Things to Do When You Are Not Diligently Studying at San Francisco State University

Whether you are a brand spanking new frosh or have been around a while, it is always nice to be refreshed on the things there are to do to decompress from the efforts of being the amazing student you are. First, GET INVOLVED with a club or organization on campus. This way you will have friends to explore with. It really DOES enrich one’s experience both off and on campus. Believe me. As an international exchange student at San Francisco State University gone for 4 semesters (maximum allowed on exchange), when I was home, I was PR/Content Writer for the IEEC newsletter as well as a Peer Mentor for the IE office. I can’t imagine not having been involved. From GALA events to weekly subcommittee events (Taco Tuesdays, Warriors Games, Sexy Science Thursday Nights at Cal Academy of Sciences, and group trips to Alcatraz), there was never a dull moment.

• Monday: Mondays in the Mission: For an inexpensive and tasty burrito stop by El Buen Sabor, then grab a coffee at one of the dozens of cafes from the infamous Four Barrel to the old local Muddy Waters, and lastly, check out the bookstores and thrift stores including first Monday half off day at Community Thrift. The Mission has changed tremendously since the beginning of the recession (2008), through gentrification and the most recent tech boom, but one can still find the good local eats and greets if you dare to explore beyond the new glowing neon signs.
• Tuesday: Taco Tuesday at Underdogs in the Outer Sunset is a popular destination for many SFSU students because Tacos are $2 on Tuesdays, 4:30pm to midnight. Note: on Friday nights from 6 to 6:30 pm, margaritas are $1! Just take the 28 or 29 bus line up 19th Avenue.
• Wednesday: Wednesday Wanderings: Some places to explore around the city are Coit Tower, GG Bridge by bicycle, GG Park (paddle boats on Stow Lake, Rose Garden, Japanese Tea Garden, and the Botanical Garden).
• Thursday: “Every Thursday from 6-10pm, the California Academy of Science turns into a San Francisco hot spot. Full of vibrant colors, a bar at every turn, and plenty of attractions; this event makes science sexy!” says Keila Morris at HyperLocal.com
• Friday: Friday Nights at the de Young programs occur every Friday for about 3/4 of the year, spring to late fall. Admission is free after hours and each week has a theme offered through live music, dance, theatre, film, panel discussion, artist demos and hands-on activities for all ages. The main galleries are open for normal entry prices. The cafe serves up specialty cocktails and the observation tower is open until 8pm.
• Saturday: Scenic Saturdays for panoramic views and awesome selfies, hike up Coronado Heights, Buena Vista Park, Twin Peaks, or Bernal Heights. And for more around the Bay Area, check out: The Bay Area’s Best Hikes With a View.
• Sunday: Stern Grove Summer Sunday Series includes options from the SF Ballet and the SF Symphony to Blues and R&B. Get there early with your blanket and picnic basket! Seating fills up 1-2 hours BEFORE the event. Make a day of it, it’s fun!

Nights/Days/Weekends around Town:

LOWER HAIGHT/DUBOCE TRIANGLE is my personal FAVORITE neighborhood offering the following:

• International Cafe: This is a mother-daughter owned duo from East Africa, whose respect and experience shine through their real-world customer service. They have all kinds of music and open mic nights, but often you will find Big Band, Jazz, and Hip-Hop.
• Bean There Cafe: For a place where everyone knows your name and a cafe that actually has an outlet to plug in your technology, Bean There Café is the place. This cafe boasts more than 20 years of serving the locals and has an easy mellow vibe. It is a mix of people who come to “work” here with laptops and people who come to chat it up with each other. The owners, Mike and his wife Sue, are really lovely folks!

Cafe du Soleil offers beer/wine in the sunshine, Jumpin Java is a little hole in the wall, Duboce Café has a view of Duboce Park, Toronado has hundreds of International Beers on Tap, and finally, Uva Enoteca has wine and ritzy eats without the presumption.

WEST PORTAL is within walking/biking/skating distance of the university. Greenhouse Café is a small, local cafe with outdoor patio seating or indoor tables/sofas. Finally, Dubliner offers both cocktails and pool.

REMEMBER: Parking is no “walk in the park,” literally, so TAKE THE BUS and don’t forget to WEAR LAYERS! Be warned: SF endures Micro climates! There’s the warm sunny Mission District to the cool foggy Inner Sunset and even Oceanside all included here at SF State!

Holly Sisson holds a dual BA from SFSU in Psychology and Spanish, and in May 2014 obtained an MA in East-West Psychology from California Institute of Integral Studies. Currently, Holly resides in San Diego where she continues to develop her spiritual and shamanic practices in a world of expanding consciousness, re-mapping the mind with a quantum-heart cosmology. She is currently continuing her training with a focus on integrating her body and movement into her practice and aspires to write her first book in the near future that connects the human global village through shared experience and new visions of cross-cultural community in a highly developed consciousness.