UC Riverside saw exponential growth in its enrollment this school year, with the largest incoming class it has ever seen. While it is evident that the school’s effort to increase enrollment by improving its reputation was a huge success, it’s not quite as clear whether the campus was physically ready to accommodate such an influx of students. As a first-year student at UCR, I experienced these growing pains directly, especially in on-campus housing, where most dorm rooms were converted from doubles to triples. I quickly realized on move-in day that the dorm room simply did not have enough space to fit the belongings of three people, along with three beds, three desks and three dressers. The housing situation only gets worse for students after their first year. I spoke to some fellow students about the impact of the increased enrollment. Related ReadingAs enrollment flattens at most University of California campuses, it surges at RiversideMarch 12, 2026 “Housing is really bad,” said Leslie Palazuelos, a fourth-year education major. “They kind of leave students to fend for themselves after the first year.” And she noticed, it wasn’t just housing that was getting crowded. “The bike racks are always full. Sometimes people have to double-park. And that wasn’t a thing before. It was always empty.” The dining hall is another place where Riverside’s population growth is evident. Many first-year students who live on campus rely on the dining hall for their meals. On days when I have a packed schedule, I usually skip…
