My Favorite Views on Campus

After almost four years at Mudd, I find the architecture has really grown on me (bad wart joke). However, some of my favorite places on campus are actually based on the views that I can see from them.

Many of the buildings on Mudd’s campus, like Sprague pictured here, feature square cement decorations called warts. Photo credit: Malia Morgan

1. View out of my Clinic work room

Photo credit: Malia Morgan

Clinic is the senior project that computer science and engineering students do. Students are separated into groups to work on a project for a company, and the computer science groups all get their own office spaces. My team is in McGregor (the very nice, very new computer science building) and fully one wall of our space is a window. It brings in lots of natural light, and makes the office space a great place to work. 

2. View out of my dorm window

Photo credit: Malia Morgan

Senior privilege means first choice of dorm rooms! Not only did I manage to grab the ‘super single’ on Drinkward’s second floor (it is slightly larger than a normal single because it is in the corner), I got one that faces the mountains! This is the view out of my window, which I get to see every day! My previous rooms faced out into the main thoroughfare of Mudd, which was also a great view, but it wasn’t mountains. I love watching them get snow in the winter especially – it never really gets cold on campus but I can dream.

3. Shanahan third floor

Photo credit: Malia Morgan

A classic Mudd favorite view is the third floor of Shanahan. There are lots of great spaces to work outside, plus gardens of native plants and a great view of the mountains. Shout out to the movable white boards along the third floor – this is one of my favorite places to meet up with others for group projects!

4. Hixon courtyard

Photo credit: Malia Morgan

Another absolutely classic Mudd view, the Hixon courtyard is one exit from the Libra Complex (a network of interconnected tunnels running under the academic buildings on campus). Complete with tables, a fountain, and lots of beautiful trees, the Hixon courtyard is one of my favorite places on campus. The fountain is home to several koi as well. Fun fact: my Public Speaking class met in this courtyard for a couple of weeks to practice speaking outside!

5. Mountain

Photo credit: Malia Morgan

There’s a little bit of a theme to some of these locations–I like looking at the mountains! Whether it’s my dorm window, the third floor Shan, or even the mural my dorm room had last year, a mountain view is nearly always going to be my favorite. This is one of the best on campus (taken on the walk from the residential end of campus to the academic end). The flowers/trees aren’t quite blooming yet, but when they do it only makes the view better!

5. Anywhere at sunset

Photo credit: Malia Morgan

I feel like this one is cheating a little bit, but it’s also true! There are a lot of really lovely sunsets that I’ve seen on campus and there’s not a bad place to view them from – they look amazing even just over the buildings. The best days are when it’s just a little cloudy, and the light bounces off the clouds and scatters everywhere.