We’ve all been there ““ stuck with an odd bit of time between classes, too short to dive into some work but too long to pass just staring at a wall. What’s a bored Bruin to do? Fortunately, the campus is filled with things to do; they just take a little finding. We looked all over UCLA and came up with eight new ways to turn those annoying breaks in your schedule into an interesting, or just relaxing, step away from school.
1. Picnic in the wilderness
Though UCLA’s modern paved and man-made exterior might make you think otherwise, the campus was once home to a meandering creek strong enough to carve a canyon out of the Westwood landscape. These days, all that is left of Stone Canyon Creek is a small ribbon of water sandwiched between UCLA Anderson School of Management and Sunset Boulevard. Thanks to a recent restoration project, students can now enjoy the small part of the creek not paved over as an odd and overlooked place of natural serenity in the midst of the campus grind. Pack a lunch and hit the creek for a picnic between classes, or just stop by to meditate and clear your mind. Between the sound of the water lazily tumbling over tree roots, the warm rays of light filtering through the trees, and the willows drooping to provide a break from the heat, the creek is likely an unbeatable ““ and easily enjoyed ““ escape.
2. Check out new music
Libraries are usually sterile, quiet places ““ but not all libraries are alike. The UCLA Music Library, located in 1102 Schoenberg, is packed as full of CDs as it is of books. Check out some headphones and dive into the record collection, which spans from the worldly to the classic to the most academic and avant garde. If you’ve ever wanted to find out where the music on the radio comes from, or just how to hear something new guiltlessly and for free, this is the place for you.
3. Stroll through the botanical gardens
With over 5,000 species and seven acres of vegetation, the Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden is not just a living reference for botanists but a breath of fresh air for the uninitiated. Located on Charles E. Young Drive across from the UCLA School of Nursing, the garden is open until sunset most days and is full of winding paths through its surprisingly dense flora. Swing by between classes and take a meandering walk through trees so tightly packed that any school building gets blocked from sight, or cross the bridge over a creek and meet the turtles who thrive in the forested environment. For the true botanists: Check the bloom calendar online (hint: the cherry tree).
4. Flip through old magazines
Rather than just reading new magazines at the bookstore, go to the third floor of the Charles E. Young Research Library and check out old magazines. The library has practically every Time magazine dating back to 1924, so you can catch up on the Great Depression, World War II or Vietnam; economics and politics can be far more fascinating with the perspective of time. The collection of Harper’s Magazines dates back to before 1880, though the really old editions are text heavy with very few interesting pictures. And if you don’t feel like reading, laugh about speak-easies and bomb shelters in The New Yorker’s cartoons from editions that date back to 1928.
5. Study at the Law Library
Among the nine libraries on campus, the Law Library is by far the best place for a quiet study break. During the school year, popular reading spots such as Powell and YRL can get overcrowded with loud study groups and sleeping students taking up more lounge chairs than they should, but you can always count on law students to be awake, strictly silent and hard at work. The facilities inside are gorgeous and pristine, with an open floor layout allowing an enormous amount of space to spread out.
6. Look at famous mathematicians
Sure you can look at pictures at the Fowler Museum, but if you are way over on South Campus, you could also check out the photographs in the Math Sciences Building. Along the hallway of the sixth floor are rows and rows of portraits of notable mathematicians. While most of the photographs are of stern yet intellectual-looking men, some offer more artistic value. Be sure not to miss the fancy glasses of Hermann Minkowski in the picture outside Room 6634. David Hilbert, in his portrait outside Room 6322, sports a floppy hat. And take a second look at Charles-Joseph de la Vallee Poussin, outside of Room 6617 ““ his portrait appears to be of a statue. And further down the hall toward Boelter Hall, the portraits start smiling ““ Marston Morse even shows his pearly whites. See, math can be fun.
7. Wave at the webcam
There is a webcam in the window of Powell Library that looks out to Royce Hall. If you stand on the steps of the library, you can be seen from anywhere in the world. So call your mom, tell her to google “UCLA webcam,” and then wave to her.
8. Admire sports history or play video games
We go to the games, but we don’t always think about the history behind the sports of UCLA today. Visit the J.D. Morgan Intercollegiate Athletics Center, right by the Bruin Bear, to see a miniature museum of retired jerseys, trophies and the changing face of campus athletics. If that’s not enough, there are current sports video games ready to be played, as well as a theater full of video overviews about Bruin sports.