Sometimes, we all just need to starfish in the grass. As school gets hard, you get tired and your skin gets paler. And your body yearns for the warmth of our beautiful star, the sun. It becomes imperative that you reconnect with your primordial roots — hunter-gatherers, neanderthals and grandparents who trekked the Sahara to get to school. Luckily for you, we have our very own Saharas of grass and green right here in the Bay!
Hike the Clark Kerr Fire Trails for some taller grass to starfish in
You might find yourself lost in the greenery, feeling like a fairy and fearing for the coyote you swear you saw around the corner. But if this is truly your time, at least it’ll be among the trees.
For an underrated place on campus, head to the Valley Life Sciences Building
With green surrounding you in all directions and the eucalyptus grove nearby, there are places aplenty to touch some grass. Relax your tired mind, ignore the couple displaying far too much PDA and splay.
If you’re tired of Berkeley’s green scene, take advantage of BayPass
BayPass provides free public transportation for all UC Berkeley students across all nine Bay Area counties. Venture on BART into San Francisco and take a bus up to the Legion of Honor, where you can begin the Lands End Trail. In addition to beautiful views of the Bay and grand expanses of nature, you can catch a glimpse of the Golden Gate Bridge on a clear day. Don’t worry; there are plenty of areas to take a quick starfish break on this hike — especially when you reach the fields at the end.
While in the area, take the opportunity to stop by Golden Gate Park
There’s a high chance you will have to pretend you’re the only fella in town and ignore the passerby for a solid starfish. In the end, it’ll be worth it to bask in the natural glow of the flower gardens and unpredictable San Francisco weather.
After making your way back to Berkeley, set up a cute picnic on the Crescent Lawn
This luscious lawn resides in front of the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. Since this area is mostly clear, it’s usually quite sunny — the perfect place for sunbathing and starfishing.
Stellar students need their rest, vitamin D and the occasional posture correction. Finding spots to destress and take a break is a crucial part of a UC Berkeley education. Not only will it give you an excuse to start living out your gorpcore Pinterest board, but it will also build your starfishing muscles.