20 True Signs You Go To Saint Mary’s College Of California
Located in what feels like the middle of nowhere is Saint Mary’s College of California. Since we are hidden amongst the trees, it’s crucial to point out the characteristics of this school. From specific locations to mandatory events, here are 20 signs you go to Saint Mary’s College of California.
1. The Peace Pole
You know where it’s located and its incredible significance. Maybe you’ve met up there to protest alongside others or you’ve marveled at the languages on the side. Either way, you respect it and wish more people knew about it.
2. Free Food
If you are like me, you stumbled upon Community Time on accident. You got to campus early and then were suddenly offered free popsicles on the way to an outdoor table. From full barbeque plates to small snacks, you are thankful for Saint Mary’s community time on those days you’re low on funds.
3. Library Reading Challenge
As someone who reads all year long, the Saint Mary’s reading challenge immediately caught my attention. The goal was to track your summer reading and whoever reads the most wins school related prizes (example: SMC portable charger). Although I didn’t win the challenge I got a nifty pair of free Saint Mary’s sunglasses for doing something I do every summer. It’s the little things a school does that keeps you involved.
4. Research Tutorial
When you finally encountered your first research project, your class made a trip to the Saint Mary’s library to have a research tutorial with the librarian. You were introduced to all the databases and resources available that were incredible useful to your project. Every time you enter the library you look upstairs to the left at the study room your whole class was gathered in and all that you learned.
5. Basketball Games
Whether you attend the games or not, you know that Saint Mary’s basketball is no joke. The parking lots get incredibly crowded and the minute you step out of class you are greeted with mobs of people. Particularly in the spring semester, you know to either leave campus early or to be prepared to wait around until the fans disappear inside.
6. Back Buildings
Unlike when the back building burned down in Mean Girls, many of Saint Mary’s primary locations are in the back of campus and you’ve found the quickest shortcut to get there. Whether it’s a talk in the Soda Activity Center or a game in McKeon Pavilion, you know you are likely going to have to direct a visitor back there because of its hidden nature.
7. Tours
Any time someone mentions a tour, you think about those parents asking questions for their high school children wandering around campus. A sign you go to Saint Mary’s is that you know to stay clear of the group, so you don’t get confused as a teenager and you take alternate routes to class when the large groups are visible.
8. Cafe Louis
A sign you go to Saint Mary’s is you know when Café Louis opens and closes after frequent visits. Sometimes for yogurt parfaits as a pick me up or for the necessary cup of coffee, this bustling campus spot has become a part of your daily routine.
9. Bookstore Protocol
You’ve mastered the art of ordering textbooks online and picking them up in store downstairs. A sign you go to Saint Mary’s is that you always have your barcodes ready to not waste time and only go to the bookstore when absolutely necessary.
10. Readings
Hagerty Lounge has become synonymous with reading room at Saint Mary’s. Whether it was mandatory for an English class or for enrichment, a sign you go to Saint Mary’s is that Wednesday nights are designated to attend readings. Nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and student readings all take place here. You always make sure to take bathroom breaks before entering this literary sanctuary.
11. Graduate Student Lounge
For the older students, you frequent this spot at Saint Mary’s. Sometimes to study and other times for meetings, this is a strictly business space. You come here to get things done and are somehow able to stay focused with glass windows all around you.
12. Chapel
One sign you go to Saint Mary’s is if you enjoy marveling at chapels lit up at night. There is something so calming about the added illumination even when you see it as you’re leaving campus.
13. Deers Everywhere
Whenever you see a deer, it reminds you of walking to class. Saint Mary’s is somehow full of wild animals that are spotted when you’re sitting on a bench outside or about to open the doors to Galileo. You’ve learned to not be completely startled by them thanks to the Saint Mary’s campus.
14. Hiking Trails
Those few days when you have free time before class, you have taken advantage of the Saint Mary’s hiking trails. Maybe you’ve went with some of your classmates or made the solo journey, but the excitement is thanks to Saint Mary’s.
15. The Museum
On one of your trips to the Soda Center, you discovered the hidden Saint Mary’s College of California museum and have not forgotten about it. Maybe you took the chance to browse inside or you are just perplexed over the idea of a college having its own museum. A sign you go to Saint Mary’s is if you understand that there are many different buildings a school can choose to incorporate into their campus.
16. Fountains
Fountains provide a sense of instant tranquility and if you experience this daily, it is a sign you go to Saint Mary’s College of California. Whether you’re sitting next to the statues letting the sun hit your face or you hear the gurgling of the fountain as you walk past the student center at night, it gives you a sense of calm that cannot be replaced.
17. Gael Force
As stated earlier, you know the impact sports have at Saint Mary’s College of California even if you don’t play any. Gael Force has allowed you to make friends, so you hold it near and dear to your heart. On the flip side maybe, they are just a group with matching shirts that you see walking around campus. No matter which side you are on, a sign you go to Saint Mary’s is if you even know what Gael Force is.
18. Dante Hall
Not only does it sound cool, but it looks cool too! A sign you go to Saint Mary’s College of California is if you can see the Dante Hall paintings in your head without even being there. You’ve walked past them a thousand times and have even stopped to marvel at them a few times.
19. Be Mindful
The ultimate sign you go to Saint Mary’s College of California is if you value your education above everything else. You know how much your education journey has cost you, in every sense of the word, and you don’t plan on wasting it.
20. Pure Joy
My favorite sign that you go to Saint Mary’s College of California is the pure joy you experience whenever you step onto campus. Even if you have a desk full of assignments to be completed, you are aware of the rare opportunity you have been given. To study with intellectuals in an environment that focuses on growth is an incredible gift that you will carry with you for the rest of your life.
Which of these signs you go to Saint Mary’s College of California do you relate to? Let us know in the comments.
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Rebecca was born in Hayward, CA and still resides there today. She received her BA in English Creative Writing from San Francisco State University and is the first in her family to graduate from university. She is a Poetry student in the MFA program at Saint Mary’s College of California and is furthering her involvement in the literary community. In her spare time, she likes to lose her voice at Giants games, read Young Adult novels, make lists, and aims to cross become a writer off it.