So, I gotta tell you about this little adventure I had the other day. I decided to check out a school that’s about a two-hour drive south of UCLA. Yeah, I know, sounds pretty random, right? But I’d been seeing stuff online about it, some crossword thing kept popping up, and it got me curious. Plus, I’ve always been a fan of UCLA, even though I never went there. It’s just one of those schools that has a cool vibe, you know?

Anyway, I hopped in my car and started driving. The drive itself was pretty chill, just cruising down the highway, blasting some tunes. Traffic wasn’t too bad, which was a nice surprise. After about two hours, I finally got there. Now, I’m not gonna lie, I didn’t really know what to expect. I’d seen some stuff online about different schools in the area, like some private ones and whatnot, but I wasn’t sure what this specific one was all about.
I pulled up to the campus, and it was, well, it was a school. It was big, I guess, kind of like UCLA or Berkeley, but those are huge. This was more… normal-sized? I walked around for a bit, just taking it all in. There were students milling about, some buildings that looked pretty new, some that looked a little older. It was a pretty typical college scene, to be honest. They had so many majors and programs listed on the boards, like over 125, and 90 minors.
I did notice that the stress level seemed a bit high. I overheard a few students talking, and they were definitely feeling the pressure. I saw this survey later that said most students rated the stress level at this school as a four out of five, and some even said five. That’s pretty intense, right? I did see some other cool information later, that the distance between this school and UCLA is about 12 miles. I guess their rivalry would be interesting.
I wandered into the student center, grabbed a coffee, and just kind of people-watched for a while. It was interesting to see all the different types of people there, all working towards their degrees and stuff. I didn’t stay too long, though. I had to head back before it got too late.
All in all, it was a fun little trip. I didn’t really learn anything groundbreaking, but it was cool to check out a new place and see what it was like. And hey, at least I finally figured out what that crossword clue was all about! It was the University of California, Irvine, by the way.

- Took a drive two hours south of UCLA.
- Checked out the University of California, Irvine campus.
- Observed the student life and atmosphere.
- Noticed a high-stress environment among students.
- Explored the student center and enjoyed a coffee.
- Headed back home after a short visit.