Student Life in San Francisco
One of the most vibrant and culturally diverse cities in the world, San
Francisco offers something for everyone, from sweeping hilltop views of
the bay and Golden Gate Bridge to distinctive neighborhoods bustling with
cafes, shops, and restaurants.
Medical students typically gravitate toward the neighborhoods closest
to the UCSF Parnassus campus: the Inner Sunset and Cole Valley. The new
Mission Bay area is also attracting many students and young professionals.
- The
Sunset District, bounded by UCSF to the east and the Pacific Ocean
to the west, is known for the tendency of San Francisco's fog to linger
so long on many days that residents don't see the sunset. But the neighborhood's
appeal comes from its cozy, small town feel and an astonishing variety
of cafes, diners, and ethnic restaurants ranging from Mexican to Hawaiian
to Thai.
- Cole
Valley is a sliver of a neighborhood, bordered on the east by Stanyan
Street and the Mount Sutro Open Space Reserve (owned by UCSF), on the
south by Tank Hill, and on the east by Clayton Street. Most of the shops
are independently owned, and the restaurants lining Cole and Carl streets
offer a dazzling array of choices, from family-style Italian to sushi,
burgers, French pastry, fresh-roasted coffee and more.
- The
Mission and Mission Bay are a study of contrasts. San Francisco's
Mission District, named because it has grown around Mission Dolores
since the mission was built in 1776. Home to thousands of immigrants
from Mexico and Central America, The Mission has a definite Latin flair.
But it also attracts artists, recent college graduates and others seeking
a combination of affordability and a vibrant night life. Nearby, the
new area called Mission Bay is rising up on what used to be railroad
yards. With UCSF's 43-acre Mission Bay campus as the anchor, hundreds
of new homes and offices and many shops and restaurants are now occupied.
The life of a medical student is full, to be sure. But living in San
Francisco means that when you’re ready for a break from the library
or the hospital, there’s an entire world at your doorstep. So grab
a bite of dim sum, stop into a club to hear a local band, or head to the
beach for an afternoon by the ocean. (Just remember to bring a warm jacket
if you go to the beach, even in the summer - temperatures in the 50s are
the norm in San Francisco.)
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