<p>What exactly are the advantages, if any, of visiting Berkeley specifically on Cal Day rather than on a weekday or some other Saturday? Many of the information sessions and what-not seem contain mostly stuff I could get from the website, and it seems as if driving to Berkeley and parking would be more of a pain on Cal Day with all the additional (I presume) people there. Opinions from current Berkeley students especially welcome. Thanks!</p>
<p>I dunno. I think it really depends on why you want to visit the campus. You get a lot more info at Cal Day than you would on any random day. You get to visit more dorms and get lots of promo stuff you wouldn't get on any other day. Campanile is free to go up. There's lots of free stuff. You can talk to students in various clubs or colleges, etc. Yeah, I'll be working the Rally Committee tent/booth. It's like a fair with lots of neat stuff going on.</p>
<p>Some areas on campus usually are not open for access to the public (including undergrads), but are on Cal Day. It's also the perfect time to get your questions answered.</p>
<p>I think it's going to be worthwhile.
Can't wait!</p>
<p>it's going to be waaaay more crowded than on any regular day, but there are also waaay more things to do/learn/experience on cal day.</p>
<p>For the love of all that's holy and your sanity (and mine!), DO NOT DRIVE to Berkeley on April 12th. The traffic load is insane and finding parking is going to be even more of a circus than it usually is. If you must drive, park somewhere else and BART to campus. You'll have far more time to enjoy what Cal Day has to offer that way.</p>
<p>Now that I've said that much!</p>
<p>Cal Day is quite an event. You'll get the chance to see a lot more of the underpinnings of the university than you usually will. For example, the football team holds an open practice on Cal Day. Campus-affiliated museums open their doors free of charge, and this includes the museums that aren't even open to the public the rest of the year. There are housing and co-op tours. All of the departments and all of the clubs host informational tables -- lots of fun tricks to grab your attention, too, especially including free stuff.</p>
<p>It won't be a "typical" day at Cal because the person density is far and above what even a busy day on campus is normally like, but you'll get a concentrated version of most of the culture you'll see on campus throughout the year. You can get some of your questions answered by students and staff of the relevant areas, and that can be invaluable.</p>
<p>If you have the means, I highly recommend going. Bring a friend if you can, 'cause it'll help alleviate the stress of dealing with all those other people and the problems they can cause.</p>
<p>Do we get free sweatshirts? lol
Oh, and is it really worth it taking BART to Berkeley?! I mean, I live 45 mins away, so I don't know if I should just drive the whole way...</p>
<p>Hmm I will say that its really hard to find parking on cal day (esp if you are looking for free parking!). If you are planning to stay the whole day, the BART would probably be a good choice.</p>
<p>Free sweatshirts? :D</p>
<p>Cal Day was alright, I guess. It wasn't a long trip to Berkeley (I live like 20 mins away) and I got a free mechanical engineering hat. If you're already set on going to Cal next year, I don't think it's that important, unless you're looking for more information from your college (L&S, CoE, CNR, CoC) or for your major.</p>
<p>Correction: Driving to Cal Day is OK if you go in the MORNING (before that one intro event in Haas Pavillion).</p>