George Cvetich, '15, (far left) attends a Halloween party at Santa Clara University.

FRESHMAN FOCUS: George Cvetich sees quarter system as big bonus at Santa Clara University

Find out what the members of the class of 2015 are up to in their first year of college. A college freshman is featured in the Freshman Focus every Friday.

George Cvetich, ‘15, attends Santa Clara University, in Santa Clara, Calif. The university is on the quarter system. His major is undecided.

Q: What classes are you taking?

A: I just finished my first quarter. I took: English 1A (Creative Thinking and Writing), Math 11 (Calculus A), Acting for Non-Majors, and California History (core requirement). My second quarter classes are: Math 12 (Calculus B), History 11A (about slavery specifically), Classics 187 (Public Art in Ancient Greece and the U.S.) and Anthropology (in pop culture and media).

Q: Why are you taking such a wide variety of classes?

A: There are certain classes that were required like California History and History 11A. I chose Acting for Non-Majors because it fills my art requirement. I also chose some of them because the professors are good. You can look up ratings and reviews for professors online.

Q: How’s your dorm?

A: I like it a lot. There are two beds, two closets and a sink. A cool feature is that I have vaulted ceilings, so they’re 10 feet tall. My roommate and I get along well; he was picked randomly.

Q: How’s the weather?

A: The weather is just like Sacramento, except it is a tad bit warmer. I like that it’s sunny most days.

Q: The food?

A: The cafeteria’s food is very repetitive. The food isn’t very tasty, but it’s healthy and fresh. There isn’t a meal plan, so you pay for each meal.

I leave campus sometimes. I like this place in Santa Clara called Hungry Hound. They have American classics such as cheesesteaks, salads and burgers.

Q: Are you participating in any extracurricular activities?

A: No extracurriculars. I just do homework and hang out with friends.

Sometimes I’ll play tennis with my friend Bob and play pickup basketball. There is a full gym facility with a pool. There was a “No Diving” sign, so I was really confused on how to get in. I eventually learned that you have to jump in.

Q: What’s the city Santa Clara like?

A: It awesome. It’s super beautiful, but it’s difficult to actually get to Santa Clara. It’s expensive to get there, (too), because it’s over three miles from campus and I don’t have a car.

Q: What makes Santa Clara University special?

A: I liked that it was close to Sacramento. There’s a Caltrain stop right outside campus that goes to San Francisco and Oakland, so that’s nice.

The quarter system is a big bonus for me. Each quarter I can have a new set of classes, so I don’t get bored. And it keeps a fast pace in the classes.

Q: How are you adjusting to the campus?

A: It’s small. I know my way around pretty well. All my classes next quarter are in the area of campus as my first-quarter ones.

Q: What has surprised you about the school?

A: I’ve met a lot of people from all over the country; I wasn’t expecting that. Most of my friends are from the East Coast.

Q: Any advice for the class of 2016?

A: Don’t worry about where you do and don’t get into. The college system is really messed up. The place you’ll end up going will work out for you. Whatever happens you’ll still end up having a lot of fun.

—By Adam Dean

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