San Diego is a very strange city. Like most American cities it’s so big that it is divided in to various areas, however what’s unique about San Diego is that they are all (so conveniently for a non-driver) separated by freeways (rejoice! American’s love cars! more roads – why not?!). That said, some of the areas are really cool, with each having their own ~vibe~…so here’s a breakdown:
North Park – probably one of my favourite parts of San Diego, sadly its not near the beach, but it resembles areas like the Northern Quarter the most. Full of nice cafes/bars, breweries, book and vintage shops its a good place to hang out. 
Pacific Beach – known mostly for being the party area for students in San Diego, there’s lots of places to go out, cheap eats, thrift shops and dive bars. If you’re a student looking for a fun location to live in SD its definitely worth considering living there. There’s a bus that goes from Pacific Beach to the uni and takes about 40 minutes, but i’d say its worth it.
Ocean Beach – full of hippies, there’s a really good farmers market on a Wednesday that’s pretty lively and really good for free samples of hummus.
La Jolla – La Jolla is where the uni is situated, its a pretty wealthy area not exactly built for student living, but there is a nice beach and some really good food places in the cove. Lots of students chose to live off-campus in apartment complex’s in La Jolla, there are free buses that run through these areas and don’t take long to get in to uni.
Downtown – Downtown isn’t a place i personally spend a lot of time…it’s pretty standard with its shops and is mostly built for businesses and work. There are some clubs downtown but they’re for those who want to feel a little more ‘boujee’ (horrendous term, i apologise, but true nonetheless).
Mission Beach – another beachy area of SD, there’s a fun little amusement park and a nice beach, but its mostly built for holiday goers. That said, there is a small hole in the wall that does my favourite fish tacos in San Diego so i’m a big fan.
Encinitas – just a big further north and slightly out of SD is a really pretty area called Encinitas. Its got beautiful beaches and (from what i hear) great surf. It’s definitely one of my favourite areas if you need to escape San Diego and just want to chill out.