Now, we’re not saying you should engage in such shenanigans. If eating isn’t allowed in Main Stacks, imagine what the walkie talkie food police would say to … other activities? Would they try to break up the party or run in the other direction? We bet on the latter.

But apparently Jericho! members had ample opportunity and uninterrupted time to show us just how cozy studying can get in the hallowed halls of the Stacks. Think those moving shelves are only being used to hold books? Clearly you aren’t thinking as innovatively as other Berkeley students. And think those copiers only take paper? You might want to get a sanitary wipe before you plan on using ones in this library any time soon.

We figure there are two extreme reactions to the scenes presented: traumatized horror or incredulity at having your methods exposed. In any case, try to take this tidbit of entertainment as inspiration for new activities. Namely … music videos, of course! Try your hand at filmmaking. Or acting. Or singing! After all, that’s the real message of this piece. Thanks for the motivation, Jericho!

Don’t take this as inspiration to ask the circulation desk if they have any boy toys left to check out, though. They may not understand the creative influence behind the question. Or they might be out.

Image source: s. bennet under Creative Commons 

Contact Erum Khan at ekhan@dailycal.org or follow her on Twitter @erumjkhan.

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This new curve is good news for all students — especially freshmen still calling themselves ‘pre-Haas’ — but it’s only going to be applied to classes starting this spring. Previous courses taken at Haas still fall under the old curves of 3.2 and 3.4. Being Berkeley kids, though, this simply isn’t enough. Revolution must be called for! Take action against The Man! Haas kids were so outraged at the fact that this policy is not being applied to previous semesters that they went so far as to create a Facebook event in protest.  We can picture the dean now, calling in all the troops and barring his doors now that the online world is in on the fight for curve equality.

The event was created as a forum to spread awareness of the change and get people to take action through means like letter-writing. They call for everything taken from fall 2011 — the last three semesters — to get that GPA boost, because that’s when a majority of those affected started at Haas. After all, with the competitive open business market ahead of them after graduation, we can imagine they’d want the highest GPA possible to up their job odds and not have to face the “Less than exemplary from one of the best business schools in the country?! For shame, we can’t hire you.” At least, that’s what we think business execs would say.

Do you empathize with the business kids? Wish your mean curve was higher? Or are you one of those English majors who don’t even know what it means for a class to have a curve? Whichever the case, keep an ear out for Haas friends complaining or rejoicing over the change! Thanks to the Clog, you can now chime in and sound extra smart about business-y current events. Not a bad way to spend a few study break minutes, if you ask us.

Contact Erum Khan at ekhan@dailycal.org or follow her on Twitter @erumjkhan.

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1. Be sure to watch out for food patrol in Moffitt. You know those people with the white plastic bags and walkie talkies? They’re out for your cookies and Red Bull! They’re usually pretty loud getting off the elevator to start their sweep for goodies, so stash ‘em before they have to confiscate. If you catch them in a good mood they may let you finish off your drink before tossing it, but to be on the safe side just keep everything gulpable and/or munchable out of sight.

2. Be strategic when ‘studying’ with friends. If you can all manage to sit around the same table without splitting into peals of giggles about that latest Facebook hack, by all means congregate to work. If you lack the willpower (as most of us do), finding a cubicle or some other secluded area to hunker down in for a couple of hours is probably a better strategy. Once you’ve gotten some solid work done, then you can take a social media break. Trust us, they’ll be much more satisfying. And you’ll get a lot less glares from people who don’t have headphones to tune you out with.

3. Pack provisions. If you’re planning on camping out for a while, bring a sweater if you’re sensitive to the cold (Moffitt and Main Stacks are freezing at night!) and money and food so that you don’t have to trek back and forth between the library and your dorm room or apartment.

We lied, there’s one more thing:

4. STAY SANE. The library does crazy things to your brain if you stay there for too long. You’ll start to forget what sleeping in a bed feels like and that when the sun goes down the day is supposed to end. We know we told you to pack stuff with you, but be sure to get some fresh air between hitting the books and acing those finals! It’ll all be worth it when summer rolls around … in less than a week!

Good luck everybody!

Contact Erum Khan at ekhan@dailycal.org or follow her on Twitter @erumjkhan.

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Use it to start a conversation about the politics of petroleum. The television runs a video montage about how these new hydrogen-fueled buses help the environment. One scene on the rolling video depicts oil rigs. If you’re in the mood for an environment and transportation debate, strike up a conversation with the person sitting next to you.

Enjoy the scenery. Instead of looking out the bus window at Shattuck or Durant, which you’ve seen a million times, try looking at the AC Transit television, which features some cool scenery from faraway places you’ve probably never visited. We noticed that the Port of San Francisco and Pixar Studios made it into the AC Transit video.

Have a “meta” experience. The video shows some flashy footage of the shiny new buses rolling along pristine roads. Watch a bus driving on the screen of a bus driving. Ooh … It gives you chills, right?

We do love the new hydrogen fuel cell buses. They’re a huge step forward for public transportation’s environmental impact. And we understand that the buses’ televisions are a part of advertising that impact. But if you were hoping for HBO on those screens, sorry — you’ll just have to log onto your smartphone.

Contact Jessica Rogness at jrogness@dailycal.org and follow her on Twitter @jessarogness.

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Was it cold?

We all know that Berkeley at night can be a pretty chilly place. And if we get cold even without our jackets, you’d think that running stark naked anywhere on campus would leave you absolutely frigid. Well, something about Main Stacks during the Naked Run defies this logic. Not a single runner was shivering, and even spectators were taking off their coats! Because a massive swarm of hot bodies obviously produces more warmth than Doe’s heating system does, we suggest that the engineering department incorporate this finding into a more “green” Berkeley thermostat.

Were you drunk?

Unveiling your naked body to a hoard of strangers can be pretty stressful, so the Clog wondered whether any runners took a shot or two before the big event to calm their nerves. While some participants may have slipped under our radar, we found that the vast majority did not drink at all before disrobing. One runner, a seven-time veteran of the Naked Run, explained that the “high” he gets from dashing completely nude through a library is all-consuming, and he would hate to taint the liberating experience with the fog of alcohol.

What’d you do with your clothes?

Completely unburdened during their journey, most of the runners showed no traces of having arrived to Main Stacks fully clothed. Naturally, we wondered where they stashed their garments. The Clog discovered three main strategies. The most prepared runners temporarily trusted their clothes to supportive friends in the spectator crowd. Slightly less confident in their friends, others donned backpacks containing their valuables during the run. Finally, the most spontaneous participants stowed their clothes randomly in corners of Main Stacks — we even spotted a pile of pants on the spiral staircase!

Were you afraid?

Most runners, attracted to the sense of community and exhilaration, did not seem to fear revealing their bodies to strangers. However, a number expressed concern about the pictures and videos taken by spectators during the event. Donning pirate masks, face paint and even paper bags, many runners dodged this risk and showcased their creativity at the Naked Run this year.

Would you do it again?

Whether a seven-time veteran or a senior crossing the Naked Run off her bucket list, everybody we talked to expressed a desire to do it again. The juxtaposition of intense, stoic studiers and carefree, jubilant naked bodies is something we’ll probably only experience during our years at Cal.

Regardless of whether you ever decide to participate in the Naked Run, the Clog encourages you to do something fun this week. We know you won’t study for the entire 216 hours of dead week. Try a new running route. Go see “The Great Gatsby.” Get lunch with a friend. As proven by the continuing tradition of the Naked Run, a little excitement can definitely enhance our studying and the quality of our dead week memories.

Contact Katherine Velicki at kvelicki@dailycal.org.

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Hamstrings: With all the walking you do in Berkeley, you’ve probably noticed that your legs are starting to look kind of … toned. Unfortunately, all that walking also means your legs will probably be aching by the day’s end. What’s your stretching solution? Sit down on the floor. Stretch one leg straight out in front of you. Bend your other leg to your knee. Slowly bend forward over your knee, keeping your back straight. You’ll be feeling better in no time.

Neck: You can only hunch over a VLSB auditorium desk for so long without it becoming painful. Avoid a tense neck by sitting cross-legged and relaxing. Then, slowly look to the left, return to center and slowly look to the right (emphasis on “slowly.” You’re not trying to give yourself whiplash). Look straight down in front of you. Look down with your head turned diagonally to the left and to the right. Slowly.

Shoulders: In addition to your neck, your shoulders are also probably aching from all your time in class. Circle your shoulders forward about five times. Then repeat the circling in a backward motion.

Back: The easiest way to stretch your back is the traditional touch-your-toes routine. But we want to emphasize that you should never round your back when you do this. If you can’t touch your toes, that’s fine; some of us can’t either. Reach as far as you can without rounding your lower back.

Feet: You walk. A lot. Give yourself a much-deserved foot massage. Start with your toes and work into where those toes connect to your feet. Work up your entire foot and into your ankle. Then, move back down your foot. You could also demand that your roommate rub your feet, depending on what kind of relationship you’ve built up with him or her over the semester.

We’re not kinesthetic experts. These work for us, but there are lots of other stretches that you can do to relieve stress and increase flexibility. These are just some incredibly basic stretches that you can use as a study break to help you get through this last week of the semester.

Also, there are so many books about the topic (one we found helpful was “Stretching,” the 20th anniversary edition by Bob Anderson because it’s straightforward, and you get a cool cover illustration of a guy stretching in really short shorts). And, of course, the RSF offers courses in yoga and Pilates if you really want to stretch and strengthen.

What do you do to relieve stress? Share your methods in the comments below!

Image source: Tambako the Jaguar, under Creative Commons

Contact Jessica Rogness at jrogness@dailycal.org and follow her on Twitter @jessarogness.

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Meal points, as everyone in their freshman year would tell you, are one of the hindrances that you just have to deal with. They bind you to the dining halls with the sheer guilt you feel about eating out when you know that you have mountains of points left over. Of course, this consequently leads to inordinate weight gain, which is hard to work off even by running the length of campus. And even if you do eat every meal in the dining halls and buy your groceries from campus facilities, you’ll still have a solid amount left over. This isn’t typically a big deal at the end of the fall semester because some of them can roll over, but all those accumulated points now face imminent destruction if they aren’t used within the next week and a half.

Though this isn’t the most efficient of business models, it does appear to have some value. When signing up, only “berkeley.edu” email addresses are accepted, and hence certain contact details of the sellers will only be released to Berkeley students. The interface is admittedly easy to follow — a simple spreadsheet-type layout with each entry containing the names of sellers, their selling price, their max number of points and the locations at which they can facilitate your purchases. Some have also posted details about discounts for buying in bulk, for those who are thinking of buying out Bear Market. We can only imagine how awkward it would be to be accompanied by a total stranger to all your meals, but if for whatever reason, you’re longing for dining hall food for cheap, this is your website.

Image source: Aaron Loessberg-Zahl under Creative Commons

Contact Uday at umehta@dailycal.org or follow him on Twitter at @mehtakid.

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Trees near Mulford Hall. Just to the left of Mulford Hall is a beautiful little crevice of space that is perfect for some alone time. This quiet and peaceful place is lined with bright green trees and awesome log benches to sit on.

Terrace Cafe. Located on the Bechtel Roof, the small tables that the Terrace Cafe has to offer are wonderful. There’s a great view of the Campanile, there are shady and sunny places and few students stick around here. Plus, there are plenty of delicious grab-and-go goodies in the cafe if you’re hungry.  

Hearst Memorial Mining Building. This is arguably one of the most beautiful buildings on campus. The mild mint green structure, beautiful array of windows and cheerfully round light bulbs are sure to satisfy your spirit. We love this building because it is quiet and perfect for some alone time. Because it’s indoors, it’s also a great place to relax when the weather is bad.

Morgan Hall. Never heard of Morgan Hall? Neither had we, but that’s the beauty of exploring! Just to the right of this hall, adjacent to the GPB building, is a charming little courtyard area, with big, billowing trees and several benches for relaxation.

North Gate circle. Although you may have to trek up the steep hill next to the East Asian Library to get to this place, we think it’s totally worth it. Right next to North Gate lies a cute circle of grass surrounded by nature and benches. We loved this place because it’s not too quiet, but it’s also private enough to feel at peace.

Don’t get burned out studying. Take some time for yourself this week — you won’t regret it!

Contact Kristen McFadden at kmcfadden@dailycal.org.

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1. Sunbathe. The skies have been gray for the past few days, but the forecast predicts some sun in the next two weeks. Bring your books out to Memorial Glade and soak up some vitamin D in between reviewing chapters. Rest your eyes and enjoy the sunlight with the grass beneath you and the bells of the Campanile ringing in the distance.

2. Play sardines outside. Hear us out on this one. Once you’ve had enough lounging around outside, get some friends together for a game of sardines! For those of you not familiar with sardines, it’s basically hide-and-seek backwards. One person hides, and everyone else looks for them. When someone discovers the “hider,” he or she hides alongside that person. This continues until one poor soul is out looking by themselves. This is especially fun after dark.

3. Play hide-and-seek in the library. Similar to our last idea, this is also tons of fun! Gather a group of friends and go to a library like Main Stacks or Moffitt with lots of shelves and places to hide behind. After that, you know the rules! You’ll have to be careful not to disturb fellow students in the library who aren’t taking a break, so make it a quiet game. We’re not trying to get you kicked out! But this is a good way to make the library look less terrible and gloomy. And think of all the possibilities with those moving shelves in Main Stacks! (Just don’t crush anyone. Please. Safety first.)

4. Conduct social experiments. Experiment with people on Sproul. Will people walk you with their umbrella if it’s raining and you have none? Lend you some paper? Let you use their phone? Stop and answer your questions about a class? See how nice people really are at this school. Or, if you have more faith in your theatrical skills, have a (loud) emotional breakdown in the middle of heavy foot traffic and see who stops to ask if you’re okay. You could even record yourself and make a YouTube video! After finals are over, of course. We at the Clog would love to see that.

5. Exercise. This might be the most boring and predictable of the lot, but it’s a legitimate option for those who still want to be productive during their time away from the books. Walk around campus. Jog. Do lunges across Memorial Glade. Find a secluded spot like the eucalyptus grove and do pushups and crunches. Use the beautiful outdoor space for something productive while taking time to unwind and let go of all that pent-up stress. Added bonus? You’ll be getting a head start on those summer abs.

Contact Erum Khan at ekhan@dailcal.org or follow her on Twitter @erumjkhan.

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1. People’s Park

Lively. Eclectic. Colorful. Everyone’s got his or her own take on People’s Park. Is it a good place to post out with a few hours worth of peaceful reading in mind? Probably not so much. But an afternoon spent here is bound to be far from boring.

2. Willard Park

Located on Hillegass Avenue and Derby Street, Willard Park is the main neighborhood park in southeast Berkeley. On sunny days, it draws a mixture of students, families and dog owners. On that note, if you’re not huge on canines this might not be the right spot for you — we can guarantee that at some point you are likely to be visited by a four-legged friend looking for a back rub.

3. Live Oak Park

The hidden gem of Northside.  Tucked into a huge oak grove with a trickling stream running through it, Live Oak Park feels like a hundred miles away from the bustle of campus. Plus, it’s literally up the street from Cheese Board, a location that’s pretty hard to beat. Grab a slice and soak up some nature. You deserve a break.

4. Memorial Glade

The campus “park” is a great spot to sit down to catch a breather between classes and do some people-watching. If you’re there at the right time, you might be able to catch the Cal Quidditch team practicing. Just be sure to keep an eye out for erratic Frisbees, thrown by people who supposedly “know what they’re doing.”

Do you have any favorite parks (or, at the very least, grassy areas) in Berkeley that we didn’t mention? Let us know in the comments!

Image source: charlottel under Creative Commons

Contact Corrine Platten at cplatten@dailycal.org.

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