The many ways to enjoy UC Berkeley
Outside of the busy student life within the classrooms on UC Berkeley’s campus, there is so much to do throughout the city and its surrounding areas. Students experience the fun of Berkeley in many ways, including going to football games, hiking in the Berkeley Hills, and hanging out with friends.
To help you figure out different ways you can have fun, we asked some UC Berkeley students how they spend their time outside of the classroom.
Explore nature in Berkeley
“During fall semester, I loved attending Cal football games and rallies, seeing movies with friends in Emeryville, and trying different food places around campus. In the spring I loved having picnics on the Glade, hiking in the Berkeley Hills, and taking day trips to San Francisco!” —Rachel Holmes, Class of 2026, majored in media studies and minored in theater & performance studies
“I’ve had a lot of fun exploring the nature around Cal and the Bay Area recently. I’ve been on many hikes in the Clark Kerr Fire Trails, a couple in San Francisco and the Oakland Hills, Mount Tamalpais State Park, and (while this isn’t in the Bay Area), I recently took a trip with the Astrophotography at Berkeley (AaB) club to Yosemite National Park for hiking!” —Milana Berhe, Class of 2028, majoring in astrophysics and political science and minoring in creative writing
(Left) Milana posing inside a tree at Mount Tamalpais State Park. (Right) Milana and her friends enjoying sandwiches on a log in Yosemite in front of Lower Yosemite Falls.
Spend time with friends
“I love to spend quality time with my friends. I also love trying different coffee shops and other spots around Berkeley. I’m excited to continue exploring the Berkeley area and to get to know more people in my major.” —Shae Cogswell, Class of 2029, majoring in English
“My friends and I really enjoy cooking big meals and desserts. We’ve recreated the Vodka Sicilian pizza from Artichoke Basille’s, mushroom cream sauce pasta from Olive Garden, and more. We’re currently working our way through our super long list of recipes we’ve found on social media, but we’ve already made a couple like chocolate ganache crepe cake, homemade Crunchwrap Supremes, churros, and more!” —Milana Berhe, Class of 2028, majoring in astrophysics and political science and minoring in creative writing
(Top) Shae, second front left, with her floormates. (Bottom) Milana’s meal with friends!
Have fun in academic spaces
“Since joining the Undergraduate Astronomy Society, I’ve found myself surrounded by many people who are trained on the Astronomy Department’s telescopes or their own, personal ones. On clear nights, we sometimes pull them out and look at objects in the sky!” —Milana Berhe, Class of 2028, majoring in astrophysics and political science and minoring in creative writing
“I have fun at UC Berkeley by enjoying events around campus hosted by communities that I love, like the Asian Pacific American Student Development (APASD) Center. I also have fun at UC Berkeley by exploring the Bay Area like Oakland, San Francisco, and Walnut Creek.” —Isabelle Lee, Class of 2027, majoring in sociology and minoring in education
(Top left) Isabelle spending time with friends on campus! (Bottom left) Milana and her friends at the Richard Treffers dome telescope to look around at some of the objects in our celestial sphere. They ended the night with a big group hug to say goodbye to their lovely senior friends. (Right) Isabelle at a community event at the APASD Center.
Take advantage of campus events
“This upcoming fall at UC Berkeley, I’m looking forward to all the random side quests and adventures with my friends, whether it’s attending the free concerts hosted by SUPERB on campus, driving up to Grizzly Peak, hiking the Fire Trails and admiring the view of the Bay while the sun sets, or staying up until 2 a.m. playing board games.” —Isabel Lindsley Banayad, Class of 2026, majored in integrative biology and minored in clinical and counseling psychology
“I love attending the sporting events here at Cal! The Big Game against Stanford and other late-night, home football games are something every student should experience at least once. I also like attending basketball games. A lot of the sports events at Cal are free for students too, so it is perfect for having fun without spending money.” —Ethan Teeguarden, Class of 2027, majoring in English and minoring in journalism
Events like the Big Game between Cal and Stanford (top left), the Cal x San Francisco Giants night (bottom left), and the petting zoo on Memorial Glade (right) are great for having fun with friends!
Get out and have fun!
Whether you are exploring nature, participating in campus events, or hanging out with friends, there is something for everyone at UC Berkeley. I hope these student anecdotes are helpful in giving you ideas and the courage to get out and have fun yourself!
Ethan Teeguarden, Class of 2027, is majoring in English and minoring in journalism.
Want more?
- Explore the Bay Area to see different places to experience.
- Read some advice on making friends at UC Berkeley.
- Research financial aid tips so you can have the budget for fun!