We recently went on a Cal visit —a trip to the University of California, Berkeley— and saw lots of bears and many beautiful buildings.
It was quite an afternoon.
We had a high school basketball player with us checking out the school and watching, well, the Cal-UCLA basketball game.
I hadn’t been on the campus in years.
(The last time I visited was for a UCLA-Cal football game. I got so excited when I heard a marching band during our visit; I ran up to Sather Square to see it.
(It was the “wrong” band for me, but I felt the music and bounce in my knees and marched up the hill with them, anyway. It was just like old times!)
But on that recent spring day, I felt older and more detached.
That may be the reason why I was amused to see all the bears–who, of course, are Cal’s mascot.
Why bears and lions at the Cal visit?
The California grizzly bear is the state of California’s mascot — it appears on the California state flag.
We don’t run into bears in the wild here anymore; they’ve been extinct in the state for years.
But grizzly bears once roamed freely through the Northern California mountains and challenged gold miners after the 1849 Gold Rush.
Once farmers and ranchers moved in, the bears became too dangerous for people and livestock alike. (The largest one killed weighed 2200 pounds–or more than a ton).
But their feistiness and power remained a draw, and the grizzly bear became the state mascot in 1953.
A grizzly bear (you can tell it’s a grizzly by the hump behind the ears) appears on the California State flag.
What kind of bears do you see on a Cal visit?
Metal, plastic, stained glass, T-shirts, everywhere!
Why?
The University of California, Berkeley, was California’s first state-sponsored university.
Founded in 1868 as the state’s first land-grant university, it’s long been considered California’s premier college.
(Though this University of California, Los Angeles alum might beg to differ. Established in 1931, UCLA was the #2 California university; hence, our mascot is a baby bear, or a bruin!)
You can’t spend much time with Cal graduates (we have eight in our extended family) without hearing their favorite chant, “Go, Bears!”
(We recently attended a wedding between two Cal athletes. “Go, Bears” was a frequent toast. It may even have been part of the ceremony . . . )
Anyway, during our Cal visit, I amused myself by looking for the bears.
(The prospective student wanted to see the engineering buildings.)
They were everywhere, and it was a fun version of “Where’s Waldo?” on a pretty afternoon.
What else besides bears?
The beautiful campus contains stunning views, beautiful buildings, and a creek running down the middle.
Built on an eastern hill overlooking San Francisco Bay, the views from the top were spectacular on a gorgeous day.
Construction continues across campus, and fencing students regaled onlookers on the lawn near the student center.
Our youngster fit right in.
Just before we entered Haas Pavilion for the game, we paused, one last time, to admire the view while our guide discussed the university’s many famous and accomplished graduates. (The list included her and five of her children!)
I’ve visited the campus a few times over the years to do research in their libraries.
Frankly, just walking around campus made me feel young again.
(Especially when UCLA won the game!)
Whether you’re looking to attend, wanting to do research, or curious about the views, a Cal visit on a beautiful spring day is a lovely way to spend an afternoon.
Thoughts? Reactions? Lurker?