If you go to Cal or went to Cal, there are definitely situations that you have experienced that grind your gears. When you try to explain these things to people who do not go to Cal, they may find your complaints to be very trivial. And although they are very trivial, when these irksome situations occurred, your thoughts were probably similar to something like, “10 out of 10, would punch someone in the face right now.” Here are a couple of things that might aggravate you if you are or were a Cal student:

1. When the Campanile just won’t stop … especially during midterms and finals weeks. We love the Campanile’s beautiful array of chimes and tunes, and we always love guessing which song it’s playing at the time. But when you have 24 hours until your next econ exam and your classical music study playlist is being overpowered by the sound of Katy Perry’s “Firework” in bell form, there’s a point when you have to say to the Campanile, “CAN YOU NOT?”

2. Studying on the weekends at night. This is especially troublesome for those living in the dorms and apartments on Southside. It’s a Saturday night, and you’ve got an exam on Monday. You told yourself you were going to be a responsible student this weekend and stay in on a Saturday night in order to finish answering all of those questions on that study guide. It’s 10 p.m., and you hear the stomping of the pregamers leaving down the hallway. You’re jealous that you aren’t one of them, but at least they’ll be gone for a solid couple of hours and leave you in peace. Three hours later, you’ve gotten a good amount of studying done, and after your third coffee, you’re ready to take on some more. It’s at that moment when you hear what sounds like the background noise of animals from “The Lion King” outside of your window and down the hallway. Nothing better than the sounds and smells of the intoxicated to get your brain waves going, are we right?!

3. Getting fliered at when you haven’t had your coffee yet. We all know the feeling. Especially if you have morning classes, the feeling of being the victim of active flier distribution on Sproul is essentially the same feeling you get when you see the person in your life who annoys the shit out of you the most. It’s really awful to think that, we know — and to those of you who pass out those fliers, please don’t take this personally — but we just can’t help it! The thought of having to force ourselves out of bed, crawl to our 9 a.m. classes and then be attacked by someone who is clearly on a much superior level of happiness than we are makes a person cynical.

4. Fliering at someone who hasn’t had his or her coffee yet. It works both ways, everyone. When you’re fliering for whichever organization you are a part of and you approach a random pedestrian with your flier, you may receive a look that suggests a phrase you might know: “Fuck off.” Your initial reaction might be “WHY DOESN’T ANYONE LIKE ME?” But please do not blame yourself, and please do not allow your self-esteem to go down just because someone ninja’d his or her way out of receiving your flier. It’s OK. It’ll all be OK.

5. There’s only one dude in the row, and he decided to take the seat on the very edge. Honestly, we’ve all probably done this. Of course, lefties are exempted from this category. But there’s always that one person who thinks that it’ll be a great idea to sit on the very edge and then get annoyed every time someone has to squeeze past him or her to get to a seat inside of the row. We have something to say to this person: “DUDE! YOU BROUGHT THIS UPON YOURSELF, OK? Stop rolling your eyes at me! And stop acting like my butt (rubbing against your desk and knocking over your papers) is Satan!”

What Cal pet peeves do you have? Let us know in the comments!

Image source: greg westfall. under Creative Commons

Contact Gabrielle Nguyen at gnguyen@dailycal.org.

The post 5 pet peeves of the average Cal student appeared first on The Daily Californian.

(Disclaimer: All the places, names and quotes are used fictitiously. None of this is real — absolutely none of it.)

Though there are many modern buildings on campus, UC at Berkeley has its roots in the past, having been established along Strawberry Creek in 1868. Some alums can recall when there were disputes about the newly renovated Memorial Stadium being built on sacred burial grounds. Any student at Berkeley can attest to being caught on campus alone when the Campanile tolls late into the night. We’ve all be scared to death by finals. We’ve all trudged across campus laden with study materials, sleep-deprived and overcaffeinated at some forsaken hour before dawn. Who lived in Berkeley before the university was founded or what the town was like in the time of the gold rush, most of us undergrads don’t know …

A number of students have described several sites on campus as “freaky” and “spooky,” so we at the Clog took it upon ourselves to visit them with flashlights and second-by-second status updates. This is our report.

1. The corridor between Moffitt and Main Stacks. Though jokingly reported as a rite of passage, this site is creepiest at night. Unfortunately, it is the only way to access Main Stacks at night. Narrow corridors with wide windows make for the perfect setting for someone to see a ghost in a pale reflection.

2. The Eucalyptus Grove. It begins with a rustling in the shadows of the night. What follows is the thought, “I shouldn’t have taken this shortcut through the Eucalyptus Grove,” as the rustling gets louder and more unified in all directions. Some swear that it’s only the sound of Strawberry Creek gurgling. Others say it’s the movement of nocturnal critters. One student insisted that it was the wind. But the rumors of the city maintain that the noise can be made by one creature and one creature only: Squirrelzilla.

3. Dwinelle Hall. Dwinelle is a nightmare. Designed as a labyrinth, all the hallways look the same. Some freshmen are forced to major in history, language and cultural studies or theater because they get trapped inside there forever. The maps posted in the halls lead to secret rooms and passageways that are marked with riddles whose answers are the room you wanted to go to originally. Word on the street is that a crypt of squirrel bones runs beneath it … and, late at night, when no one is supposed to be there, all the lights are on. Why? Because it is haunted.

Have you encountered any haunted spots here in Berkeley? Let us know in the comments!

Image Source: ereneta under Creative Commons

Contact Josh Escobar at jescobar@dailycal.org.

The post Haunted places on campus (part 1 of 2) appeared first on The Daily Californian.

ARYA ALIABADI/Staff

Cal alumni Louis Peitzman — a former arts and entertainment editor and a former Sex on Tuesday columnist at The Daily Californian — and Ariane Lange of Buzzfeed fame teamed up recently to create this love letter to Cal. It went viral. In The Daily Clog’s debut use of GIFs, we have composed this updated  list of 40 more signs to recognize a Golden Bear in 2013.

1) You’ve hoarded almost all of your school supplies from Caltopia.

They are giving away free Xbox 360s? Gimme!

2) You’ve mastered the ninja art of flier-dodging on Sproul.

3) You start running when you hear, “Girl Scout cookies for sale!”

4) Or when you see Top Dog empty. 

Lemon chicken or Smoked chicken apple? Decisions, decisions …

5) But to get your CREAM sandwich fix,

That glorious first bite…

6) You will endure anything.

The line starts two blocks away? It just began to rain? Challenge accepted.

7) You wonder whether you spend more time looking for an open seat at Moffitt than you do actually studying.

8) And whether finding an open spot at FSM is even possible.

Seriously. Where did all you people come from?

9) To avoid the late-night lines at RSF, you try to get there early.

10) But all your exercise actually comes from the trek back to your room.

RSF to Foothill? More like Shire to Mt. Doom.

11) You know why blue and gold are the most appropriate colors

Nathan Adrian, three-time Olympic Gold medalist.

12) And have so many reasons to watch the Olympics

Dana Vollmer, four-time Olympic medalist.

13) From the soccer field

Alex Morgan, one-time Olympic gold medalist and 2012 U.S. Soccer Player of the Year

14) To the water course

Erin Cafaro, two-time Olympic gold medalist in rowing.

15) And even the swimming pool

*12-time Olympic medalist. Tied for most medals won for an American woman.

16) Look out, Rio, Cal Bears coming through!

Missy Franklin, four-time Olympic gold medalist.

17) And we mean, seriously …

Dana Vollmer, Natalie Coughlin and Nathan Adrian recreate “Abbey Road” with Michael Phelps

18) You watch movies to find Berkeley references

Now what gate does that look like?

19) Or television shows with familiar personalities

Professor Farnsworth of Futurama is inspired by campus philosophy professor Hubert Dreyfus.

20) And appreciate alumni contribution to college classics

John Cho promoting “Harold and Kumar.”

20) And generational icons.

Cho along with Chris Pine in Star Trek.

21) Sometimes the alumni are generational icons.

Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple Inc., delivering the 2013 commencement address at UC Berkeley.

22) Others will lead nations

Haakon Magnus, crown prince of Norway.

23) And all lay claim to the single best mascot of any university.

What you got, Stanfurd??

24) Speaking of which, you turn into an animal during The Big Game

Let those Cardinals know true school pride.

25) And remain an animal for concerts at the Greek Theater.

Green Day is playing? To the Hill, everybody! Who’s with me?

26) You get a heart attack each time you find this in your inbox.

But you secretly admire the subtle passive-aggressiveness.

27) You’ve been aggressively advanced upon by a squirrel

28) And aren’t surprised to find evidence of hipsters in every bathroom stall

29) Or that every class has at least one hipster GSI.

30) You know where to find wizards in your backyard

Bowles = Hogwarts.

31) And have seen Muggles play Quidditch on Memorial Glade.

32) You wonder if the T-Rex from Jurassic Park

33) Was inspired by the giant skeleton in the Valley Life Sciences Building.

34) You have a go-to favorite picture of the Campanile

35) For every

36) Single

37) Possible 

38) Occasion.

39) When someone says you “go to UCB,”

40) You tell ‘em, “I go to Cal.”

You know it. You tell the story. You tell the whole wide world this is bear territory!

This article was made in collaboration with Arya Aliabadi of the photo department and Emily Chin of the multimedia department. 

Image sources: Incase, Astrobuddha, RSammer. Hakan Dahlstrom, Kate Gardiner, MIke_fleming,  John Morgan , D.H.Parks, bil_bly_ca, wallyg under Creative Commons and Arya Aliabadi, Ruby Elizabeth Lee, J. Hannah Lee, Dean Ignacio, Anthony Martinez, courtesy

Contact Alex Mabanta at amabanta@dailycal.org

The post 40 more signs you went to UC Berkeley appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Ayon Kabir/Staff

Beginning in July, admission prices to the Campanile are set to rise to fund cosmetic improvements in the lead-up to the UC Berkeley landmark’s 100th anniversary.

General admission prices for adults over the age of 18 will rise from $2 to $3, while reduced admission prices for Cal alumni, visitors under 17 and those over 65 will raise from $1 to $2. UC Berkeley students, faculty and staff members, as well as children under the age of 3, will continue to enjoy free admission.

It has been 15 years since the prices were last raised.

Sather Tower, more commonly known as the Campanile, is one of UC Berkeley’s most well-known landmarks. Completed in 1914, it will celebrate its 100th anniversary next year.

According to La Dawn Duvall, executive director of visitor and parent services at UC Berkeley, a recently convened committee is discussing plans for the celebration. Although there are no definite plans, proposed ideas include monthly events to lead up to a “big birthday party” in fall 2014.

The proposed price increases will take effect July 1.

Contact Somin Park at newsdesk@dailycal.org.

The post Campanile admission prices to rise for first time in 15 years appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Pixar fan or not, you’d have to be living under the world’s largest rock not to have heard of this summer’s most recent animated release: “Monster’s University.” The advertising campaign for this prequel has been off the charts (we haven’t personally checked any, but we’re sure if we did, that would be the case). Turn on the TV, and you’ll see Mike and Sulley smiling at you while using Swiffer to clean up messes, and then five minutes later, they’ll be telling you which sort of insurance you should be getting. Walk down the aisles in the grocery store, and there will be plush versions of the monsters roaring at you with neat price tags attached to their ears (if they happen to have any). If you’ve been to Disneyland recently, they’ve replicated part of the campus there so you can pose with MU banners and a monstrous dorm.

We ourselves at the Clog have even contributed to the hype, posting multiple times about the website and how psyched we are to see an animated version of the Campanile and Sather Gate with backpack-clad monsters in front of them. (You know part of it is based on us, right? Shame on you if you don’t.)

Now, we totally approve of the excitement built around this movie. We’ve squealed louder than anyone at the mere thought of watching it. But at the same time, we can still marvel at how dedicated Pixar is to getting Mike and Sulley’s names to the masses — the paying masses, of course. They’ve guaranteed an audience by suckering in all the kids and kids at heart with already beloved characters, promising us the joy of learning how they came to be so gosh darn adorable as well as new characters to laugh with along the way (also conveniently located in the toy section).

We’re a little torn, if you couldn’t already tell. Should we love everything about Pixar’s efforts because reliving college through the animated experience is totally worth it, or should we question the mass media-driven consumer culture we live in that makes such methods necessary? We’d like to go with the first option, given that we’re talking about good ol’ G-rated fun. Seriously, cute monsters with dialogue that will make you laugh, cry and want to be a kid again? They show the origins of one of the best cartoon bromances in history! A lovable green eyeball has a retainer; what more could you want?! There’s certainly not much time to think about marketing techniques when there are fraternity names like Roar Omega Roar and Oozma Kappa to gush over. We’d join those brothers in a heartbeat if they showed up on Piedmont Avenue.

But of course, there’s the catch that comes with the second option. We guess the takeaway from this is to enjoy the entertainment but be aware of it. The amount of advertising thrown at us all on a daily basis is honestly staggering. If you acknowledge it and see it all with your eyes open, then maybe you’ll stay on top of things and keep your brain from turning into TV-brand mush (that’s how the zombies would really take over). Aside from that, we see absolutely no harm in marching into theaters with all the MU gear you can carry! It’s not every day you get the opportunity to enjoy a movie as both a little kid and a college student.

Image source: Mitch and Bonnie under Creative Commons. 

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

The post Monster-sized advertising for ‘Monster’s University’ appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Sather Road

The major north-south corridor between Doe Library and California Hall will be closed for upgrades that will make the path level for handicap access. A small access path alongside California Hall is open to pedestrians.

Lower Sproul

The Lower Sproul Redevelopment project will close the footpath between Alumni House and Zellerbach Hall for the summer — preventing access to the Cesar Chavez Student Center and Zellerbach Hall from the west. The footpath is scheduled to reopen Sept. 1, Shaff said.

Oxford Street 

Work on the foundation of the new Berkeley Art Museum has closed one driving lane and a sidewalk on part of Oxford Street for the next three or four weeks. One lane of Center Street will be closed when the foundation work moves to the south side of the project.

Campbell Hall

Between the Campanile and LeConte Hall, Esplanade Drive will be closed for underground utility work associated with the Campbell Hall replacement. Campbell Hall construction is running on time, with the installation of the sixth and final floor last week, exterior work to the building is now fully under way. Campbell Hall is scheduled to open in late 2014.

Hertz Hall

Shaff also said that telecommunications fiber will be installed in front of Hertz Hall, possibly impeding pedestrian traffic between Hertz Hall, Morrison Hall, Kroeber Hall and the Jean Gray Hargrove Music Library.

Below is the map that aggregates all current construction projects in the UC Berkeley campus.

View UC Berkeley construction projects in a larger map

Contact Chase at cschweitzer@dailycal.com

The post Summer construction to close paths around campus appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Michelle Lin/Staff

#TBT, or #ThrowbackThursday, is a common hashtag you will come across on any given Thursday if you’re scrolling through your Instagram feed. And if you’re a Cal student who follows other Cal students on any form of social media, you will come across a number of similar-looking photos of small, innocent looking teenagers in Cal gear in front of the Campanile or Sather Gate.

Ah, the good ol’ days, we think to ourselves. These #TBT photos are representative of what not only college but also Berkeley has done to us in the past two, three or even eight semesters.

Let’s start with all that stuff we miss. Remember when you thought you could get away with eating Top Dog every day without gaining a single pound — you know, when you thought you had the metabolism of a 13-year old boy? Remember when it was okay to not know your major yet? Remember when you thought you were the bee’s knees at writing essays because you aced your first essay in your R1A class?

Well unfortunately, these days are long gone. At this point, you’ve probably become more realistic. You’ve had your fair share of ups and downs at Cal. You’ve seen or been a stressed-out freshman who needed a shoulder to cry on or a little push from a friend to get through midterm season. You’ve gotten through at least one crap-I-forgot-to-bring-my-umbrella-and-there’s-a-f%*ing-monsoon-outside-today day. You got your first C in a class and got over the initial “I-DON’T-BELONG-AT-CAL-HOW-DID-I-EVEN-GRADUATE-HIGH-SCHOOL” reaction … and hopefully, you’ve realized that you do belong here.

These #TBT photos are representative of how much we’ve all changed in such a short span of time. They’re a reminder of what Cal, the courses it has offered us, the professors and the students have been able to teach us so quickly — how we’ve grown so much mentally (and physically — freshman 15, are we right?) because of it.

And don’t forget all that good stuff we’ve gained since those #TBT photos were taken. At this point, you’ve discovered at least one friend who has a car and can take you to Cheese Board all the time! ALL. THE. TIME. Also, you’re probably not fazed anymore by the man who stands in front of Sather Gate and dresses up as an alien covered in toilet paper rolls and aluminum foil. You’ve probably even made friends with the guy outside of Asian Ghetto who plays Michael Jackson songs on repeat from his boom box. You’ve visited San Francisco a number of times with your floormates since your first semester and happily realized that it does not get old like you thought it would.

So when you’re missing your first-semester days, remember that it’s not so bad being a little older. If you’re ever feeling down about it, just tell yourself, “Hey, I’m friends with the guy that dresses like an alien on Sproul,” or “I’m basically friends with that guy who dresses like an Alien on Sproul because he smiles at me every time I pass by him.” And all will be well. Go Bears.

Contact Gabrielle Nguyen at gnguyen@dailycal.org.

The post #TBT to our early Cal days appeared first on The Daily Californian.

For those of you who have successfully maintained a long-distance relationship at Cal, we applaud you. Seriously, bravo. (No, this isn’t sarcasm.) Long-distance relationships can be really tough, and we here at the Daily Clog know exactly what you’re going through. If you’re currently in a long distance relationship and are absolutely, without a doubt, in love with your significant other, we can tell you that we seriously have no idea how you’re doing it — but keep it up! But if you’re contemplating pursuing a long-distance relationship during your time at Cal, we’ve got a couple of things that you should probably keep in mind:

1. Time difference. You have to admit getting a text saying, “OMG, so glad I’m done with my classes today!” just as you’re waking up to the 8 a.m. ringing of the Campanile’s bells would get pretty annoying. Or imagine getting a text that says, “Good morning, sweetie. How’s your day going?” when you’re drunk off of your a$$ down frat row somewhere.

2. When describing Cal to significant others, they’ll be like, “WTF?” As a Cal student, you’ve probably tried to explain things about Berk to some friends who don’t go to Cal and ended up saying, “Sorry … I can’t explain it. It’s a Berkeley thing.” You probably felt like a pretentious douchebag, but you couldn’t help it! It is a Berkeley thing. Imagine trying to explain to your significant other that you couldn’t hear them on a phone because a homeless man on Sproul was angrily preaching to you. And how would you even begin to explain what a Berkeley co-op is like? “Oh, the needle disposals? They were just next to me on the wall while I was peeing! Don’t worry! I’m fine!” Please, be honest with yourself, and imagine what that sounds like on the other end.

3. You’re going to get jealous of your sexually experimental Cal friends very quickly. Here at Cal, we can guarantee that you will make a very diverse group of friends. Of that group, at least one will probably be sexually adventurous and will tell you about the awesome sexcapades that he or she has had. When that happens, you’re bound to grow envious of the amount of action they’re getting compared to you. You could read the Daily Cal’s “Sex on Tuesday” column and attempt to live vicariously through the numerous column writers, but you don’t need us to tell you that it won’t be the same as the real thing.

4. Berkeley love is fun. There are countless fun activities to do around Berkeley, and if you’re in a long-distance relationship, you don’t get the privilege of sharing those activities with your significant other. Think about how fun it would be to lie out on Memorial Glade together, wait forever in line at Ici or ride bikes through campus together while holding hands (only do the last one if you’re coordinated enough).

5. Give some Bears a chance. We’ve got about 36 thousand students at Cal, and within those 36 thousand students, the probability that you’ll find someone physically and emotionally attractive to you is pretty high. That cute girl in your political econ class whose favorite movie is “The Darjeeling Limited” and whose favorite band is Pink Floyd? You can’t have her. That hottie that in your Math 1B discussion who shoots you that alluring grin when you walk into class every Tuesday? You can’t have him. Unless you have already found “the one,” you may be missing out on finding whoever that person is. And that person may very well be a Bear.

If you’ve ever been in a long-distance relationship at Cal, what are some problems you’ve had? Let us know in the comments!

Image source: procsilas under Creative Commons.

Contact Gabrielle Nguyen at gnguyen@dailycal.org.

The post 5 things to consider before you pursue a long-distance relationship at Cal appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Michael Tao/Staff

Hike to the Big C

If you’re a senior and you still haven’t been to the Big C, you are a sad Bear. Now is the time to remediate that. They tell you many things about how great the Big C is: You can take a wonderful hike, you can have sex outdoors, you can have a nice picnic. All of that, sad Bear, is false.

The hike is not wonderful but exhausting and steep. The sex is impossible, especially with handfuls of other Cal students around. And even if you go at an odd hour, it’d just be gross in nature that has been pissed on by too many dogs and just as many humans. You can try to have a nice picnic, but the bugs and dear old nature are sure to get in the way.

But you know what? You haul yourself up there anyway, despite the hike and the bugs and possibility of catching too much PDA. You do it for the view. Instead of describing it for you, I’m going to tell you that it’s well worth it and leave you to find out for yourself.

I add an extra challenge: Scream at the top of your lungs when you get up there. Do it Garden State style. You’ll feel great afterwards. Ignore anyone up there who stares at you and judges you for it. You’re graduating, fellow Bear. You deserve some solid catharsis.

— Lynn Yu

Go to Indian Rock

Perched on a quiet hillside in residential North Berkeley, Indian Rock Park offers a sweeping, unobstructed view of the San Francisco Bay and is a perfect location to structure a workout around. Depending on where you live, the park is most likely on a few miles’ round-trip bike ride or run. And if you’re coming from Southside, the trip can take you on a scenic journey through campus, Northside and the Gourmet Ghetto. The park is also a perfect place for a picnic, so you can easily grab some Cheese Board and bring it up to Indian Rock for an outing or a quick romantic getaway to watch the sunset.

The rock itself is great for climbing — according to the city of Berkeley’s website, Richard Leonard, “father of modern rock climbing,” and David Brower, founder of Friends of the Earth, “learned rock climbing and developed their mountaineering techniques at Indian Rock.” Brower then made World War II training manuals using the skills he learned there. But no matter your purpose for going, the park — located at 950 Indian Rock Ave. — is a must-visit for anyone who wants to see one of the best views of the Bay in its entirety.

— J.D. Morris

Get naked in public
When having an uneventful evening during which one is looking to have fun, there’s always an easily accessible activity that is immature, trashy and reminiscent of high school. Get naked — preferably in a public place, in front of other people you’re not intending to have sex with.

Everyone should experience being naked in a public space — not necessarily to make political statements about body image or sexuality or to feel liberated and sexually free, whatever that means. Everyone should try getting naked with other people in a usually populated location for no other reason than that it’s funny. It’s the small fact that you’re not supposed to be doing it that makes it a fun, cheap thrill. Stomach the fear that someone might see and be uncomfortable — those are the parts that make it a great, hilarious story later.

I’m not telling everyone to frolic stark naked on Memorial Glade during prime time on a sunny afternoon. Do it in a safe space with people you trust who won’t exploit your nudity by posting your goods online — yes, I’m ruling out the naked run, but there are still some clothing-optional cooperatives that uphold safe space rules, including my favorite vegetarian, nudist elves. Going to campus at night with an alcohol jacket to streak or have a dip in a fountain is always memorable.

Berkeley is an awesome place to be naked because most people around here won’t think anything of random nudity. We’re used to seeing weird, quirky things. Bored, ratchet naked college students are hardly the strangest sight we’ll see during our time here. So strip down, chase cheap thrills and walk away with beautiful memories — just be careful not to walk into the Hearst Mining Circle reflecting pool barefoot.

— Nadia Cho

Watch the races at Golden Gate Fields

Any UC Berkeley student who enjoys the perfect combination of fresh air, cheap beer and moderate gambling must go see a horse race at Golden Gate Fields on the edge of the San Francisco Bay.

The best day to go is Sunday, when the racetrack offers its special Dollar Day. As the name suggests, virtually everything is a dollar — admission, parking, hot dogs and, of course, beer. Although AC Transit lines 18 or 52 will get you pretty close, the easiest mode of transportation is driving. Go with a group of friends or a date, grab yourselves a beer and hot dog and watch a few races to get yourself acquainted with the way it works before you place your first bet (hint: Russel Baze wins EVERY time). There are nine races every day, and you can only place bets for a limited amount of time before each one. Betting can be a little confusing for a first-timer, so don’t be afraid to ask for some clarification.

Once the last race has been run or you’ve had your fill of Miller Light, there’s a nice beach nearby where you can sit and watch the sunset or go for a walk on the Albany Bulb to explore its strange art and curious structures — there’s a “public library” consisting of a shack with a small collection of books anyone is free to borrow or contribute to.

For families and college students alike, Golden Gate Fields is a fun, cheap place for everyone to go and enjoy a sunny afternoon by the Bay.

— Adelyn Baxter

Go sliding at Codornices Park

You may have heard of the park in North Berkeley where a long concrete slide offers the fleeting feeling of being a kid again as you shoot down on a piece of old cardboard.

That place is called Codornices Park and is, in fact, one of the quaintest and prettiest spots to spend a few sunny hours in the Berkeley Hills. Head straight up Euclid Avenue from Northside either on the AC Transit 65 line or by foot — although I suggest renting an electric scooter from Green Choice Moto on Bancroft Way and making an afternoon of it. You’ll eventually pass the Berkeley Rose Garden overlooking the Bay on your left side. Just across the street, you’ll find the park, where a playground and basketball court surround the famed slide. By day, you’ll typically find the slide covered in adorable kids enjoying their idyllic Berkeley childhoods. While you can always wait your turn with them, visiting the park by night usually gives you exclusive access, made all the more fun by darkness and the optional addition of alcohol.

Besides the slide, there are some nice picnic areas further back in the park and a hidden waterfall tucked away beyond the creek and up a certain staircase. Try to find it if you can!

— Adelyn Baxter

Go to the top of the Campanile

We have all heard the chime of the bells and the music of the Campanile’s carillon in between classes, but if you haven’t actually been to the top of the tower to hear that music at its origin and look out across the entire San Francisco Bay, then you haven’t really lived.

Visible from miles away — on the ground and from the sky — the Campanile, also known as Sather Tower, is probably UC Berkeley’s most recognized symbol. At 307 feet tall, it is the third-tallest bell tower in the entire world, rising about 30 feet above its counterpart at that school across the bay.

Going to the top of the tower is not a strenuous activity in the least — you just hop into an elevator and walk up a few stairs. And the view is, without a doubt, worth the 20 or so seconds of claustrophobia on the ride up.

You can go alone or go with friends or a date, the lady in the elevator will keep you company on the way up and tell you the history of the nearly 100-year-old tower. Tours of the Campanile are free for UC Berkeley students and the tower is open every day at 10 a.m. until 3:45 p.m. or 4:45 p.m., so there’s no excuse not to go. You can’t leave Berkeley without experiencing its most impressive landmark, so seniors, run over to the esplanade and get in that elevator.

— Stephanie Baer

The post The UC Berkeley graduate’s bucket list appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Now that study mode has kicked in (You’re already hitting the books, right? Right.), we’re all flocking to find a nice study spot to settle into. With laptops, headphones, notes and books at the ready, places like Moffitt or the Academic Services Center become our second home for the week. Though studying is super important, we at the Clog urge you to do more on campus than just slump over a desk all day! Here are some suggestions for creative study breaks that’ll get you out of bed and give your brain a rest:

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.

The post 5 things to do on campus besides studying appeared first on The Daily Californian.