Sonoma State has a variety of scenic areas to stop, take a breath and appreciate the lush, green campus. These spots range from the quiet Butterfly Garden to the lively Tuscany quad. Only one could come out on top. Seawolves voted and gave the title of  best “overall place on campus” to the Lakes.

Man-made and virtually as old as the university itself, SSU’s Lakes provide a spot for students to  take a break from the stressful books, noise and general business that comes with the territory of being a college student. 

While Sonoma State can be a quiet campus in general, on weekday afternoons the campus turns into a thriving hub of students going to and from class. The Lakes, however, always seem to have this calmness to them that makes it the perfect spot to take a break for the moment.

“I agree that the Lakes are the best place on campus overall because they are really peaceful,” said junior Candace Oswald. “It’s a nice place to escape. Even when there are a lot of people there, they’re usually just lying out, reading or relaxing with each other.

Even when there are no other people out at the Lakes, it is home to a flock of ducks, geese and many different kinds of aquatic life — perhaps you’ve seen a turtle peak its head out from below the water’s surface once or twice — and therefore always buzzing with life. 

“It’s really relaxing to listen to the sound of moving water,” said sophomore Lindsey Silvers. “It’s such a stress reliever to be so pretty. It’s not just the sights, but the sounds too.”

It’s easy to get lost in thought when sitting on one of the picnic benches, or after crossing the charming wooden bridge to get to the island that sits in the middle of the big of the big lake.

While the sights of the willow trees and cherry blossoms are nice, one can simply close their eyes and listen to the water.

“What is different about the Lakes, compared to other places on campus, is that you can go there to think, or not think. Whatever you want. You can go there to get away, or go with friends to just hang out. It’s just refreshing,” said senior Jesse Riccio.

The Lakes won the title of place on campus for a reason, well actually, for various reasons; no doubt everyone who enjoys that space has their own experience with it. Whether it has something to do with its beauty — sometimes there are even weddings there — or its serenity, the Lakes are a great place to sit and appreciate how beautiful our school can be, any time of the day or year.