Student Lookout: Tips for moving out, debt ceiling explained and downtown poke bowls

Hey, hey, hey, everyone,

Hope you all had a good weekend with your moms last weekend. And if you didn’t celebrate then I hope you enjoyed a relaxing few days without running into too many crowds of families!

Did anyone go to Rico Nasty at the Catalyst last weekend? I did and had a great time. That rambunctious energy in her music is not lost on stage, that’s for sure. I would have included it in the events last week but as I’m sure many of you know, it sold out weeks ago. Looking forward to more good shows this summer!

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Let’s get it going …

Deals Download

• Students (and teachers) get 10% off at Well Within on Thursdays.
• HoM Korean Kitchen offers 15% off for students.
• Seymour Marine Discovery Center offers free admission to UC Santa Cruz students and 25% off for all student tickets.

BEST DEAL OF THE MONTH: Student tickets at Kuumbwa Jazz

Located in downtown Santa Cruz, Kuumbwa Jazz is a nonprofit providing Santa Cruz the full spectrum of jazz music through live performance and education. Check out an upcoming show and take advantage of discounted student tickets.

➤ Want to share these deals with your friends? Have them sign up for Student Lookout texts with this link.

Good Eats

Poke House ($$)

I know a lot of y’all live around downtown and use the buses quite frequently, so next time you need some food, stop by Poke House for a fully customized poke bowl of your choice. The small size should be plenty for a meal, but the medium is only a couple dollars more and is likely enough for leftovers. Get yourself two meals for the price of one.

This week, Jessica M. Pasko — one of the local food writers filling in for Lily Belli while she’s on maternity leave — checked out Firefly Tavern, which recently opened in the space formerly occupied by 99 Bottles. It’s an exciting new endeavor from the same folks who run Firefly Coffee House.

Take this week’s news quiz

Inside Santa Cruz: Moving-out tips and things to know

Anyone else astonished with how quick this semester/quarter flew by? I know for Cabrillo College students finals are next week. UC Santa Cruz students are also gearing up for their finals. With it nearing the end of the school year, thoughts of moving out are on most students’ minds as they either graduate or leave for the summer. Moving out can be stressful no matter what’s going on in your life and it just increases tenfold as you’re attending school. For my last Inside SC, I figured some moving-out tips for both on-campus and off-campus students could help with the moving process!

On-campus tips

Before you start your packing endeavors it’s important to check out UCSC’s move-out page. On the page is the official move-out date (June 16 at noon), information about how students can request a late checkout, a summer housing late checkout form, and advice on how to get ahead on moving. Though I am not well versed in on-campus move-out days, here is some advice I’ve found from researching online and talking to a fourth-year UCSC student.

RA sweep

UCSC has made a move-out checklist for all students to use as a guide for how the university expects the room to be left. Students living in the dorms will be charged extra for any out-of-the-ordinary repairs or cleanings. If you’ve already cleaned your dorm and gone through the checklist, contact the housing office and see if they can connect you with an resident advisor to walk through your room. Having a second set of eyes other than your dormmates’ can help ensure that no one walks away with any charges. You can also check out A-1 Self Storage’s survivor guide to college dorm move-out day!

Network of support

No matter the circumstances, moving out is incredibly stressful. But leaving the dorms can be an especially anxious time. Having friends or family to help you can make an intense experience more of a fun time. Communicate in advance with your network of support to see if anyone can extend a helping hand. Whether it’s asking people for boxes, help with packing or loading your things into a storage unit, house or car, having help can make the transition a little less scary.

Learning your area

For those getting geared up to go into off-campus housing, it’s going to be a major adjustment depending on how often you venture off campus. Take time this summer to learn more about the area you’re moving into and immerse yourself into your new way of living. Some things such as the gym, laundry rooms or cafes found on campus are not always near off-campus housing. Take time to orient yourself with your local grocery stores, laundromats, doctors offices, libraries, restaurants and anything you might find yourself using.

Off-campus tips

I’ve moved a handful of times since 2019 and every time I’ve learned something that makes my life a little bit easier. Adjusting to living off-campus or away from home can be a hard time, so let’s make the moving part just a bit easier.

Tenants’ rights

It’s important to know your rights as a tenant while going to off-campus housing. It’s easy for those who are vulnerable or who don’t know their rights to be taken advantage of by landlords and property management companies. Knowing not only your rights as a tenant but also the rights of landlords can ensure stability and a smooth transition to your new housing.

Here is a brief overview of the 2023 California landlord tenant laws and rights, where you can learn about security deposits, rent control, lease termination and other rights and responsibilities of both landlords and tenants. You should always have this on hand, but if you’re adventurous you can read the 147-page California Tenants: A Guide to Residential Tenants’ and Landlords’ Rights and Responsibilities by the California Department of Real Estate.

Another piece of advice is once your place is empty and you’ve cleaned up, take pictures of everything. In case your landlord doesn’t return your security deposit in full, you will have proof of the state of the room or house as you left it.

Moving mindfulness

Sometimes life happens and before you know it either your lease is ending or you’re prepping for UCSC move-out day. However, try to give yourself time to look for housing, roommates and to pack. In the past I’ve seen friends panic because they hadn’t begun looking for off-campus housing until a month before their move-out date. It’s important to make sure you’re aware of when your lease is ending, not only to give a proper 30-day notice but to give yourself enough time to pack, find housing and make a plan of action for moving.

If you’re looking to move off-campus now is a great time to solidify housing. Students getting ready to graduate are heading off to start their new adventures leaving a lot of rooms in houses waiting to be filled.

Finding housing

Where does someone find affordable housing in one of the most expensive cities in California? The tip that I’ve given to most, if not all, of my friends is to go on Facebook housing groups. The groups tend to have people who are looking for roommates and housing or advertising housing and subleases. It’s a wonderful tool to use if you are looking for temporary or long term housing and to find roommates.

Here is A Short Guide To Apartment Hunting Groups On Facebook. This resource provides more in-depth tips about Facebook housing groups and how to find roommates on the platform. Craigslist is also an invaluable tool and can help someone find affordable housing. It’s important, however, to be aware of scams, which are a common occurrence on Craigslist. Here is a guide that can help you spot them.

Around Town - Events

Here are a few events you should check out:

Food Truck Friday, Friday, 5-8 p.m.

Local food, live music and a beer garden are back in Scotts Valley this weekend. If you have a free Friday evening, head on over to Skypark and enjoy the event before any night plans you might have.

Bicycle Trip’s 50th Anniversary Party, Saturday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Cyclists take note, Bicycle Trip is holding its 50th anniversary party this weekend! Come by for a mix of activities, food, live music and a small vendor fair featuring the shop’s latest biking gear. Even better, Bicycle Trip will have some of its new electric and standard demo bikes to try out.

Del Mar Midnight Movie: “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” Friday and Saturday, 11:55 p.m. - 2 a.m.

Can you believe another one of these is coming out soon? Anyway, if you want to relive the original — or see it on the big screen for the first time — take your choice of a Friday or Saturday showing. Refresh yourself on the classic adventure film before the new one hits theaters!

➤ Want more? If you’re still looking for great things to do, check out Wallace Baine’s Weekender here.

This week, I read: A simple guide to the debt ceiling, and what the 14th Amendment has to do with it by Natalie Sherman

Personal finances are confusing enough, much less government finances. And even as a reporter who has covered his fair share of local government, it remains a fuzzy topic. So I found this quick explainer to be a pretty good rundown of the debt ceiling.

The U.S. government could run out of money in a matter of weeks unless it opts to borrow more. Should members of Congress fail to agree on a deal to raise the debt ceiling — a limit of the total amount of money the government can borrow — worldwide financial turmoil is possible. The government would not be able to pay salaries of federal and military employees, Social Security checks would stop, and companies that depend on government money would be in trouble.

Some have urged President Joe Biden to bypass Congress and invoke the 14th Amendment, which states that the validity of the public debt of the U.S. shall not be questioned. But this would likely spark a lengthy legal battle.

With Democrats and Republicans at odds over how to approach the issue, a historical first could be on the horizon — and I think we’re all tired of unprecedented events at this point.

Puzzle Center

Lookout Job Board

➤ More local jobs: Browse more open positions on the Lookout Job Board.

Another week in the books, friends. Grad week will be here before you know it!

Take care until next week.

— Max