My 5 Favorite Things About I-House

April 20, 2022

Carina Samson

1. I-House is home to students of all ages from all around the world!

I-House is filled with both undergraduate and graduate students who represent over 70 countries, including the United States. Our residents are what makes I-House truly live up to its name, with 75% of the population being international, most of whom are living abroad from their families to attend UC Berkeley. The intimidating idea of living next to your Graduate Student Instructor may not initially be appealing to you, but rest assured it’s a fun and comical experience that you will definitely get used to. After all, being able to walk down the hallway to ask your neighbors for advice on job interviews and graduate school applications is super helpful!

I-House residents at our Global Photoshoot and Big Give Coffee Hour

2. I-House houses talented residents and amazing event organizers who keep our residence lively and full of exciting experiences!

Every Wednesday evening, I-House hosts student-driven Coffee Hours and other cultural events that celebrate the diversity that I-House represents. These events usually feature coffee and snacks from the specific country/countries that the event represents, as well as singing, dancing, arts and crafts, games, and various other fun activities! Did I mention that these events are organized by our very own residents? We’re really fortunate to have such a talented and culturally-aware family!

Photos from our Coffee Hours! Thank you to Berk Salih (Lunar New Year), Nagi Haba (Japanese Coffee Hour) and Byron Hsu (Taiwanese Coffee Hour) for the beautiful photographs.

3. I-House dining is exceptional, featuring cultural cuisine from various countries and several buffet options to fill our stomachs with every day!

I-House dining never fails to satisfy how hungry I get after a full day of classes. To say that the food at I-House is phenomenal would truly be an understatement and it’s always a joy to see your favorite dish from your hometown on the menu. Shoutout to our amazing dining hall staff for providing delicious meals for us everyday! Not to mention that the long Harry-Potter-esque dining hall tables are just the perfect environment for you to sit down and have a two-hour-long meal with your friends! Additionally, the recently restored Edmonds Café is now open to residents and the public for a sneak preview of coffee, tea, small bites, and beer and wine as well!

Tasty dishes made by our amazing chefs and photos of our dining hall at lunch time. Photos of Edmonds Café were taken from their Instagram page (@edmondsberkeley).

4. I-House has many recreational facilities, from a foosball table in the Game Room to a beautiful grand piano in our Great Hall for resident use!

Other facilities include a closet with several board games, puzzles, and sports equipment that residents can use, a ping pong table, a pool table, a TV we can use for karaoke, a music room filled with instruments (including two keyboards, three guitars, and a full drum set), and more!

Our foosball table, grand piano, music room, and pool table.

5. I-House is filled with breathtaking views and wonderful people!

The sunsets at I-House are breathtaking and the greenery in the courtyard is stunning! On a clear day, you can even see San Francisco off in the distance. Our dome lights up blue and gold at night under a backdrop of stars, and no matter what time of day, the skies never fail to disappoint. If you want a better look at nature, I-House is only a few minutes away from the Fire Trails and The Big C. But you don’t need to venture far to witness beauty, because I-House is filled with beautiful residents and staff members. It’s never a dull day here at I-House and I’m so thankful for the family that I have here!