Get Involved!
We, the n'th year grads, would like to urge you, the 1st year grads, to get involved in the department. Why? Because that's what makes it fun for all of us. The bottom line is, you will be spending a number of years in this department. So be an active part of your graduate experience!
There are a number of ways to do this. Hanging out in the the lounge during the day seems to be a popular one, but others include playing intramural sports, playing "pick-up" sports, joining clubs, getting involved with CSE GSA, and helping out with activities within the department.
Sports and the CSE Grad
Contrary to the popular myth, the CSE graduate student is not necessarily a four-eyed physical wreck, attached to a Sun workstation playing XPilot or chesstool until the earliest hours of the morning. There are those who engage in a number of sporting activities, ranging from racquetball and badminton to fencing to swimming and surfing. Asking around can find you partners or like-minded enthusiasts.
Check out PlaySports for more info on organized and pick-up sports, or other fun things like rec classes or the local gyms.
Clubs
At UCSD, there is a club for almost every interest (and if there isn't one, you could always start one!). A good way to get a sampling of the many clubs is to check out the Fall Festival on the Green (FFOG). This outdoor event takes place usually sometime early in the fall quarter, one year it was held on the Sun God lawn. Most campus clubs will have an information table, with volunteers answering your questions.
Women in CSE
The women in the department get together as a group about once a quarter. This is a great way for new women to get to know some of the other female grad students (and faculty, visitors and postdocs), and realize that there ARE other women around! For more information, email cswomen@cs - that reaches all of us/them.
Department Activities
One of the best ways to meet people in the department is to help out with department activities. These activities include the annual (or semi-annual, depending on funds) CSE beach party, and the restocking of Chez Bob from the Price Club. We always need a few pick-up trucks, supplies (like ice chests, etc.), and extra hands for the beach party. Other ways to participate in the department are through official positions, such as being an elected CSEGSA officer, or a Chez-Bob Advisory Committee member. For slightly less responsibility than these positions, you can help out with special projects that come up occasionally.