You Wish Your University Library Was This Beautiful

The University of Texas at Austin, or UT Austin for short. The Main Building (with the beautiful clock tower) was completed in 1937.

 

Step inside the central entrance, and head for the Life Science Library on the top floor. As much as US state universities gripe about funding, they sure have beautiful buildings. (E.g., UCLA, though the photos I have on this blog are ridiculous in retrospect. It's the coral pink brick buildings that deserve attention.)

The top floor, with the library to the right.

The ceiling of the Life Science Library is decorated with quotes from famous figures.

This is what you see when you look directly above you. This room was fairly small, but the entire campus was absolutely riddled with spaces for students to study in. It seems like there is a nook and cranny for everyone, and students each seemed to have their unofficial personal space to study in. What's more, everyone was studying quietly and independently. As someone who thinks Japanese universities are a shame, this was a gratifying sight.

Even the light fixtures are beautiful.

This man hauled his enormous ladder throughout the building, checking on all the lights. I hope he appreciates the beauty of those fixtures.

Todai's Hongo Campus

A couple of weeks ago, I took a walk through the University of Tokyo's Hongo campus. (Here are the famous red gates.)

We were merely passing by on our way to a museum, but the foliage was so beautiful, we took a detour through the campus and ended up forgoing the museum visit. There were so many couples and families walking along the gingko trees, enjoying the fall sun.

 

How old must this tree be?

Since I attended Waseda University, I was extremely jealous of the beautiful Todai campus. Waseda buildings are either run-down and colorless, or brand-new and generic. Few buildings that are commonly used by students give a sense of the school's history, or what the school stands for. These buildings say, "We are Todai, the best university in Japan. We have the history, we have the prestige, and we are proud of it." 

The fountain in front of the library.

A view from inside the library.

Deer heads and chandeliers could be seen from outside the library windows. I was surprised by the opulence of it all.

Sanshiro Pond, which dates back to 1615. It's not particularly known as a momiji-viewing (foliage viewing) spot, so we'll call it a well-kept secret.

An ibis kept pacing back and forth in the shallows, trying to catch fish.

A Stroll in and Around UCLA Campus

The rude side of The Bruin.

UFO-like lights on the tennis courts.

Alongside Charles E. Young Drive, another dorm currently under construction.

A campus worker, taking a break in between setting up dorm rooms.

A common but lovely sight: the hummingbirds that buzz around campus.

Med students having a Grey's Anatomy moment.

The Ronald Regan UCLA Medical Center.

 

The UCLA bus terminal.

A squirrel, recycling students' recycled trash.

A couple minutes' walk outside campus, the Geffen Playhouse, a performing arts center.

A hilariously roughed-up fraternity house, sandwiched between two other houses in current use.

The In-N-Out Burger in Westwood, so close to the fraternity houses that it's practically part of the university. There were at least 30 frat boys in the joint when I was there, furiously chowing down their burgers and harassing the staff with inquires about when their burgers would be finished.