The start of every year at UC Berkeley brings unique joys and challenges, but this fall is beginning like never before. The coronavirus pandemic has upended the lives of students and faculty, moved all coursework online and quieted our usually hectic campus.
Yet the semester still goes on. Here, you’ll find unconventional reflections on an unconventional orientation, from tips for Zoom classes and online hangouts with friends to campus resources you can utilize virtually.
Whether you’re living in Berkeley or all the way across the globe, we hope this issue brings a slice of campus life into your home. We may be spending this fall in the cloud, but we Bears can still find a way to make the semester special.
The 10 Zoom commandments
I suggest treating your microphone like a firearm, making sure not to point it anywhere that you would not like it to go off.
— Luke Stiles
The last first
Even though this last first day is the end of something, it isn’t the end of everything between UC Berkeley and me. And one fine day, we will meet again.
— Hanna Lykke
A guide to COVID-19 testing in Berkeley
Given the movement into and around the city of Berkeley, many may be wondering if or how they should get tested.
— Surina Khurana
5 student-favorite restaurants open for takeout, delivery
Support local restaurants while staying safe with these takeout and delivery options beloved by UC Berkeley students.
— Claire Daly
Berkeley’s my home through and through
I couldn’t go home because this is my home now and until I graduate. The comfort of Berkeley is more than enough to make me want to stay.
— Gisselle Reyes
A guide to the stages of grief caused by sports cancellations
If you’re a sports fan, you can relate to the whirlwind of emotions brought on by the frequent rescheduling that college sports and major sporting leagues have done these past few months.
— Mia Horne
Starting the year as an international student amid COVID-19
Fall 2020 will be an uneasy semester, especially if you’re an incoming international student. But remember that sometime in the future, you’ll experience the college life you always imagined.
— Eriko Yamakuma
Quarantine in shape: How to stay active when the RSF is closed
Some of us are pining for the Recreational Sports Facility and other gyms to open up again, but there are plenty of ways to get creative with home workouts.
— Lucas Perkins-Brown
Birds of a feather: Why UC Berkeley school spirit is bigger than our physical campus
While this campus’s enchanting spell has taken hold of my heart and those of many others, it would be nothing without the brilliant people who make it up.
— Emily Ohman
Months of postponement and patience, with my parents
A university experience, albeit in a less conventional space this year, is up for redefinition — and that doesn’t have to be a bad thing.
— Francesca Hodges
UC Berkeley resources you can access virtually
This list of campus resources is not exhaustive but includes a variety of areas that will be offering services remotely.
— Kate Finman
Berkeley on the big screen: A watchlist for a remote semester
There are a handful of films famously shot in Berkeley and the greater East Bay.
— Olive Grimes
Don’t fall out of touch this fall semester: Try these new ways to socialize
Here are some fun new ways — online and in person — to connect with friends this fall!
— Taila Lee
The way we were
After three years of laying down our roots, senior year was meant to be our reward, our fully sprouted tree.
— Zara Khan
