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Davis, California

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Cap and Gown List

Last weekend, my cousin Ali came to stay with me. While I’d like to think her visit was prompted exclusively by a desire to hang out with the coolest cousin ever, I think the impetus might also have included checking out Davis as an option when she applies to college.

We had a great time exploring campus, but showing her around made me think about the wonderful things and places that I’m going to miss come the end of this, my last, year.

So, I decided to walk around campus and appreciate all the places we all take for granted.

Here are some of my favorites (I only have so many column inches; this is by no means exhaustive):

The Arboretum: The Arboretum is the on-campus equivalent of an escape.

You can spread out a blanket, have a picnic, take a long walk or go feed the ducks (careful: my friends and I did that once and got swarmed. I still have nightmares). It’s the most relaxing place on campus and a great alternative to the chaos of bike circles and the Coho sandwich line.

The ARC: A state of the art workout facility, a rock wall, an indoor track, badminton courts and countless amazing classes make the ARC incomparable in its fabulousness. All it takes is a swipe of the ID card to get to everything it offers … gotta love the perks of tuition!

CAPS (Counseling & Psychological Services): Everyone has bad days. Sometimes a lot of bad days get strung together, but CAPS can help. They offer drop-in counseling, appointment counseling, group therapy, and a variety of self-help options if you’re finding it hard to make it through alone. You can also go in for guidance if you have a friend in need and you’re not sure what to do. Admitting you need help is the first step to getting it. Head into the building adjacent to the quad, and CAPS can help you with the rest.

The Coho: If spending too much time and money in one place is a felony, I plead guilty for my Coho crime. It’s fabulous and has prices so low you won’t require a government bailout. Between the bagels, sandwiches, hot food line (which you can call for that day’s featured items!), the salad bar, and the tex mex grill, the only problem is decision-making. My personal favorite is the Bakery; I recommend the chocolate chip banana cake. Special bakery shout out to the Coho employees who give us an extra jolt to get us though 2-hour lectures!

The House: Bill Withers was right; we all need someone to lean on. While CAPS is fantastic, and I can’t recommend their services more enthusiastically, The House provides a comfort that cannot be equaled: the support of your peers. There are times when the benefits of talking to someone your own age simply cannot be rivaled. They’re located conveniently on campus and the staff is always friendly and willing to help.

Learning Skills Center: Classes are hard, but the LSC, located upstairs in Dutton Hall, is there to help. Chemistry, writing, calculus and more: there are tutors there during the day to assist you with the classes you’re having difficulties in. Students helping students.how fab is that?

The Quad: The Quad in the springtime is one of my favorite places to be: students with Frisbees, drinking iced coffee, having deep discussions while sprawled out with their best friends. In all the college movies and TV shows, the quad is always the place to be. Seeing students gather on our quad makes me feel like I’m living the real college life.

Student Disability Center: If you find yourself facing challenges beyond those of normal college life, the SDC can be a safe haven. Over by the Silo, it provides a safe-haven and help to those who need a little extra assistance. Be it a learning disability, a physical disability, or any other hardship you’re facing, the people in the SDC are kind, sensitive to student’s needs, and extraordinarily willing to help.

Women’s Resources & Research Center: This place is wonderful. It hosts dozens of programs to benefit women, ranging from the recent Vagina Monologues to empowerment lectures. It’s a one-stop shop for any and all female related issues.

 

EMILY KAPLAN wants to know your favorite place on campus. E-mail her at eckaplan@ucdavis.edu.

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