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Coordinates: 37°52′32″N 122°15′31″W 37.87556, -122.25861

Soda Hall

• Department of Computer Science
• http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/
• Built in 1994

Overview

• Although not a dorm, Soda has many of the fittings of one, including showers, kitchenettes, volleyball court, and an abundance of lounges with soft sofas. Why? CS and EECS majors have been known to spend weeks at a time in Soda Hall programming in the computer lab. ^[1]
• The inside of Soda Hall has a very homey feeling to it, with good lighting, lots of sofas everywhere, random artwork, and wall to wall carpeting. The building is completely air conditioned and is one of the few UCB buildings to be completely air conditioned.^[1]
• Although there are kitchenettes in Soda, they are rarely used, as cooking takes away valuable time that could be used programming (what else?) Instead, CS majors get lots of nourishment from corporate information sessions held in Soda. Since 2001, though, the downturn in the high-tech economy has caused a similar decline in Soda Hall food. Some students now actually leave Soda periodically, others bring in stashes of energy bars, junk food, and (of course) soda.^[1]
• Places to Check Out:^[1]
  • 1. Showers. Located in the basement (1st floor on elevator), there is a male shower and a female shower. From the hall, they are marked like regular bathrooms but are much bigger. Keycard, or friend with keycard, is required to use.
    2. Basement Computer Labs. Located along the tunnel connecting Soda Hall to Etcheverry Hall, this series of labs never closes and is never empty either. Has the highest concentration of computers in any part of Berkeley.
    3. Volleyball Court. Volleyball is one of the big CS traditions, and so a space for one was planned for Soda when it was to be built. However, none was put in at first because the architect felt the space was too small. So, immediately after the building went up, CS students put up a net anyway in the Soda backyard. The grass died out pretty fast from lots of CS volleyball games, and eventually a sand court was put in. Right now, an addition to Soda Hall known as Soda Hall II, also CITRIS I, is being planned, making the future of the volleyball court unknown. However, volleyball is so deeply ingrained in CS (being one of the five main activities depicted on HKN T-shirts along with sleeping, eating, studying, and intenet) that it would continue even if every volleyball in the world suddenly disappeared.
    4. Soda Hall Art. There is a lot of "nerd art" throughout Soda. This can take the form of art inspired by computers as well as art made with the aid computers, and art made from computers and computer parts, such as CD sculpture.
    5. 343 Soda. The current home of the CSUA, Computer Science Undergraduate Association. The CSUA moved in in 1994. On the 3rd floor, which is really the ground floor.
    6. 345 Soda. The Soda office of HKN Eta Kappa Mu, the EECS Honor Society. Once again, Soda is neither a residence hall nor a fraternity, despite the many similarities it has to one, well ok, the social scene is dismal.

References