Unpopular opinion: I believe the media should start highlighting the details and niche aspects of college campuses. I already know UC Berkeley is one of the best public schools in the nation and that they have questionable dining hall food. However, what about the small stuff that distinguishes the campus, whether for better or worse? Here are a few for you!
You will get yelled at and followed on Sproul.Â
Getting yelled at and sometimes even being followed on Sproul was part of my everyday routine. It may seem like an exaggeration, but to many UC Berkeley students who walk Sproul every day, this is normal. Almost every time I’ve walked on Sproul Lane to get to any part of the campus, there’s always someone tabling.
The one thing about tabling is that there will always be someone trying to yell at you to take their flyers and trust me, some will even follow you all the way from Lower Sproul to Sather Gate. So, if you’re looking to walk the red carpet by getting yelled at to take flyers on Sproul, Berkeley’s campus is the way to go.Â
The tours are no joke.Â
Typically, if you’re on campus for an extended amount of time, you’ll find a few groups being led on a tour by a UC Berkeley student, worker, etc. I’ve seen my fair share and even had to walk through some to get to my lectures.
However, and I’m sure this isn’t a normal thing, at one point I was walking to my Philosophy lecture and was yelled at by a dad to move out of the way so he could get a good picture of the Campanile. The humongous bell tower was apparently blocked by my five-foot stance. Mind you, all I was doing was walking to Evans Hall like every other student. I guess it’s safe to say, don’t get in the way of a dad wanting a good picture, because you will get screamed at. It’s definitely not a Berkeley norm, but ultimately, a super niche detail.Â
Moffitt seats = camping for a concert.Â
One of my favorite libraries on campus is Moffit, which also happens to be everyone else’s favorite. The thing with Moffit however, is that even though it has five floors, each floor is limited when it comes to good seating. There are tons of chairs, but not enough of those spots have good cushions and powered outlets.
So, a lot of time, if you want a good Moffit seat, you have to get to the library a lot earlier than you’d expect, before a majority of classes are done and suddenly Moffit is full. The irony is that Moffit seats are like camping for a concert to have a good view in the pit. A long waiting game for temporary happiness.Â
UC Berkeley is a super niche environment, and the campus has so much more to offer than what’s advertised on most websites. While camping for a seat isn’t the most joyous part of my day, walking the Sproul runway definitely makes up for it. In a way, these small attributes play into real-life scenarios as you never know when you’ll have to photobomb someone’s picture.