One of my favorite parts of the UC Berkeley campus is the mix of scenery you can find all within a 5 minute walk. It is easy to go from the urban streets to nature to being surrounded by gorgeous campus architecture, all within a few minutes. After taking a semester abroad and coming back to campus, I found myself struck at just how beautiful the Berkeley campus is. The large white buildings, that towered over me as I walked through campus, made me feel a peculiar sense of inspiration and pride. I missed having such pretty views on my walks to class.
Walking around Berkeley in the spring time, you can’t help but notice all of the natural beauty everywhere. From blooming flowers to gorgeous hikes, the nature, even in the city and on campus, always puts a smile on my face. The mix of nature into the campus and surrounding hill side is probably one of my favorite parts of Berkeley. It is a nice breath of fresh air to be able to sit on a grassy patch of campus or take a hike into the hills when you’re stressed.
This is a photo of one of my favorite Berkeley hikes which is conveniently located right behind Clark Kerr Campus, one of the student residences. The Berkeley Fire Trails have gorgeous views of the Bay and San Francisco, and on a clear day you can see the sunset over the golden gate bridge. Last semester, I would go on this hike a few times a week because I loved it so much, and the hikes in Berkeley are definitely one of the things I missed the most when I was away for a semester.
However, you do not actually have to leave campus to be surrounded by nature. There is a creek, Strawberry Creek (said to smell like strawberries) that runs through campus. Along with this creek comes patches of nature and beautiful grassy spaces all throughout campus. This is a picture of some trees I found in the middle of campus and is one of my favorite areas of nature on the campus because of its sheer scale and beauty.
The Campanile is one of the most iconic buildings on campus and a good marker for where you are on campus. There is an observation deck at the top of it in which you can see the whole campus, the Bay, and surrounding cities. It is another one of my favorite places to go to get a breath of fresh air and have a quick break between classes. Best of all, it’s free to go up for students!
UC Berkeley never disappoints with its beauty, and I can’t wait until we can all go back and enjoy this beautiful campus.
