Editor, Daily Nexus,

I’m returning from my first trip to UCSB in many years. Gosh, how it has changed. So many new buildings, roads, traffic lights. I attended from ’74 to ’79. I’m pretty sure I saw some dinosaurs roaming while I was there. I lived in San Nicolas, Anacapa, San Marcos and I.V. Those were the best years – challenging (despite what critics might say) and experiential. I learned so much both out of the books and lectures, and from just being there. Oh, there are still landmarks I recognize. Francisco Torres still erupts from Isla Vista’s plateau. Many other campus buildings brought back memories after I distinguished them from the newer ones. I have said to my friends before that God kissed this place with his grace, beauty and thoughtfulness. I saw it again this week.

Thirty years later, I came down to move my daughter into school and to see how things have changed over the years. There are many more buildings than before, but I think that special place looking over the bay toward Santa Barbara – it’s just a bench with some shrubs concealing it – where I wrote many letters to my friends and read my history assignments, is still there. Storke Tower and the many kiosks are still active. In my time, the plaza activity was about peace in Southeast Asia, candles and tie-dyed T-shirts. What a long, strange trip it has been. Jamba Juice and book sales are the name of the game now.

Gosh, I love UCSB. What a school.