Bored? Break out of the Santa Clara bubble by boat, bus or Buick

By Amy Chan

Especially on weekends, Santa Clara seems to form an everlasting bubble around campus. Students only go as far as Valley Fair Mall or El Camino Real. Beyond the bubble there is more out there to see and learn. Don't let a car limit your access to the Bay Area.

This past weekend Ben Cook, a sophomore at Santa Clara, and a friend took the Bronco Bus to San Francisco. "We wanted to get out. Since both of us don't have cars we paid seven bucks and went to the city for the whole day," said Cook. The slogan for the Bronco Bus is "taking you beyond the bubble" and the bus only runs on selective weekends. "There's a lot to do in Union Square, shopping, visiting Chinatown, everything is walking distance, then we took the second available bus back at 2 a.m.," says Cook.

Ben also recommends San Francisco's Modern Art Museum. Currently there is an exhibit called "the Changing California Landscape" by Pirkle Jones. Admission for students with current ID is $6. Check Benson's information desk for more details.

With a car, breaking out of the Santa Clara bubble is easier. If you are able to make it all the way up to the North Bay, try taking an afternoon ferry to Angel Island. Some locals don't even know about this great picnic and bicycling spot. Open from 8 a.m. to sunset, Angel Island is the largest island in San Francisco Bay. Besides the recreational activities Angel has to offer, the island also serves as a historical site. In 1892, a Quarantine Station was opened at Ayala Cove (then known as Hospital Cove). Immigrants, a majority of Chinese decent, were kept in isolation until they were inspected. According to Christina Louie, Co-Chair of Santa Clara's Asian Pacific Islander Student Union (APSU), "Angel Island is the equivalent to the Ellis island of New York where Asians had to stop before entering America." The island still retains some of the original buildings and barracks. "People coming over here would do anything to enter America. This is a hidden story of our country. People don't realize how fortunate we are to be here," says Louie.

Since weekends are running short, especially with midterms around the corner, here's something to do a little closer to South Bay. The area of downtown Campbell is a great getaway located about fifteen minutes from campus. Jenny Stoddard, whose dad owns Stoddard's Restaurant in Campbell, loves to hangout at Rasputin Music. Stoddard recommends checking out the music store on weekends where they offer a live DJ. Also according to Stoddard you are able to "listen to any CD before you buy it. People can go in and browse." Plus downtown Campbell offers a handful of galleries, a local movie theater called Camera 7, and "really cute coffee shops! Not just Starbucks, but local family owned cafes," says Stoddard. So if you aren't able to break out of the bubble to San Francisco, at least check out areas such as the Pruneyard Shopping Center in Campbell.