Fitting in At UCI:

Welcome to Irvine, one of the most planned communities in the world! A lot of thought went into designing the areas around the UCI campus. Unfortunately, it often takes a lot of thought on our part just to figure out where the heck Target is. Acres and acres of ubiquitous track business centers line Irvine’s streets and it’s usually difficult to tell one marketplace apart from another. For those of you from the “real” America, here are a few tips to get acquainted:

Grocery Shopping:

Most UCI grad students shop at either Albertsons or Trader Joes, both of which are located across Campus Drive. Depending on how trendy you want to be (and, in some cases, your socio-political leanings), Trader Joes is a smallish market chain that offers more organic fare and hipster cashiers clad in Bermuda gear. Albertsons, on the other hand, affectionately totes itself as “your store,” and whether this is true or not is completely up to you. It is our version of the friendly, traditional neighborhood conglomerate continually locked in bitter labor disputes. However, Albertsons is nice if you want a standardized huge selection with less “California food.”

Dining Out:

For those who like to dine, there are several places to eat nearby. University Center – across the pedestrian bridge from campus – boasts a myriad of eateries; a sandwich shop, sushi, Mexican, French, Asian tea, etc., as well as brand new restaurants that have seemingly been wrapping up construction for the last forty years. At the corner of Culver and Michelson there is another restaurant court popular with UCI folk. It includes a Subway along with Tacos & Co., a Mexican establishment that generously offers 50% off to UCI students on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Needless to say, it is a favorite amongst tightfisted grad students and a favored meeting spot for the penurious GCF as well. If you’re feeling like a higher roller, Newport’s Fashion Island is home to the Cheesecake Factory, as well as some other uppity places. Students seem to have a love-hate relationship with Gina’s Pizza and Oriental Kitchen, both located in the same center as Albertsons. The debate surrounding Gina’s especially can generate more heat than most of us will be able to dig up in our dissertations.

Churches:

Orange County is the birthplace of the mega church, yet there are plenty of options when choosing a place of worship. Mariners Church is a large, non-denominational campus very close to UCI. Its services combine fairly conservative evangelical sermons with contemporary worship and it is home to many young Orange County families. New Song is another large church nearby that caters more directly to UCI students. Its congregation is much younger on average and the message/music is generally a bit edgier than Mariners. Saddleback Church is the largest church in Orange County and home to Rick Warren, author of “The Purpose Driven Life.” Like Mariners, it tends to attract young local families along with students. Nearly every denomination has a branch within a short drive from UCI. St. Andrew’s Presbyterian in Newport Beach is a popular church with a well-known pastor, and its congregation is generally older than Mariners, New Song, or Saddleback. Lutheran, Methodist, and Baptist churches are also nearby. These are just a few of the choices, all of which offer unique atmospheres, messages, and worship styles – we encourage all new grad students to visit a few and find the one that is most comfortable for them. Let us know if you have any questions!