team in our campus stadium shaped lika a pyramid!
What surprises people the most about your university?
The size and beauty of the campus, it’s over 324 acres large. It is a well-groomed campus with over 80 permanent buildings and over 3,000 flowering peach trees.
How many students do you have and how many of them are international students?
We have just over 38,000 students. 5% of our population is international, numbering close to 2,500 and representing 95 different countries.
Which programs and courses are open for Swedish students? Do you have a favorite?
We welcome Swedish students with an interest in various Engineering studies and most disciplines in the Liberal Arts. With over 87 different Bachelor’s degrees and 65 different Masters degrees, CSULB is comprehensive, to say the least.
What can international students expect from studying at CSU Long Beach?
They can expect a welcoming campus with countless services and opportunities to integrate into student life. The courses are top-quality and the surrounding area diverse and attractive!
What’s the best thing about living in Long Beach?
The best thing about living in Long Beach is its location. Since Long Beach is a coastal city, it is located very close to several coastal beaches including Bayshore Beach, Seal Beach, and Huntington Beach. Long Beach is less than an hour away to popular beaches in Orange County or Los Angeles County, such as Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Santa Monica Beach, and Venice Beach. Moreover, Long Beach is relatively close to other world-renowned cities such as Los Angeles, Hollywood, and Beverly Hills. Students can road-trip across California and to other world-famous locations such as San Diego, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Yosemite National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, and even to Mexico (keep in mind driving to these locations only takes a couple hours)!
Long Beach stays warm all year long. The average temperature in January is 20°C and in July is 28°C. Therefore, there is rarely an overcast day in Long Beach. Almost every day is a great day to suntan or go to the beach. The University is only a few minutes by bus from the beach (hop on just outside campus) or another couple of minutes by bike or walking.
What are the students’ favorite things to do when they’re not at the Campus?
- Surfing at the beach!
- Tanning by a pool/tanning by the beach.
- Grabbing a drink down at Belmont Shore’s 2nd Street.
- Doing activities with a student organization/club.
- Visiting places in Los Angeles/Hollywood.
- Visiting National Parks.
- Going on hiking trails.
- Going on road-trips.
What 3 things nearby are an absolute must to visit?
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