THE CAL POLY BUCKET LISTTACKLING THE UN-TACKLED BY OPENING THE EYES OF CAL POLY STUDENTS

MARIO PISANI

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TABLE OF CONTENTS2 THE PROBLEM

3 MARKET DRIVERS

4 TRACTOR PULL &

FIRESTONE GRILL

5 HEARST CASTLE &

FARMER’S MARKET

6 WINE TASTING & PISMO

BEACH

7 LINE DANCING, BIKE

NIGHT, GUM ALLEY

8 BISHOPS PEAK & MID-

STATE FAIR

9 BIG SUR, DRIVE-IN

MOVIE, MONTANA DE ORO

10 PAC, MADONNA INN,

POLY P

11 SYCAMORE, ST.

PATTY’S, HEALTH SCREEN

12 CONCLUSION

Central Coast Cornucopia

San Luis Obispo is a virtual cornucopia! The options are never-ending. From some of the best hiking in the world, to the most famous historical landmarks; from hidden beaches, to the fascinating wine country; from shopping and dining, to a weekend escape! And you think that’s it? Don’t let the Farmer’s Markets in Avila Beach or San Luis Obispo escape you. The amazing food at Firestone Grill! Weeknight bike rides with hundreds of overly energetic college students and adults reliving their youth. San Luis Obispo is filled with energy! Oh, so you are aware of the abbreviation SLO for San Luis Obispo? Don’t let this skew your perception without experiencing it yourself!

The Problem

Too many students at Cal Poly fail to take advantage of the resources around them to fully engage in the surrounding areas. A big part of what makes this university so incredible is its location. However, I found myself among the many who took it for granted that I am attending college in a beautiful area, almost as a right rather than a privilege. As a result, it has become clear to me that a large part of the educational experience at Cal Poly is done by experiencing life outside the classroom and living Cal Poly’s motto “Learn by Doing.” Over the course of four years Cal Poly, students should be able to master the city, its attractions, and take advantage of the services that they pay for.

The Question

This calls for a bucket list! A list which every student at Cal Poly should strive to accomplish during the duration of their four (or five!) years spent in San Luis Obispo. By comprising this list and accomplishing each task I will be able to publicize my experiences and advice for students who truly want to get the most out of their time spent at Cal Poly. So, what SHOULD be on the Cal Poly Bucket List?

Hindrances

There are a few problems that exist with the typical Cal Poly experience. First year students primarily live on campus, where every necessity is at their fingertips: they eat, sleep, and study on campus. This is where the comfort of a routine can handicap students. Furthermore, older students live in close proximity to school. What ensues is Cal Poly and its surrounding neighborhoods existing as its own town within San Luis Obispo - segregated from this historic city. As a result it is easy to see that students get trapped in the Cal Poly bubble. I plan on popping that bubble.

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According to Cal Poly’s website, ninety three percent of the students who attend Cal Poly are from in state. California is a beautiful place to live, but prior experiences can shape students into taking this wonderful location for granted. However, this may not be the case. Some students are from areas such as San Diego, Los Angeles, or San Francisco and have seen some of the most beautiful areas the United States has to offer. What results is students’ lack of knowledge of what to explore in San Luis Obispo due to the fact that it is not a highly publicized city. A Bucket List could be extremely beneficial to these people who are so used to natural beauty already.

Lastly, these are college students we are dealing with. College students need structure to their lives because they depend on it. Students are only able to be successful academically at Cal Poly if they are diligent and have structure in their lives because of how challenging the coursework is. The main hinderance of students’ maximizing their experiences and potential at Cal Poly is the lack of structure provided by the school and city regarding activities to explore and services to take advantage of.

Market Drivers

Students will be extremely interested in this, but so will the city. San Luis Obispo will thrive because more students will be getting out of their comfort shell here at Cal Poly, or what I like to call, their “bubble.” The city will increase revenue and see greater interaction between the students of the university and the local residents. This interaction between the students and the local residents has always been a touchy relationship. The residents have had a negative view of the students while associating them with partying and noise disturbance. By connecting the different populations this will lessen the tension from both sides. The Bucket List will assist in accomplishing this because it will encourage students to absorb themselves in the community at large. Cal Poly will benefit because its reputation will rise with increased student knowledge of this special location. As a result more prospective students will be drawn to Cal Poly and the school will be able to be even more selective in their admission process.

The Past is History

Historically, these problems have been address only through the Cal Poly “Week of Welcome” orientation. During the orientation week, incoming students are informed of various activities to engage in as well as services they are provided through Cal Poly. Who does this leave out? Students who do not participate in the orientation week, transfer students, and it fails to provide a complete list that students can maintain throughout their long duration at Cal Poly. Imagine if you had access to this list on your Cal Poly Portal. It wouldn’t be another piece of paper that you had to keep track of. The possibilities, and mainly, the benefits of the Bucket List are endless.

Benefits

The solution is to make the Cal Poly Bucket List public. It includes my top twenty recommendations on the following pages. The benefits of this will be widespread. It will get people motivated, add structure to their goals, and open people’s eyes to the fortunate location in which they attend school. The bucket list will address issues related to inconveniences such as: money, travel, and time. It will also consider variables such as school, weather, and individual priorities. Self-actualization will be the driving force, with the goal of achieving happiness, spirituality, health, and satisfaction in the San Luis Obispo experience. For example, I feel it is essential that each student visit Hearst Castle. As you can see by reading further, on page five I delve into details about the trip, financial issues, along with expectations of the experience. So come along for the ride and enhance your Cal Poly career as you “Experience by Doing.”

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Ask anybody who knows anything about San Luis Obispo, “What is the best place to eat here?” Not only is Firestone the best and most famous barbeque in the area, it is the best I have ever had…anywhere. The food is incredible, but the environment is just as awesome. Indoor and outdoor seating year round. The atmosphere inside is terrific as there are many TV’s with different sports tuned in, banners and signed sports jerseys hanging on every inch of wall, and a full bar. There is a lot of seating inside but it is often full because of Firestone’s popularity. Outside seating is perfect any time of day, any time of year as four outside fireplaces heat the area. What should you get? Tri tip sandwich, pulled pork, steak or Chinese chicken salad, they’ll all blow your taste buds up. And regardless of your eating habits, you must try the one-of-a-kind fries dipped in ranch! Prices are not bad – about $8.00 for a full meal. Located in the heart of downtown on the corner of Higuera and Osos, most eat here before they even attend their first class at Poly.

Cal Poly’s main attraction at Open House each spring is a major hit because of how unique it is. Imagine enormous tractors pulling even bigger sleds, loud engines, smoke, and flying dirt for 100 meters. Combine that with spring weather, barbecue, cowboys and cowgirls. I remember driving downtown during the Tractor Pull a few years ago. The roar of the engines from three miles away shook the street and could have been heard from five miles away! Unfortunately I have yet to attend and refuse to call myself a Poly graduate without seeing it. I’ll be there during Open House this year and you should too. The cost is minimal: $8.00 for adults and

$3.00 for children. The event takes place on Saturday, April 17 and begins at 1:00 p.m. Transportation is minimal, if any, as you can get there by entering Cal Poly via the Highland entrance and turning left at the first stop sign. If you live on campus, walking is the best option.

1. Poly Royal Tractor Pull

2. Firestone Grill

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Located fifty miles north of Cal Poly along Highway 1, this gem is one of the most famous castles in the world! In 1919 William Randolph Hearst, a newspaper publisher, designed “La Cuesta Enchanta” – The Enchanted Hill, so his family could camp inside as opposed to “roughing it” outside. The castle spans 127 acres, has 165 rooms, and is flooded with gardens, terraces, pools, and walkways. This makes for a wonderful day trip with some friends, whom you can split gas with. One way, the trip takes about an hour and twenty minutes. You can reserve tour tickets online for $24.00, and I recommend the first time visitor take the “Experience Tour.” This tour takes a little less than 2 hours to complete, so you can plan on about five hours round trip, including the tour time. Reservations and Hearst Castle information can be found at www.hearstcastle.com. Plus, while you’re out there I recommend taking the extra five-minute drive up Highway 1 (5 miles north of Hearst Castle) and visiting one of California’s largest elephant seal populations. You’ll notice the large parking lot on the ocean side of the highway. They can be viewed year-round and even better, it’s free!

I have been to many Farmer’s Markets in San Luis Obispo and I must say this is a great time to get out of your bubble on campus and interact with the locals. The diversity of people who come to this weekly event is widespread. It takes place on Higuera Street, Thursday nights from about 6-9 p.m. There is live music, fresh produce, barbeque, small vendors, Cal Poly booths, and entertainment for young children. Most of the time I go and don’t spend a dime but have a great time winding down from the academic week. What I have yet to do is attend the famous Farmer’s Market in Avila Beach. This market opens the first week of April and goes through mid-September each year. The festivities take place every Friday of the season from 4-8 p.m. I have been told that it is cancelled if it is raining at 2 p.m. that same day. Similar vendors line the Avila Promenade as take the streets in San Luis Obispo, but the scenery is completely different. You can enjoy a variety of activities as they bring out live music, open patio dining, hot dog stands or check out the sea lions fight the pelicans for fish at the end of the pier.

4. FARMER’S MARKET

3. Hearst castle

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They say “a picture is worth a thousand words” so I probably don’t need to say much as you see that breathtaking picture of the Central Coast wine country. I recommend going tasting in Paso Robles because I have had many incredible trips there myself. My favorite is the Highway 46 East Trail, which includes Robert Hall, EOE Estate, Chumela, Tobin James, and Eberle wineries. Tobin James is the best experience because of its unique saloon type setting that makes it relaxed and fun. The best way to go about this trip is to get a bunch of friends together and figure out who is going to be the designated driver(s).

Then I recommend calling the wineries in advance if you are taking more than a few people in your group. You can get there by driving north on 101 and taking Highway 46 East. From there you just get lost in beautiful Central Coast wine country. Cost is minimal per winery, if any.

5. WINE TASTING

This is basically your “stay up all night, party, on the beach, drive ATV’s and trucks, and barbeque” weekend getaway. Every Cal Poly student needs to experience this incredibly fun, but in some weird way enjoyably-draining weekend. You can drive south on 101 and take the Pismo exit to enter the beach. Get your

friends together and pitch in a few bucks for the beach pass so your buddy will volunteer his truck. Load it up with the grilling essentials, tents, blankets, wood, and booze and be a college kid. There’s no shame in getting wild, having fun, and being dead tired come 8 a.m. class Monday morning. I

guarantee you’ll remember this weekend a lot longer than you will anything from that class anyway (or maybe not!). 3,500 acres of sand dunes adjacent to the ocean…there’s

nothing more to say…I have done it…I loved it…you are missing out if you don’t.

6. PISMO DUNES

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I need to do this. It’s no secret that Cal Poly’s largest major by student population is Agriculture. It’s also no secret that many students (myself included) come to SLO with no knowledge or interest in country music, BUT over time switch their radio presets to 98.1 K-JUG and other local country stations. Country music is great and the people who listen to it are some of the most fun (and goofy) people I know. Again, pop that bubble and meet me at The Graduate for some weekly line dancing. From what I hear many of the people can’t dance a lick and are too inebriated to care. Every Thursday starting at 9 p.m. cover charge is $5.00 for 21 and over, $10.00 for 18-20. So put on those boots, strap on that cowgirl or cowboy hat, and meet me at the end of Industrial Way, which is left off of Broad Street.

One of the most unique-to-San Luis Obispo things you can do. On the first Thursday of each month

hundreds of people of all ages congregate downtown to ride their bikes in circles all around town. Following Farmer’s Market the masses begin to assemble, with the meeting spot of Bank of America’s parking lot. I have done this many times and it never ceases to amaze me. The hilarity of giant men riding tiny pink bikes to short people like myself riding bikes that are twice their height is unimaginable. Some bikes resemble Harley Davidson’s while others have horns that are louder than a tugboat. What’s even more amazing is the fact that people of all ages love to come and enjoy this event. It allows for the students to blend with the locals and have a

good time. It’s free and you can leave at any time. I highly recommend coming with four or five or twenty friends and experiencing it for yourself.

7. LINE DANCING AT “THE GRADUATE”

8. BIKE NIGHT

9. BUBBLE GUM ALLEY

Since we’re on the topic of unique things to do in SLO - look at the picture! Located downtown on the left side of Higuera going south, past all the major bars. You won’t see a gum alley like this anywhere in the world...don’t forget your camera and hand sanitizer...

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We are in agriculture country here in the heart of the Central Coast. Instead of shying away from the lifestyle of those who permanently live here, you can have one heck of a time by actively engaging in it. I highly suggest attending this annual event at least for one day. The fair is notorious for being extremely hot, full of hicks, and a great time. Some of the main performers have included: Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Kenny Loggins, and many more. One really neat thing to attend is the Professional Bull Riding competition! My roommate went two years ago and really enjoyed it without any prior knowledge of the sport. This year the fair will be from July 21 – August 1, 2010. Tickets can be bought from Albertson’s, online, or at the fair for $8.00 per day. It is located in Paso Robles and you can drive there by going north on 101 and basically running straight into it. You can’t miss it on the left side of the freeway, about 25 minutes from Cal Poly, just take the 46 East exit and turn left at the stop light.

If you were to take a picture of San Luis Obispo and mail it to somebody, it would either be of Bishops, or on top of Bishops. It’s simple – you have to hike this mountain to call yourself a

Cal Poly grad. The trails are incredible because at times it is extremely physically challenging, while at others you are on a flat surface catching a breather overlooking Laguna Lake. There’s not much more to say other than look west and follow Foothill Boulevard until you see the pull-off on the right. Make the experience yours – it’s free, it’s here, it’s ours to explore.

10. HIKE BISHOP’S

11. MID-STATE

FAIR

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The quarter schedule Cal Poly has can be extremely stressful, I would know! 4 years of physics, chemistry, and biology left me very little time for a breather. But I know that as a student there are times that you just HAVE to get out of San Luis Obispo. What I didn’t know was that Big Sur is the perfect place for that retreat. Located up Highway 1 about an hour and a half drive is where you can have your peace. From gorgeous sunsets to spectacular cliffs, by getting a cheap hotel, you can achieve pure bliss and forget all about Cal Poly. There are also campgrounds to set up a tent and get away with your friends for a fun weekend.

12. BIG SUR

13. SUNSET

DRIVE-INI have driven by the drive-in movie theater probably 150 times. So many times I have said – and my friends have agreed – that we SHOULD go to the drive-in one time and see a flick. I’m sure so many other people are in the same boat. This is such a good place to go on a unique date or change up the usual weekend night. Located right off the 101, take the Madonna exit and meet me there! I’ll be there before I graduate and it’s really something you should put on your “To-do” list. Cost is $7.00 and you get to see two movies.

14. MONTANA DE OROThis is THE hidden beach on the Central Coast. It has an amazing reputation because it is so different from the rest of the beaches around San Luis Obispo. But unfortunately many students never get out there to see it because it is in the opposite direction of Avila and Pismo. So lets change that. If you’re not in the mood to surf, but want to get some sun in a relaxed environment head north on Los Osos Valley Road and turn right on Sea Wind Road. I’ll see you there!

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My freshmen year I took a course titled “Music Appreciation.” The professor required us to attend a musical performance and write a tedious review. The essay didn’t let me down as being tedious. But my outlook on the experience was something I didn’t expect. I went to see “Big Bad Voodoo Daddy” on a Wednesday night. Next thing I knew, the audience was lining the aisles, swing dancing, and convincing me that my attempt to take notes was going to be less effective than sitting back and enjoying the show. That is until a women a least 3 times my age asked me to dance…The point is we have this incredible venue where concerts are held at least three times a week. The entire city of SLO comes on campus to provide an opportunity for a diverse getaway. Get out of your dorm, off the couch, and for goodness sake pop your bubble, it isn’t going to pop itself! You know where tickets can be purchased, how to get there, and how easy it is. Don’t fail to take advantage of this awesome venue!

15. attend a show at the performing arts center

16. madonna innSimply doesn’t need much explanation. Go see this historic site. It’s a 5 minute drive from Cal Poly. Every room is a different theme. Its uniqueness is what sets it apart from everything else. You don’t have to stay at the hotel to experience it – you can grab a bite at the restaurant the tour the place. But make sure to get one of their famous slices of pie. Also check out the men’s bathroom – it’s a giant fountain! This is such a well known hotel throughout the country; it would be a shame to be unable to say you saw it.

17. hike the PSeems so obvious. Most students hike the Poly P within their first few weeks here, but it couldn’t be left off the Cal Poly Bucket List!

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A few of the activities covered thus far have been with the goal of a retreat in mind. This paradise tucked away in the Avila canyon is a close retreat where you feel like you’re lost on a remote island. I have been here multiple times. It’s a great place for a romantic date or relaxing relief from the college stresses. You can get massages or my personal favorite hot springs to yourself. I recommend getting together some friends, a significant other, or going by yourself and paying a measly $10.00 for a hour long soak in the hillside hot springs. It is located south on 101 off of Avila Beach Drive about 10 minutes from Cal Poly.

19. ST. PATTY’S

DOWNTOWN

18. SYCAMORE MINERAL SPRINGS

Everybody has that one proud-to-be Irish friend. Oh man, I have the Irish friend who plans his winter quarter schedule in November to best serve him come finals and St. Patty’s Day in March. Cal Poly is known for its early morning shenanigans downtown on St. Patty’s Day, starting at 6:00 a.m. regardless of day of week. I have never been, but I will be there this year and you should stop by as well. I know you’ll be studying for finals, but plan ahead and make it down there to witness the chaos.

20. HEALTH SCREENI was never aware of this until I spoke with one of the nurses at the Health Center. Did you know that you could get a complete blood test done to check every organ and its health at the Health Center? Did you know that it is included in your tuition so it only costs you $40.00? Did you know the day you graduate, if you are to get the same test done at your hospital it will cost you in the range of $700? You get my point. Take the initiative to look out for your wallet and your health. Make an appointment before Cal Poly cuts this service along with their budget cuts.

What’s at stake?

What is at stake is the experiences of Cal Poly students. Will you be able to walk away from this amazing university and city with a complete or incomplete experience? The opportunities are endless and the potential is there. The university will benefit, the locals will benefit, and most of all the students will benefit. There are no downsides to this project except it’s failure to be promoted. If we don’t solve this problem students will continue to trap themselves in a bubble and as society becomes more competitive the bubble will encroach their experiences. College students will continue to increase their time spent either locked in their houses or partying. Regardless of how productive we can be at home or in the library; it cannot surmount the value of getting a well rounded education and applying Cal Poly’s motto outside of the classroom.

The Future is Ours

The future is bright. Imagine a complete balance where each students “figurative wheel” spins without bumps. The social, physical, mental, and spiritual in complete harmony. This is what we are striving for, and if it comes to fruition, Cal Poly and the world will be a better place because we individually will be in a better place. So follow my lead but make your own path. Use what I have created as a template, but make this journey yours. Create structure in your life in a balanced manner. You must have the academic structure if you are a student at this distinguished university. Now apply that structure and experience what Cal Poly and the surrounding area has to offer you. Without it, your college experience is incomplete.

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