3004 Mission Extension—At the new Pacific Collegiate School campus, students are searching for places to run, play ball and romp about in general. In moving, PCS lost one of its key attributes: space.

The old campus was known for its open layout: each classroom opened up to the outside (with the exception of some of the temporary spaces in A-pod and C-pod). It was full of open space, from the parking lot which doubled as a play zone to the ball walls to the fields in the front and back of the school. A walk around the school perimeter revealed dozens of hack circles–kids touting Mr. Garrett’s classic surfboard bathroom pass–herds of chatting energetic students, and clusters of people just sitting and chilling on the ground.

The new campus is much more closed. Only a few classrooms have outdoor access and we have much less open passing space: the deck, the halls, the area right outside of the school and the parking lot? I’m concerned about the much diminished open space, not only for the safety of those walking in confined areas, but also for younger students who can’t find a place to run about freely. Though its parking lot was full of potholes and its buildings badly needed a 10-million-dollar renovation, the wide open space old campus  was a very formative component of my PCS experience. I remember the field being a place to let out my energy, a place to make friends and a place to get good at soccer and frisbee. I almost feel as if new and younger students are being deprived of an important PCS cultural element which was so important to me and everyone I know.

On the other hand, the new PCS campus is full of things that I did not have access to at the old campus: Beautiful new classrooms; a modern, fully equipped study hall; a proper eating space (the student center); chairs and tables that aren’t mismatched and from Costco. The Brita hydration stations are pretty rad too! It’s also–and perhaps this is most important–ours. No one can say our lease is up and we have to go. We are now a stable, permanent part of Santa Cruz.

I won’t lie that, at first, I was saddened by our move, and somewhat in denial of the loss of open space. Now, a few weeks in, I’m starting to warm up to the new campus, appreciating its more modern feel, and updated infrastructure. It will take some time to adjust to our new home, but I believe it has so much potential for growth and that the culture we have transplanted here will thrive. It will just take time for us to figure out where to play.