Every time I give a campus tour and we reach the part where I talk about Oski, our beloved, bizarre, chaotic, and charmingly unhinged mascot, I always tell my visitors the same thing: “If you ever see Oski on campus, take a selfie with him. And if you see me with him, don’t be surprised, I’ve already taken so many selfies with Oski, and I’m still going.”
At this point, it’s basically a ritual. Some people collect trading cards. Some collect concert tickets. I collect photos with a silent, wiggly bear.
But it didn’t start as a tradition, it started as a freshman moment.
My First Oski Sighting
Flashback to my freshman year. I had just moved into the dorms, still finding my footing, still trying to figure out what “Cal spirit” actually meant beyond just wearing blue and gold. That’s when it happened.
I was at one of those welcome rallies in the dorm courtyard, surrounded by strangers who would eventually become floor-mates, classmates, and maybe lifelong friends. Suddenly, the music blasted, the crowd parted, and in danced Oski, not walked, not strolled, danced. Wiggling, twirling like he was the king of campus (he kind of is, honestly).
I laughed. And then I did what any confused-yet-amused freshman would do: I ran up to him and took a selfie.
It was blurry. He had his paw halfway in front of the camera. I was grinning like an idiot. And I loved it. That photo became the first in what would unintentionally become a personal tradition.
Why It Stuck
You’d think the novelty would wear off. I mean, Oski’s just a mascot, right?
Wrong.
Oski is never just a mascot. He’s a menace in the best possible way. He doesn’t speak. He communicates exclusively through interpretive dance, jazz hands, and the occasional overly dramatic slow-motion bow. He’ll fake-steal your hat. He’ll pretend to eat your phone.
And every time, I get my phone ready and say, “Oski. Selfie time.” Without fail, he strikes a pose.
He’s not just a photo op, he’s an experience. And each photo feels like a snapshot of a little absurd, joyful, perfectly Berkeley moment.
Becoming a Campus Ambassador: Oski Overload
When I became a campus ambassador, I thought I had already reached peak Oski exposure. But I was so, so wrong.
As ambassadors, we work at all the big events: Cal Day, Golden Bear Welcome, Homecoming, you name it. And Oski? He’s practically the headliner.
I started seeing him everywhere. In the background of group photos. Dancing on Sproul Plaza during noon rallies. Photobombing guests. Wandering through Sproul just… vibing. And every time, I’d get that giddy little freshman feeling again and whip out my camera.
By the time I entered my senior year this year, I wasn’t just a fan of Oski. I was a full-blown collector. A curator of Oski moments. I now organize the photos in an album on my phone called “Oski Sightings” (with subcategories: ‘Rallies,’ ‘Surprise Appearances,’ ‘High-Fives,’ and ‘Suspicious Behavior???’).
During the first few weeks of senior year alone, I’d already bumped into him three times! Twice randomly on campus, and once at the Homecoming event.
At this point, I’m starting to believe that Oski has a sixth sense. He knows when I’m nearby, phone in hand, ready for the next shot.
I think the reason this tradition means so much to me is that it captures something bigger than just goofy photos.
Each Oski selfie is tied to a memory, a specific moment in time. My first dorm rally. My first Cal Day working behind-the-scenes. The stress relief after a midterm. The joy of running into friends on Sproul. The weird comfort of knowing that, even in a place as big and overwhelming as Berkeley, you’ll always have that one dancing bear keeping things interesting.
Oski reminds me not to take things too seriously. College is stressful. Life is stressful. But every now and then, we deserve a moment of ridiculousness. A selfie with a bear who doesn’t speak but somehow says everything.
So…What’s the Running Total?
As of today? 27 selfies!!!
Some are silly. Some are slightly cursed (have you ever tried to take a photo with someone who doesn’t have a neck?). Some are unexpectedly wholesome.
And the best part? I’m not done yet.
So, if you ever see me sprinting across campus, holding up my phone and yelling, “OSKI, WAIT!”, just know, it’s not weird. It’s tradition.
And if you’re lucky enough to see Oski too?
Take the selfie. You won’t regret it. :)