Quiet Spots Around Cal
Where to Go When You Need Some Quiet at Cal
Berkeley is a busy place. Tests, social events, roommates, and relationships can pile up demands on you until you’re completely stressed out. Sometimes it’s a good idea to get away from it all and find a quiet place to clear your mind or (at the very least) get some good work done.
To make things a little less stressful we’ve pulled together this collection of spots that are perfect for escaping the chaos of Cal.
Haas Business Library
Maybe it’s the location far on the Eastern side of campus, but the Haas Business Library is a hidden gem when it comes to finding quiet spots on campus to reflect or study. Especially during midterms and finals, it can be a challenge to find a spot to get work done and focus, but the Haas library almost always has plenty of space. When it’s not a busy part of the school season the place is often completely dead. This means you can often grab a table or a quiet corner all to yourself and not have to worry about dragging chairs, loud study groups, and all of the other annoyances that you’d find in most other Berkeley libraries.
The Graduate Theological Union
The Graduate Theological Union (GTU) is a quiet pocket of campus about two blocks from Berkeley’s North gate. It offers great views of the Bay Area as well as plenty of grass and benches to relax on. A lot of people tend to bring their dogs up there too which makes it even more of a therapeutic experience for animal lovers. The low levels of foot traffic make this a fantastically quiet spot if you need an immediate escape from the chaos of campus only a few blocks away.
Berkeley Rose Garden
The city’s most beloved spot to reflect (especially around sundown). This can make the Berkeley Rose Garden crowded at times but still surprisingly quiet. Most people are there for the quiet so you’ll be in good company. You can either hang out at the overlook that offers up some wonderful views of the Bay Area or you can go deeper into the garden area itself and wander around the paths to get lost in your own head. It’s a pretty quick walk from the Northern side of campus to get here and a beautiful spot to get away from it all.
Berkeley Public Library
With so many libraries available on campus, the Berkeley Public Library tends to be ignored by much of the student population. This presents a great opportunity for those looking for a quiet place indoors to study or just think. It’s extremely peaceful, clean, and comfortable inside. The interior architecture is also impressive (particularly parts of the old library that were left after the renovation). It’s a great place to get some work done in quiet if you want to get away from campus for a while.
Babette Cafe
The new Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA) in downtown Berkeley has a nice little cafe called Babette right off of Center street. Because the museum is still a bit new to the area it means its cafe is a but unknown to a good part of the campus. If you like to get your work done in cafes but want to avoid the crowds and sounds of the popular and Berkeley spots then this place is what you’re looking for. Don’t be discouraged by its presence inside the museum. No ticket is required to enter (and as a student entry is free to the museum already). In addition to an escape from the sounds of Berkeley, Babette offers a great selection of drinks and snacks and you can always explore the museum for some quiet entertainment after you’re done with the cafe.
Now You’re Ready to Take Time for Yourself
Berkeley is a busy place and it can definitely get to you after a while. That’s why it’s always a good idea to take a step back, focus on yourself, and find a quiet place you can escape to. This guide can help you do just that. Remember, you can always find this guide and many other useful community lists on the Gojurn app (available for iOS and Android). If you know of any other great spots for quiet and reflection in Berkeley you think others would enjoy let us know here.