Sometimes being a Berkeley student can be hard. But the little things we first saw when we fell in love with the campus can remind us why we chose to go to Berkeley. Here’s a list of some small things I see around Berkeley that bring me joy to help you cope with another long round of midterms. 

People walking their dogs on campus 

Even if I may have had a long day of classes, it always makes me smile when I see someone walking their dog on campus — especially when the dog seems so happy and excited to be around a lot of people. It’s so cute! Although most times I don’t stop to pet the dogs out of respect for their owner, it always brightens my day because it takes me out of the many stresses I might have. On the weekend, there are always a bunch of people walking their dogs. So, if you haven’t taken a nice walk on a weekend morning and you love animals, you definitely should so you can see all the cute puppies!

Performing arts clubs practicing on Sproul

If you have night classes, you might’ve seen some of the performing arts clubs practicing on Sproul. Whether it be the japanese drumming ensemble or the swing dancing club, I always love seeing people practice and share the things that they love to perform. Even though I’m not talented when it comes to music or dance, I find it encouraging to see others pursuing and practicing what they love, and it gives me the motivation to practice what I love doing too. 

The Campanile at night

When I first visited Berkeley, the Campanile at night was a view I remembered the most. Four years later, I am still in awe of the Campanile and how pretty it is at nighttime, especially when it’s lit up with blue and yellow lights for Big Game weeks. The campus in general is always super pretty at night, so I would definitely recommend going on a nighttime walk with a friend if you haven’t seen the campus lit up at night recently. 

The Golden Gate Bridge from a distance 

One of the main reasons I chose Berkeley was because of how close it was to a major city like San Francisco, which is why seeing the Golden Gate Bridge is always something I love! If you’re ever in some taller buildings like the patio on the fifth floor of Eshleman, the top of the campanile or the top floor of the Upper Hearst Parking Lot, you can see the Golden Gate from a distance. That view always inspires me because of how beautiful it is, and makes me think about what living in a big city might be like after I graduate! 

I hope these small things that I find joy in seeing around campus help you appreciate the things that make Berkeley special. Always remember that it’s important to find joy in your day, even if it was really stressful. Next time you’re on campus, I hope you get to appreciate these things as much as I do!