In this article we talk to Chico State Alumni, Warren Cain.
Chico State is a beautiful campus that is located north of Sacramento. I want to say it’s about 90-100 miles north of Sacramento, but I could be wrong. I, personally, believe Chico State is one of the most beautiful campuses in the world. The campus isn’t too big, nor is it too small. On your walk to class, you can cross multiple beautiful bridges that hover above the beautiful Big Chico Creek. You can also find many beautiful trees to lounge around in between classes. The City of Chico also happens to be a fun college town, and the campus happens to be located in downtown of this fun college town. So, if you’re looking for a bite to eat or some refreshments to sip on, you don’t have to go far off campus.
For first year students, I highly recommended that you dorm.. There are multiple residence halls that all offer something different. If you’re a transfer student, I would recommend Sutter Hall (which is changing to Estom Jamani Hall). This building is mixed with freshman students along with transfer students. It is a newer building, making it look more modern and overall nicer (in my opinion) than the other dorms. If you’re a Freshman student, I would recommend Whitney Hall. I believe Whitney Hall is the most social and fun dorm (again, just my opinion).
Here is a list of just a few of my favorite restaurants that I enjoyed while in Chico. There’s many, many more, but these are the spots that came off the top of my head. I’ll maybe add more as I go. But I highly recommend ya’ll try these spots if you’re lucky enough to be in Chico while reading this, or have plans to visit!
1.)Madison Bear Garden – They sell great food, such as burgers, fries, hot dogs, wings, and more. My favorite burger is either the signature Bear Burger, which contains thousand island, “bear-b-que” sauce, lettuce, pickles, and tomato, or the Jiffy Burger which is a burger that contains bacon and peanut butter. If it’s your first time, I’d recommend the Bear Burger. My favorite thing about The Bear (nickname for this establishment) is the cool atmosphere of the restaurant. Check it out when you get the chance, it’s literally right next to campus.
2.) Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. – I’m sure you’ve had some refreshing Sierra Nevada beers before. If you want to sip on a cold Sierra Nevada in the place where they’re brewed, you must definitely check this place out. You can sign up for a brewery tour if you want to check out the beautiful spot, while learning about the history, and sampling some refreshing beer. The place is a beautiful place to go sip on some cold ones while enjoying a nice meal. Yes, this place serves food as well. (Must be 21 to drink alcohol).
3.) Morning Thunder Cafe – This is a must try breakfast spot as well. They sell delicious, generous portion sized breakfast items. Whatever your favorite breakfast food is, they’ll probably have it. The cafe is also nice, and cute. I spent a good chunk of my life living in New York, and this place kind of made me feel like I was in a diner in NYC.
4.) Mom’s – This is another yummy breakfast spot. This place is super popular, and I guarantee you that most Chico State students will say this is their favorite breakfast spot.
Read below to see why Warren had a great time at Chico State!
How would you describe your overall experience at Chico State?
I loved Chico State! I always wanted a vibrant social campus with great teachers, and it was everything and more! I found the media arts program to be very engaging and very hands-on. I spent my first year there as a junior in the transfer dorms in Sutter and I’ve never been surrounded by a better group of people, most of which I’m still friends with today. The most important thing I experienced at Chico State aside from a quality education was a strong sense of community.
What is your favorite memory of college at Chico State?
My favorite memory of college was starting a fraternity with all of my friends from my floor at the dorm. It took 3 years of hard work but we finally became officially part of IFC. Go TKE!
Why did you choose Chico State?
I initially chose Chico State because it was affordable, somewhat close to home, and had a good communications department. It ended up exceeded my expectations dramatically both scholastically and socially.
What was your major at Chico State and how is it impacting your life today?
My major was Communication Design: Media Arts, and that degree and experience I gained let me too, be the digital manager of a high-end commercial photography business in Sacramento. Our work has been featured in Times Square and published in several magazines! I’m on set every day doing what I love, and I thank Chico State for that!
What do most college students like to do for fun around Chico State?
There’s many activities to do, so many clubs to join, intramural sports, etc. But I’d be lying if I didn’t emphasize how much Chico State students love to work hard and play hard. We have a vibrant bar scene, and I dug every second of it!
Best bar to party for cheap near Chico State?
All the bars are pretty affordable compared to literally anywhere else in California, but I would say Riley’s if I had to pick! It won Barstool Sports’ best college bar in America! Pretty good reputation for a small college town!
Best breakfast spot to cure a hangover near Chico State?
Definitely Mom’s! There’s also that Mimosa place that sells breakfast near the gym! I guess mimosas can also cure your hangover if you think about it lol
Best coffee shop around Chico State?
Dutch Bros!
Did you dorm at Chico State? Would you recommend it to incoming students?
Yes I did and I would recommend it to everyone! It’s a stereotype that’s often true that dorm food at universities suck, but I loved what they served at the Chico State dining hall! So many options! Also I have no idea why they have the best hot chocolate I’ve ever drank. So be careful, the freshman 15 can sneak up on you!
If you could do college over again at Chico State, would you do anything differently?
I’m not even kidding, I have zero regrets.
What’s some advice you would give your freshman self at Chico State?
Well I was a transfer student lol. I think I would tell him that you should’ve applied to Chico State while in HS and went directly there so you could spend more time enjoying it.
