Student Housing in Pacific Beach? / Where to live? Semester at SDSU (San Diego: car rental, apartments)

[hotstev]

Hi,

i'm from Germany and I will spend a semester at SDSU.

So far, I'm not sure where to live in San Diego. There are several possibilites I'm considering at the moment...

I would like to live in Pacific Beach, but I'm not planning to rent a car, which means that I've to use the public transports to SDSU. What's your opinion about this? Duration is around 45-60min (it's ok for me). I just want to live near the ocean and near the nightlife. Moreover, I think that I'm anyway only 2-3 days a week at SDSU for lectures.

I've two opportunities to get an accommodation:

1) Student Housing opportunities in Pacific Beach. There is Kamo Housing shared room for 650$/month and San Diego Student Housing shared room for 600$/month.
+ No stress, pool, gym, wifi, other international students, cool complex -> a lot of fun!
- ???


2) I travel to San Diego and search craigslist for appartments, while I'm there.
+ more individual search, maybe cool apartments
- risk that there is no appropriate apartment, expensive, no pool, maybe hard to make friends, stress

What do you guys think is the better opportunity?

[htnspz]

I'd do the shared housing in PB with other Intl students. I probably wouldn't expect incredible accommodations (haven't even heard of that complex) but you'll probably make some friends, enjoy the beach and go to school.

[kettlepot]

Getting from Pacific Beach to SDSU via public transportation will be difficult and long. You will be taking a bus to a trolley station, waiting for the trolley and then taking the trolley into SDSU. The bus will be slow with frequent stops, and after you get to the trolley station you will have to wait for the next train. The only reason Pacific Beach makes any sense at all is because you will have classes just 2 to 3 days a week.

I'm not sure what you are taking, but will you need to use the SDSU library, labs, or other facilities? And will you need to use them on a day that you would typically not be in class? If not, then if you are at school only 2 to 3 days a week you still might be ok. But I am concerned that you will find that there are too many days when it will be easier to roll over and go back to sleep than make the 60 minutes plus trip to school.

It's possible that other SDSU students who are taking classes over the summer will be living in Pacific Beach and might be willing to allow you to car pool with them for some money. That might be a win-win for both of you.

[moved]

But he wants to live by the beach....

[kettlepot]

Originally Posted by moved

But he wants to live by the beach....

I think I made allowance for that because he'll only be at school 2 - 3 days a week. If he were at school 4 or 5 days a week, staying in Pacific Beach without a car to get him to SDSU would not be tenable. The hassle of getting to school would make attending class difficult, with only a little bit of free time for the beach, because he'd be spending his free time on the bus. Also, I did offer up, I hope, the helpful suggestion that he might be able to find another student living in Pacific Beach that he could carpool with to school.

[djxpress]

My opinion, the beach is overrated. Concentrate on your education, worry about the beach when you graduate.

[luvSD]

I think you should get student housing at the beginning. After you have stayed here for a while and everything is under control, then you can think about moving to Pacific Beach. maybe you will find a room mate while at the dorm so you can go to PC together. Maybe you will find that the dorms are so much more easier because you are close to SDSU facilities (pools, libraries, classes). SDSU is right on the Trolley line so it will be easy for you to get off campus. Must admit, PC beach is very beautiful:
Beautiful Pacific Beach of San Diego

[hotstev]

I read on the internet that PC has enormous traffic problems (up to 60min to SDSU). Therefore I would say that public transports are even better (less stressful). It's 20min bus + 20min trolley. Moreover there could be problems with the parking...but anyway if you guys say that I won't be happy in SD without a car, then maybe I should take a long term rental. Is it worth the price? Public transports 200$/ semester and car rental 2000$+gas.

I don't want to relocate. I'm just five months there.

1) student housing in a complex (PB)
2) craigslist while i'm there
3) near campus??? Actually no possibility for me. Are there many advantages??

I'm taking 4 finance courses in 5 months at SDSU. So I don't think that I will be more than 2-3 days a week at SDSU.

[B_donald]

I think you should go to PB, and stay in one of the hostels. Am sure you’ll find someone who goes to SDSU and you can car pool. Maybe you find someone who needs a car too and you both can share a rental? Now THAT would be a win win situation.

[hotstev]

Yes, I think that's the best option.
Pacific Beach Student Housing/Complex and then car pool.
Further tips for San Diego? How about living costs? Is $1000 enough without rent?
30-35$ a day?