8 things you will find Pitzer students doing outside of the classroom

In the classroom, Pitzer students are rocking their assignments and exams. Outside of class, they are rocking life! In between the countless hours of studying and doing homework, we are doing a variety of activities. Here is my list of the things you will find Pitzer students doing outside of the classroom!

1. Tend to the Garden

garden

Do you have a green thumb? I don’t, but many of my friends here do! For everyone with green thumbs at Pitzer, they love tending to Pitzer’s Organic Garden during their free time in-between classes and assignments! Pitzer’s Garden is completely student run, and some of our produce is even used over at the Shakedown Café!

2. Groove at the Grove

What do twinkling lights, student DJs and student bands all have in common? They can all be found at Groove at the Grove, one of the best events for students on weekends. During Groove at the Grove, our outdoor classroom becomes a musical bonanza filled with amazing live performances from Pitzer students!

3. Start a Protest

If you are ever looking for someone to help you start a protest, then you’re in the right place! Protests are our middle name, and we are definitely your “go to” when initiating social action. From campaigning for farm workers’ rights to petitioning for oil endowment divestment, many students at Pitzer fill their free time engaging in actions that positively impact the world.

4. Draw on the Free Wall

free-wall

Perhaps the most visible thing our students do outside of the classroom is paint and write on our free wall (You can paint murals on designated places throughout campus with approval of the Aesthetics Committee). If you ever want to know what’s on the mind of a Pitzer student, the free wall will tell you! You’ll find artistic representations of local and global issues that usually spark educational discussion across campus!

5. See or Join our A Cappella or Pangea Dance Groups

If you’re like me and you have vocal cords as heavenly as Frank Ocean’s and dance moves as electric as Justin Timberlake’s, then we have a club for you! Our student performers leave it all on the stage with our a cappella and dance groups; they are a sight and sound to behold (much like my dance and song renditions are in the shower).

6. Volunteer for Tutors for a Cause

tutorsforacause

One of the best ways that our students start their Saturdays is by tutoring the lively bunch of young students that come to campus for Tutors for a Cause. You can find Pitzer students in the classroom helping with math homework or out on the clock tower lawn, playing an intense soccer match with all the youth. You never know what to expect with these fun kids, and they always keep us on our toes!

7. Do Some Yoga on the Mounds

After a long day of classes, you can find students rolling out their yoga mats and relaxing on the mounds. And the best part is that it’s a great way to recharge your battery after a day of hard work studying. Namaste anyone?

8. Play Beach Volleyball

beach-volleyball

There’s no better way that Pitzer students enjoy the Southern California weather than by playing some beach volleyball with friends! Should you join our campus and have a yearning for playing, you won’t even need a team! Just swing by the volleyball court and jump in the game! But be weary should you line up across the net from me; I have a tendency to not hold back when going up for a spike!

While these are my top eight things to do at Pitzer outside of the classroom, there are literally hundreds of ways that our students spend their time. To learn more about our awesome student life experience, please be sure to visit our campus on a tour, information session or overnight visit to experience Pitzer firsthand.

 


Posted by Alex Ruiz ’17, Biology

Ruiz, Alex

 

The Student Senate

One of the many things I love about going to Pitzer is being involved with Student Senate. It has been a wonderful environment to foster friendship, leadership and learn about the college’s governance. This year I hold two positions; I sit on the Campus Life Committee and am a student representative for the Alumni Board. Both positions are great and I love the groups I get to be a part of.

CLC is responsible for allocating many thousands of dollars each year to fund a variety of on campus programs. Being a voting member on this committee is so fun and we are able to bring really great events to campus. The Alumni Board is also something I’m very happy to be involved with. Last weekend we had our retreat with all our members and it was so lovely to meet some Pitzer Alumni. I think sometimes when we are here it is hard to remember that we belong to a much larger community then who is just currently on campus.

Student Senate has allowed me to engage with Pitzer and the larger community in a way that is so unique. I am proud to be part of school that gives students so much power to become involved on their campus. It has been a really integral part of my Pitzer experience.  If you’re interested in learning more about Student Senate take a look at our website!


Posted by Anna Pleskunas ’15, Philosophy and Art

Anna Pleskunas Tour Guide

The Heart of Pitzer’s Campus

It’s More than Just a Delicious Cookie.

You may have heard the story of how the grove House came to Pitzer’s campus in 1970. How Pitzer students fought for it’s preservation, and purchased the home in auction for $1. You might have heard exclamations of joy and passion over the mouth-watering food the kitchen puts out. Even a tantilizing description of an oozing fried egg sandwich and warm, gooey, double chocolate mocha cookie for lunch. All of this is true, but the Grove House is so much more than just that. it is a home. It is a refuge. It is a center of community, connection, and activity.

Grove 1
Vintage pic of the Grove House

As a first-year student in college, I had difficulty finding comfort in a time of immense transition. I often felt isolated, even though I had the most lovely suite of girls who remain my best friends to this day. I sought comfort in the outdoors, as I was familiar with Southern California, having grown up in Santa Barbara, but this often took me off campus. One of the first Thursdays of school, a bi-monthly event entitled Story Slam, was held in the living room of the Grove House. Modeled after “The Moth”, story slam brings students together to share stories of any nature. A theme is presented for each evening, and anyone can choose whether they would like to share or not. SUddenly, I felt a sense of connection to a large group of Pitzer students, many of which I did not even know their name. I began spending more time in this home, trying out the infamous sandwich combinations, writing essays upstairs in the Womyn’s Center, reading on the porch, and making connections with new people each day as we shared this incredible space with one another.

Grove 2
Another vintage pic of the living room inside the house

Since these first months, I have spent increasingly more time in this home. I now work in the kitchen, serving breakfast two mornings a week. I am an active member of the Grove House Committee, the club that plans logistics of the events that happen in the house, and works to preserve the 112 year old home. Many of my other various club meetings happen in the house, and I continue to do my work in the nooks throughout the downstairs and upstairs of the house.  When prospective students ask, “Why Pitzer?”, the importance of this community center is always the first thing I speak of. This community has given me constant support during my two years here, and I can attribute a large part of my personal growth to the people and activities the community has connected me with.


Posted by Casey Venturelli ’16, Dance and Sociology

Casey Venturelli Tour Guide