As a college student, chances are you spend most of your day playing Tetris with your Google Calendar. Upon trying to include academics, extracurriculars, a social life and downtime into a limited 24 hours, you may not even think about when and where you should refill your water bottle. But drinking water remains essential \u2014 not only for our survival, but also to support many functions like digestion, cognition and temperature regulation. Don\u2019t forget! To truly unleash your academic weaponry and feel your best, you need all of these biological functions working in your favor. Not sure where the best water fountain or refill station is located? Water you waiting for? Follow along for reviews of water stations around campus.<\/p>\n
The Gateway<\/p>\n
Tucked into a cozy corner just past the front desk and the elevators that lead up to the event center, this station is the epitome of strategic placement. If you\u2019re trudging up from the basement after a discussion section, salvation is right across the walkway from the top of the stairs. Because the Gateway just opened this fall to students, the filters are pristine and practically untouched. The water refill features a manual button so you can control exactly when you want the water to start and stop filling up your bottle \u2014 no more waiting for automatic sensors to catch up! Take the time to align your water bottle with the spout, as there is no traditional drain underneath. If you rush, you\u2019ll risk a splash. Your patience will be worth it, as the water is remarkably fresh and cold. If you bring an insulated water bottle, you can maintain the temperature and taste wherever you go! Better yet, the wall is far away from your water bottle, so you don\u2019t need to worry about your hand or any accessories on your hands or wrist touching it. Hygiene is always key. There is usually no line, and even if there is, it\u2019s typically just one person, so this fountain has won my heart over. Before you head out, enjoy a sip while soaking in the sleek, futuristic aesthetic of the building architecture.<\/p>\n
MLK Student Union<\/p>\n
When I first visited the student union, the vibrant Basic Needs Center mural intrigued me, making me stop to admire all of the colors and dynamic lines on the wall. For a moment, the mural had actually quenched my thirst, as I nearly forgot I was there to find a water station. To my surprise, I stumbled upon a refill station on the opposite side of the walkway as I looked around. I immediately noticed the mat underneath the station, which I thought was pretty considerate of whoever put it there. Because space is a little tight, wider water bottles risk bumping against the back panel, and it may feel a bit clunky to operate. Unfortunately, my fellow HydroJug, 30 oz Stanley and Hydro Flask users, this station may not be the one for you. With a powerful water pressure, the fountain was just like a magic wand, filling up my bottle in the blink of an eye. Sadly, the pressure was a bit too strong, and the water splashed right over the brim. In that moment, I completely understood why someone put a mat beneath my feet. Overall, this fountain is solid, but practice is essential to avoid making a mess.<\/p>\n
Doe Library<\/p>\n
After entering Doe Library, walk straight past the front desk, continue past the statue of Mark Twain, make a left turn and follow the path to my next recommendation. This time, the water fountain was a traditional one, so it did not have a sensor-based refill fountain. Although the water fountain may be small, the height of the water stream is decently far away from the water spout, so you don\u2019t need to worry that your mouth will touch it. Also conveniently located on the fountain was a tap with a gentle flow. I suppose you could theoretically fill your water bottle using that tap, but it will take quite a while. While this may not be the place to get a refill, this fountain is a nice place to get a sip of water while enjoying the museum-like atmosphere of Doe \u2014 that is, if you\u2019re willing to go a little bit out of your way from the library. If you\u2019re planning to lock in at Doe, definitely hydrate or fill up your bottle beforehand, as my journey to that fountain felt like finding a needle in a haystack.<\/p>\n
Undergraduate Academic Building<\/p>\n
Nestled between Strawberry Creek, the Valley Life Sciences Building and a bustling pathway leading up to the Campanile, the Undergraduate Academic Building is sure to lure you into its striking, modern and warm ambience. Head to the right of the elevators and turn left into the walkway. If you dare, the first door on your left will lead you to the water station, which is conveniently located inside of the restroom. There are two fountains to accommodate for different heights, and the taller fountain is placed higher up so you don\u2019t have to contort yourself into weird poses just to get a sip. Overall, both fountains are set higher than the other fountains I\u2019ve seen around campus, which is a massive win for all my tall friends. The water refill is conveniently located against the wall behind the lower fountain and features a modern, stylish drain to prevent the fountain from overflowing. However, having the water station and the bathroom stalls share the same room was beyond my appetite for adventure, so I completely refused to try the water. For the sheer comedy of the indoor plumbing, this spot is one to remember.<\/p>\n
To truly maximize the health benefits of water, intentionally hydrate throughout the day. Personally, I find it helpful to tie a habit or routine to grabbing a quick sip, because it makes my daily goal of drinking eight glasses of water feel more approachable. Before leaving your dorm or apartment, make it part of your routine to fill up your bottle. Feel like plain ol\u2019 water is too boring? Toss in a lemon, lime, cucumber or even fruit for an instant splash of flavor. Or keep a box of your favorite tea bags on hand so you can switch up your hydration game every once in a while.<\/p>\n
Ready to accumulate liquid assets?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As a college student, chances are you spend most of your day playing Tetris with your Google Calendar.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":491784,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[38428,14758,15248,173560,30102,143,145,144,15437,99335,110982,6905,646,99230,25545],"class_list":["post-491783","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-oakland","tag-basic-needs-center","tag-doe-library","tag-gateway","tag-hydration","tag-mlk-student-union","tag-oakland","tag-oakland-headlines","tag-oakland-news","tag-station","tag-strawberry-creek","tag-undergraduate-academic-building","tag-valley-life-sciences-building","tag-water","tag-water-bottle","tag-wellness"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/491783","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=491783"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/491783\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/491784"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=491783"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=491783"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=491783"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}