I remember that after my first week at UC Berkeley, I thought I knew all I needed to know to get me through my four years here — don’t step on the university seal, show up 10 minutes after the hour for class, actually go to the office hours of interesting professors. But one day while out and about, I felt that all too familiar urge, and I realized I had no idea where to turn. May this list of clean, unique on-campus bathrooms ensure that no Golden Bear is left without the knowledge of where to go when they gotta go.
Wheeler Hall, third-floor women’s bathroom:
While modern bathrooms are usually outfitted with stainless steel and glass fixtures, this lavatory has got all the charm that comes with age — Wheeler Hall is almost 100 years old! It’s not winning the “cleanest bathroom on campus” award anytime soon, but should you find yourself in Wheeler, skip the first-floor crowded restrooms and use a bathroom complete with wooden stall doors, porcelain free-standing sinks that face one another and a large window that looks out over passing students. Just be sure you enter through the right door: There is both an exit and an entrance door — possible artifacts of a not-so-distant past.
Wheelchair accessible: No
Bancroft Library, first-floor women’s and men’s bathrooms:
Just across the way from the Campanile, Bancroft Library is home to UC Berkeley’s primary special collection of manuscripts, rare books and unique materials. If you have a chance, definitely peruse some of the items on display. But Bancroft Library is also home to one of the cleanest bathrooms on campus. Because of its central location on campus, it is the perfect place for a pit stop after checking out the beautiful views of the bay from Campanile Way and spotting the location of the school’s smallest bear (hint: check out South Hall).
Wheelchair accessible: Yes
Simon Hall, second-floor women’s, men’s and unisex bathrooms:
I object! … to multistalled, dirty bathrooms. It should be a law that anyone — regardless of how they identify — should be able to do the deed comfortably. Unfortunately, all the gender-inclusive restrooms in Simon Hall require key access (see if you can sweet-talk an administrative assistant or young law student) so that only the women’s and men’s restroom is open to the public. For better luck, try the basement bathrooms in Doe Library and the Cesar Chavez Student Center, the single-room restroom (labeled men’s) in Golden Bear Cafe and the women’s and men’s designated single rooms in Moffitt Library next to the Free Speech Movement Cafe.
Wheelchair accessible: Yes
Li Ka Shing Center, first-floor women’s and men’s bathroom:
Unofficially known as one of the nicest buildings on campus, Li Ka Shing Center’s modern amenities are fondly spoken of by those biomedical and health sciences students who have an excuses to go there — and now you do, too. Though the bathrooms are not faceted with huge sheets of glass, they are tiled in floor-to-ceiling blue tiles, eerily clean and fashioned with some space-age looking handless water faucets. When on the west side of campus, check out the life-size cast of a Tyrannosaurus rex fossil in the Valley Life Sciences Building. But when duty calls, take the short trip to Li Ka Shing instead.
Wheelchair accessible: Yes
Campbell Hall, first-floor women’s and men’s bathroom:
If you happen to be strolling along on the east side of campus, check out UC Berkeley’s newest building, Campbell Hall, which houses our astronomy department — then check out its bathrooms. They are super clean, and the subway tiles on the walls and perfectly tepid water that comes from the handless faucets are enough to make any ametuer stargazer (or everyday passer-by) enjoy his or her time on the john.
Wheelchair accessible: Yes
