A group walks past the fountain found on Central Mall. The fountain, in the middle of CI’s campus, serves as a landmark for students, faculty and visitors alike.
Photo courtesy of ASI Marketing
By Madelaine Brown
All photos and graphics by Esmeralda Meckler and Dani Ramirez
Campus spaces favored by students are not always the ones that get passed by every day. Several lesser-known spots across CI provide students with places to study, relax and take breaks between classes. The CI View leadership team shared some of their favorite lesser-known spots on campus and what makes them worth finding. These locations give students a variety of options for studying, relaxing and spending time between classes. A quiet corner among library shelves, an overlooked study room, a courtyard fountain, a secluded garden and a collection of succulents can each offer a different way to experience campus. Included below are maps to each location from the Central Mall fountain.
Kaylee’s cozy corner among the books
For students looking for a quiet place to escape the bustle of campus, the children’s section of the library offers an unexpected retreat. The children’s reading area can be found by entering the Broome Library from the front entrance, walking through the lobby and turning right. After another right turn and a walk past the bathrooms, students will find the children’s book section.
Kaylee Holsworth, a senior English major with a creative writing emphasis, discovered the space during her first semester at CI while exploring campus and searching for somewhere quiet to sit. The combination of colorful children’s books and ground-level seating gives the area a different atmosphere from the traditional library study spaces. “It is not only whimsical with its decorations, but it offers ground seating, which is a rarity on campus,” Holsworth said. Holsworth recommends visiting when the library opens at 8 a.m., when the area is typically quiet and students can have the space largely to themselves. Cold mornings are her favorite time to visit, providing a chance to escape the weather outside and settle into the cozy surroundings.
Chelsea’s overlooked study space on the third floor
For students with long breaks between classes, finding a productive place to spend those hours can be a challenge. Chelsea Grandpre, a senior communication major with an emphasis in organizational communication, found her solution on the third floor of Gateway Hall, where the study rooms provide a quieter alternative to some of the more heavily trafficked areas on campus. Gateway Hall sits north of the Central Mall fountain.
Grandpre discovered the study rooms after having a class in the building and needing somewhere to spend a two-hour break. The room became a regular study spot for her. “I found that I could sit there and even eat lunch and get my work done efficiently because I had no outside distraction,” Grandpre said. The late afternoon is the best time to visit, according to Grandpre, when fewer students tend to use the third floor. However, students looking for guaranteed quiet may want to avoid the middle of the day during finals season, when study spaces become more crowded.
Madelaine’s peaceful courtyard
Madelaine Brown, a senior studio arts major with a minor in performing arts, found the most central part of campus can also be the quietest. Her favorite spot, located at the center of Bell Tower’s main hallway, between South Quad and North Quad, is the building’s courtyard. The space features benches, plants and a fountain that creates a calm atmosphere when it is running.
For Brown, the courtyard is an ideal place to eat breakfast, study, or simply enjoy the beginning of the day. In the morning, sunlight reaches the tops of the surrounding buildings while birds and butterflies become more noticeable around the courtyard’s landscaping. The space is especially peaceful between 8 and 9 a.m., before the heavier foot traffic of the day begins. Spring is her favorite time to visit, when flowers bloom, temperatures equalize and energy is more exciting among the student body. “The courtyard can become less comfortable around midday, when the sun is high and shade is limited,” Brown said. For those willing to arrive early, however, the courtyard offers a rare opportunity to experience a quieter side of one of the busiest areas on campus.
Esme’s quiet swing escape
Behind the Recreation Center, across from Anacapa Village, sits in the swing and therapy garden. The secluded area is accessible from the trail behind Aliso Hall and provides a quieter alternative to the more populated areas of campus.
Esme Meckler, a sophomore psychology major on the pre-nursing track with a minor in studio art, discovered the garden after her fiancé took her there following a class. What began as an unfamiliar corner of campus became a place she could return to when she needed time away from school and other responsibilities. “I felt like my thoughts were able to quiet down and I was able to decompress,” Meckler said. The garden is rarely crowded, making it a place where students can walk, sit, swing or simply spend time alone. Meckler recommends visiting during the fall and winter, when temperatures are cooler. Around sunset, the garden becomes particularly scenic as the sky changes colors. The combination of the swings, quiet surroundings and sunset makes the garden a natural place to slow down after a long day.
Dani’s garden above the classroom
For Dani Ramirez, a senior psychology major with a studio arts minor, her favorite campus spot is located just steps away from where she spent much of her freshman year. The succulent garden on the second floor of Sierra Hall became a regular stop between Dani’s psychology classes. Students can reach it from the fountain by taking the stairs or using the elevator inside Sierra Hall to the second floor.
The garden features a variety of succulents, something Ramirez particularly enjoys as someone who keeps succulents at home. “I love succulents, I really enjoy looking at the different textures, colors and shapes that each one has,” Ramirez said. The garden also provides a welcome change from spending hours inside an air-conditioned classroom. During breaks, Dani would often sit in the garden and call her aunt or grandmother to catch up on what was happening at home. Spring and summer are the best seasons to visit, when some of the succulents begin to flower.
