6 Homes, 1 Winner !

It’s about the proper time to rate all the homes in which I’ve lived in, and come to the conclusion of which one is definitively THE BEST.

The contenders? Stanton Apt. (1993-2000), Garden Grove House (2000-2008), Stewart Hall 400 (Freshman Year), Douglas 3001 (Sophomore Year), Douglas 3505 (Junior Year), & La Regencia (Senior Year).

I will come to a definitive conclusion based on 5 factors alone: 1) Aesthetics/Convenience  2) The People 3) Apartment Dynamics 4) The Food & 5) Nostalgia. After confronting each residence with a series of critique and praises I will award points as subjectively as possible.

Part 1: Aesthetics/Convenience

Stanton Apartment: This was a terribly run down and “ghetto” looking location in the heart of Stanton. What made it slightly convenient was the fact that it was within walking distance of a nice 99 cent (later 98 and 97 cent) liquor store. I would go there as often as possible with my sister to get snacks (in the form of 99 cent Hot Cheetos bags). And if that was too far away, the convenience of being next door to an illegal candy shop only added to the fun. We were also located very close to Pyles Elementary which obviously makes life simple for our VERY POOR family.

Overall Rating: 7/10

Garden Grove House: This was of course much nicer than what I had previously experienced in my life. With a house came more space, a more convenient living arrangement, and a shared room with my brother. Eventually though as I would graduate and leave the house he would overtake my room and juxtaposition his wife in it . 🙁 We weren’t too close to Rancho Alamitos High School and subsequently whenever my dad forgot to pick me up from school I would have to walk home all sad and alone. Despite this, my house was always in walking distance of Jack in the Box, quite possibly my favorite fast food locale. >:)

Overall Rating 8/10

Stewart Hall 400: It was not too shabby for a college dormitory (residence hall, to be polite). Being in a living arrangement with eight guys wasn’t easy to get used to, but eventually all odds were overcame. Being conveniently placed on campus only served to further my love for the building. Being placed on the 4th floor however was awfully tragic as I would have to take the elevator or stairs to get all the way up…

Overall Rating 7/10

Douglas 3001: Pretty much the same as above – HOWEVER, being placed underground on the “0th floor” was a mixed blessing – it was definitely much easier to go up and down one flight of stairs (in contrast to 4), but lugging laundry all the way up with no elevator was terrible. It also didn’t help aesthetics wise to walk down to our apartment with absolutely no light in the middle of the night.

Overall Rating 7/10

Douglas 3505: Being on campus for a third year was awfully convenient, minus the fact that I now lived on the 5TH FLOOR, and subsequently had to lug my laundry down 5 entire floors. Inconvenient Inconvenient Inconvenient.

Overall Rating 6/10

La Regencia: What a load of crap this was. Aesthetically, it looks like a scene out of a horror movie. Not to mention the fact that since I’ve been here, the sewer has clogged up, there was a flood in the apartment above us that contaminated part of our apartment, and that a car crashed into a palm tree which hovered over our balcony. Spatially though, it looks okay. Still though, the inconvenience of having to bus to campus everyday proves this to be a terrible place to live. It is close to Von’s and Ralph’s though so it definitely deserves some credit. But that’s all I’m willing to give it at this point.

Overall Rating 3/10

Part 2: The People

Stanton Apartment: Considering I was living with my family, it obviously wasn’t that bad. However, most of our neighbors were extremely rude and not to mention racist, so I obviously need to give this a lower rating.

Overall Rating 6/10

Garden Grove House: There was once a point in our lives where we used to talk to our neighbors, but that time has come and gone. Again, I was living with my family so there’s not much to say except positive things. Except for maybe the fact that my room got usurped by my brother’s wife. 🙁

Overall Rating 9/10

Stewart 400: I absolutely loved virtually everyone I lived with my friendship year. I have to say though I would have some misgivings with half of them as they embarked on a journey with alcohol. Being practically a prohibitionist my freshman year didn’t exactly help my social skills. I’d have to say my tolerance at the time was relatively low, but I would have to say for the most part things were stellar.

Overall Rating 7/10

Douglas 3001: I loved everyone, in their own way of course. Howard, because he’s Asian. John Torres, because he’s a big teddy bear. And Jonathan Chou, because he was blunt. They didn’t love each other obviously but we’ll get to that point later….

Overall Rating 10/10

Douglas 3505: Being on campus for a third year proved very restricting as most of my friends had moved off campus. I enjoyed living with Kunal, Steven, and Amul but ultimately only got close to one of them. Subsequently, this category deserves a lower rating.

Overall Rating 6/10

La Regencia: I would have to say I’m not exactly close to anyone I live with at this point, except maybe Tyler. Even so, I only see him once a full moon or so because he’s so busy. The conversation me and Manuel had that one night only suggests that there might be more to this whole living arrangement than I think. It’s still early, but I think it’s going to shape out to be a decent year. I don’t talk to Tim, and refuse to talk to Lauren, and subsequently the rating for the people drag down dramatically.

Overall Rating 5/10

Part 3: Apartment Dynamics

Stanton Apartment: Loud. Asian. Family. Not sure there’s much more to it than that. I was always closer to Annie and Jenny than the rest of my family though, and that proves to be quite cliquish.

Overall Rating 7/10

Garden Grove House: At this point in our family dynamic, there’s essentially 3 cliques in our family. Yes, you heard right. There’s me, Jenny, and Annie (COOL Clique). There’s my sister Thao, my brother Jackie, and his wife (FOB Clique). Then there’s also my Mommy, Daddy, and other sister Thu (LEFTOVER Clique). It proves for an interesting, yet somewhat funny family dynamic. Then there’s also Tracy, Thomas, and Tammy (The Annoying Clique), who happen to come over at the most inopportune times in our lives.

Overall Rating 8/10

Stewart 400: Two Cliques pretty much formed our freshman year. Those who drank, and those who didn’t. Although, the lines began to fade by the end of the year, that’s what I can say transpired for the most part. As a single unit, we were definitely stronger at the beginning of the year, and maybe even now, than by the end of the year.

Overall Rating 6/10

Douglas 3001: Unacceptable. It was of course my fault that Torres and Chou didn’t get along. By propagating information, I created a dynamic of tension and frustration in the apartment. Subsequently it proved to be a struggle the entire year to live together. But I’m sure we’ve all forgiven one another by now… hopefully….

Overall Rating 4/10

Douglas 3505: In contrast to the year before, the dynamics weren’t so bad, but still kind of awkward. While Steven and Kunal were super close friends, me and Amul became super close. Our closeness as two distinct groups never really merged to make one mega group, but our ability to live with one another still somehow maintained itself.

Overall Rating 5/10

La Regencia: As it stands, the apartment dynamics are all segregated, with Tyler being the key uniting point. Me and Tyler are close. Lauren and Tyler are close. Manuel and Tyler are close. Tim isn’t really part of the equation so I’ll attempt to leave him out. It proves for quite an non-unified apartment. I foresee me and Manuel getting closer to the future.

Overall Rating 6/10

Part 4: Food

Stanton Apartment: Mommy knows how to cook . >:)

Overall Rating 10/10

Garden Grove House: Mommy still knows how to cook. >:). Plus, there’s a ton of delicious Pho and Korean BBQ locations around. NOM NOM NOM.

Overall Rating 10/10

Stewart 400: I ate at Canyon Vista for a majority of the year, before I discovered the amazingly delicious Sierra Summit. They essentially cancel one another creating a neutral state that’s very… very… boring.

Overall Rating 6/10

Douglas 3001: EW. This year, Sierra Summit was closed down, which definitely broke my heart. Canyon Vista improved slightly, but not enough to deserve a better rating. And I, essentially still, never cooked the entire year, minus a few exceptions.

Overall Rating 4/10

Douglas 3505: With the re-opening of Pines came some hope for my taste buds. I engaged in eating at Pines and Foodworx for a majority of the year, which proved a wiser investment. Eating at Canyon Vista once every 2 weeks made it strangely slightly more appealing in my opinion.

Overall Rating 7/10

La Regencia: I can’t cook. Hence, I end up eating out and spending way too much money on food. And subsequently, the rating I give is a projection less of how good the food tastes overall, but budgetary concerns that perhaps will impair my future and health for the rest of my life.

Overall Rating 3/10

Part 5: Nostalgia

Stanton Apartment: Of course I miss it. I was a kid, and I didn’t have any responsibilities, anything to do, and any care in the world. Sure, I was beat up my Mexicans here, but that is only a strange reminder of what was essentially a free existence. Free from work, free from school, and most importantly free from taxes.

Overall Rating 10/10

Garden Grove House: I had a ton of decent memories with my family here, and also with my neighbors. Drama with Joshua Jaramillo and Abdon Ortega blurred the lines of how much I would want to go back to the summer, but all these memories remain decently implanted in my heart and soul.

Overall Rating 10/10

Stewart 400: I definitely long for the days when I can say I’m a freshman again. Being such a noob, being such anti-alcohol, I wish I could go back and change it all. I don’t know if I’d necessarily drink if I was a freshman again, but I definitely wouldn’t be so intolerant that it reflected in my mannerisms with people. Nevertheless, I definitely miss everyone: From Austin to Victor to Ryan, to Brett to Howard to Leandro to John Torres.

Overall Rating 9/10

Douglas 3001: So it wasn’t the best year for bonding. And drama raged on in the apartment, embodied within deep feelings of anger and mistrust. I still enjoyed the nights playing Loaded Questions, Bang, Risk, and every other boardgame I could get my hands on. Those days of Mario Kart and Leandro visiting are sadly long gone though……

Overall Rating 9/10

Douglas 3505: I definitely got much closer to Amul, and now he’s sadly gone. If I could go back I would have gotten to know Steven and Kunal much better. The memories of staying on campus when all the rest of my third year friends were gone though haunt me still to this day. It makes me question whether I should have moved off campus earlier instead of dealing with the drama that was ICRA that year.

Overall Rating 7/10

La Regencia: Too soon to tell, so I’m going to be impartial about it. I remain closer to Tyler, even though he vows to not really keep in touch with anybody after he graduates. Regardless of what happens, I’m going to cherish the remainder of my time here at UCSD and make the best of what I have (which is essentially now: nothing).

Overall Rating 5/10

AND THE WINNER IS….

GARDEN GROVE: 45 POINTS
Stanton: 40 Points
Stewart 400: 35 Points
Douglas 3001: 34 Points
Douglas 3505: 33 Points
La Regencia: 22 Points.

Better late than never to move back home. What do you think?