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Friday, March 29, 2024

The Editorial Board shares why we’re glad to be back

It’s the little things

Anjini Venugopal, Editor-in-Chief

In what may come as a shock to the biking community here in Davis, I’ve always been more of a walking gal. Even in the heyday of my biking, there would regularly be days on which I’d choose to make the trek from Giedt Hall to Young Hall on foot instead. I’m no Olympic speed walker, but Google Maps claims it takes 14 minutes and I can get there in under 10. On some days, my walks are more of a trudge than a stroll, but I’ve missed the feeling of hauling myself and my trusty tote bags from point A to point B, waving to friends hurtling by on their bikes and sipping some CoHo cold brew on my way.

Margo Rosenbaum, Managing Editor

After a year and a half of online instruction, I’m so excited to be back on campus. As UC Davis students, we’re lucky that our school has some truly incredible natural spaces. Some of my favorite moments so far in college have been spent outdoors, whether it’s having a picnic with a friend in the Arboretum, visiting the baby animals at the various animal science barns, walking through the Redwood Grove or just taking a quick nap in the grass outside the MU. I’ve missed these outdoor spaces, and I’m so glad I can spend my last year at Davis soaking up the sun on this beautiful, nature-filled campus. 

Sophie Dewees, Campus News Editor

While I was able to continue many of my activities online last year, choir wasn’t something that could be sufficiently replaced by any digital platform. Singing on Zoom with your microphone muted, unable to hear anyone but yourself seems antithetical to the true purpose of choir — creating music with others. I have spent more than half of my life sight-reading and harmonizing with other singers, and last year was the first in the past 10 that I was unable to attend an in-person rehearsal. This fall, I’m so excited to once again sing with other students who don’t mind standing for hours repeating intricate lines of music because they are just as passionate as I am about joining together in song.

Maddie Payne, City News Editor

Davis in October is how I imagined college in fall to feel like. The warm afternoons start to develop a slight chill as Halloween creeps closer, campus is bustling with students settling back into their class schedules and the gorgeous trees that line the Quad and bike paths slowly mature into their autumn colors. For me, the onset of fall is most noticeable as I’m biking to lecture in the early evening, when the late light trickles through the oak leaves and casts a beautiful glow on the whole campus, and it reminds me just how grateful I am to be spending this year in person.  

Eden Winniford, Opinion Editor

I love spending my breaks between classes exploring campus and finding new favorite spots to study, hang out and take naps. I’m always on the hunt for the calmest study rooms and most interesting gardens. Even when I’m not looking for anything in particular, it’s fun just wandering through random buildings and scouting out what students in different departments are working on, from sculptures and paintings in the Art Building to playable video game demos in the C.N. Gorman Museum. And best of all is showing these secret spots to my friends, who always get a kick out of seeing whatever new place I’ve discovered that week. 

Katie DeBenedetti, Features Editor

During the pandemic, it became a part of my daily routine to walk through the Arboretum and sit down on the empty Quad, one of the things I missed most not being on campus for classes. I remember thinking that things would feel “back to normal” when the Quad was full of the groups of people lounging between classes, tossing a frisbee back and forth or napping in the hammocks like I was accustomed to seeing pre-pandemic. Coming onto campus on the first day of classes last week, things might not have felt normal, but the Quad was full of students catching up and killing time between classes, which made sitting down on the grass after a long day feel pretty close.

Allie Bailey, Arts and Culture Editor

There are a lot of reasons to love Davis and being back in person again, but I think what I’ve missed most is the simple joy of running into people. Whether it’s a quick wave as you cross paths in a bike circle or an impromptu study date turned hour-long catch-up, interacting with people face to face can be the difference between a hard day and a great one. I so look forward to seeing familiar faces, and to seeing new faces that aren’t yet familiar, but soon will be.

Omar Navarro, Sports Editor

In what might be shocking to hear (it’s not), my absolute favorite thing about being back in Davis is something as simple as being able to get back to sporting events. While in remote instruction, we were barred from attending these games so having the opportunity to be back is something I don’t take for granted. Whether it is a football, soccer or volleyball game, they are some of the best environments to go to even if you aren’t a big fan. The feeling of walking into a stadium or arena and getting the sense of excitement for the game to be played is what I missed the most about being back in Davis. 

Michelle Wong, Science Editor

Whether I’ve had a hard day or just need a fresh start, the view of the sunrise from Hutchinson Parking Lot never disappoints. The worries of tomorrow seem to disappear into a gradient of grey, pink and orange as I soak in the morning air. This phenomenon happens gradually and then all at once — just when you think the sun has fully risen and morning has come, you are engulfed by a warm glow that illuminates the entire sky. But above all, nothing beats enjoying a beautiful view with people you care about. 

Written by: The Editorial Board

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