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How to UC Berkeley

This post is WIP, will keep it updated.

I booked a Lufthansa Student flight for around 1000€. This included 2 checked bags. Stuff in as much of your local favorites to fill up the 23kg. Toothpaste, medication, drug store, sun protection articles... I had a good experience with a long term AirBnb, booking early may be worth it. There are non-scam Facebook groups and co-op run dorm housing.

Bike

Berkeley has a biking infrastructure comparable to European cities. Bicycle boulevards, Bike lanes and racks around the city. Local buses have a self-service bike rack in the front, which is free of charge, like taking bikes on BART. If you want to be independent within the city, a bike is a great way. Buy a bike on Facebook Market Place for around $50 to 100. I was impatient and got a mid-deal, had to fix brakes. Its comparatively expensive to buy, and you need it the minute you have a bike. - Small hand pump - Bike Multitool - Maybe Wera Tool Check Mini - Bike Tube Patch Set - Flashlight/Bike lights for night (any cheap <$10 rechargeable from AliExpress will work) - Lock from home to avoid chicken egg problem how to lock your bike in front of target while buying a lock?

Best of all, there is a student run bike repair shop co-op at cal, called BiCycal. They can assist you fixing your bike.

Swimming

With the campus fee, included in tuition, the recreational and wellbeing facilities pools are free. Swimming equipment is ridiculously expensive in the us, so make sure to bring all you need from home. - Suit - Flip flops - Towel - Locker lock - Goggles - Maybe silicone cap

Pool Opening Hours can be found here

Diving

The bay is great for diving. If you already got a Padi Open water, it should be easy to just get diving. At cal, there is Cal Scuba Website. They have a small membership fee per semester (Fall 2026 $25), which includes gas to diving sites. People will go on diving activities approx. once per month. Especially Monterey with the kelp forests and seagulls and otters is great.

If you have, bring: - Knive - Diving Light (Wurkkos/Sofirn)

Sailing

To go sailing in Berkeley, there are two offerings:

  • Cal Sailing Club, a local co-op run sailing club independent of Cal, best if you stay for a year or if you do not have any prior experience. They do open house regularly, if you just want to try sailing. Website

  • University run RecWell center at the marina Website. They do have RS Zest and Venture for rent. While they did not recognize my German license, it was enough to just forward me to a 1h checkout sail. After passing, I got a paper card allowing me to go sailing on RS Venture. Renting a boat is free for enrolled students. You can borrow spray top, wetsuit, personal flotation devices. Bring:

  • Sailing gloves

  • Neoprene Socks?
  • Floating Sunglasses
  • Hat

What to cook and eat

Mealprep is your friend. A meal at a Cal dining hall will hit you with $15. There are water fountains, bottle refill stations and microwaves all around campus. At some point someone created a map of all of them, but the map seems to be outdated as of 2026. Get some Ikea 365 750ml/20oz containers. I try to always cook 4 meals, eat one and freeze 3. Then I can take one and go to campus. Often, I do not have the time to even queue in dining halls, nor go off campus to eat out. Off campus can be better and cheaper. Bring prepped food to heat in a microwave and save the money to eat out when its worth it and choose a good location. Always have a reusable water bottle as well as some bars with you. Always. Food and water can be ridiculously expensive.

Meals I freeze, because they are healthy, cheap <$3 per meal: - Chili Sin Carne with rice - Viet tomatoes tofu rice - Napa Cabbage with Tofu and rice

Preparing Guacamole can be cheap as well, with 3 avocados, spring onions, and tomatoes for less than $4. Hummus is also pretty cheap. I like to eat a lot of it, including good olive oil and tahini (both Trader Joes) is around $1 per serving. The best rolls I had were fresh ones from Costco at $.5 each. Amazons Artisan french baguette is not that great. Trader Joes is good but a little more expensive. Noodles always work. Also, microwaving oven potatoes is quick, cheap and delicious. Potato into microwave for 5 to 10 minutes, cottage cheese and spring onions. Done.

Breakfest

I personally like overnight oats. Berkeley Bowl sells Baby Oats, similar to German Kölln Flocken for $2 per pound. Regular oats are around $2.49. Also Eggo Waffles are great, occasionally, just toast them and eat them with peanut butter or jam.

Grocery/Shopping

Trader Joes

Cheap bananas, good quality, they seem to not put in chemicals in their food Natural sriracha sauce.

Safeways

Not worth it, except you use coupons and get member pricing. Have a look at the coupons on their website, keep in mind they have to be activates per store, so you will only get the discount in there store where you activated the coupon. For example cheap ice cream or soft drinks, with discounts. Buy what is on sale.

Berkeley Bowl

Best selection overall. But also most expensive, go there for fresh and special food. Cheapest Tofu for $2.

Target

Seems to be mid-priced but no benefit of going there, only for sponges and household items.

Tokyo Fish

San Pablo Ave has a Japanese supermarket. They offer a wide variety of different imported items, like my $3 Soy sauce. If you are into fish, they probably have the best offering in Berkeley

Amazon Fresh

Its just convenient. Free delivery, and best prices on everything. Cheap canned food, cheap avocados...

TooGoodToGo

Have a look, you can get great noodles, cheap donuts, leftover meals from restaurants.

Costco

If someone is inviting you to join a Costco run, go for it. Grab cheap Kirkland Chewy protein bars and Nature Valley Yosemite bars. Make sure to grab a $1.50 Hotdog and Drink with unlimited refills as well as a slice of pizza for $2.

Urban Orb

A The Three Investigators like scrapyard where you can find a lot of random stuff or just enjoy the vibe. Maps

Activities

I am studying computer science, so I am interested connecting with people around SF. Book events on luma.com to get to know people. Have a look at the student unions event calendar. Go there to meet people.

BART/Clipper Bay Pass is included in tuition, use it.

Visit:

  • Maybe Hawaii and Las Vegas??? does only make sense if you have enough time.
  • Lake Tahoe (Truckee and South) in winter and summer with Golden Runner trains or Greyhound buses
  • LA with Plane or coast road trip
  • Stopping at Monterey
  • Santa Barbara
  • Sequoia
  • Santa Monica
  • Maybe The Three Investigators locations
  • Monterey
  • (Golden Gate Viewpoint)[https://maps.app.goo.gl/oSzUDsGvcS2JfC5w7]
  • In-N-Out Burgers
  • Napa Valley
  • See Redwood Trees (on campus)
  • National Parks (With recent changes in pricing for foreigners, it makes sense to buy a car ticket for $250)
  • Sequoia
  • Yosemite
  • Get a Cal Football season pass before they are sold out (Bring a store SEALED water bottle and something to eat, beer, fries and nuggets are $37)
  • See SF Pier 39 Seagulls
  • Maybe visit a language pod to improve English or Spanish or some other language.
  • Hike to Mount Diabolo
  • UC
  • Sather (Clock) Tower (Free)
  • Blake Garden
  • Botanical Garden
  • Lake Anza