I'm a 19 year old Cal Berkeley student from SoCal, never surfed before
but i'm DYING to get into it. I haven't been able to find much of a
community here, since most used-to-be surfers i know only complain
about being "landlocked" and have inadvertantly traded in their boards
for a Haas School of Business application.

How can i become more involed in the surf community?
Is there a good place (and a safe place) for me to learn to surf
around NorCal? (I've heard terrible things about North Beach, and
rumor has it that the closest good waves are in Santa Cruz)

Mini Mal vs. Longboard?

Oh, and to top it all off, i have no car.

hopeless?

I hope not.