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Only at Cal: The Blockeley University Minecraft graduation highlights

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Only at Cal: The Blockeley University Minecraft graduation highlights

Fiat lux! Go Bears! Go Blocks!

Avinash Kunnath
May 19, 2020
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Only at Cal: The Blockeley University Minecraft graduation highlights

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The long-anticipated UC Berkeley virtual graduation took place on Saturday. And it took place on Minecraft.

blockeleyofficial
COMMENCEMENT LINK: https://www.twitch.tv/os_operatingsystem
May 16, 2020

An enterprising group of Cal students and alumni came together to rebuild the UC Berkeley campus to give the class of 2020 a place to congregate and celebrate. Developed by Bjorn Lustic and coordinated by Nick Pickett, they and many other Minecrafters built out California Memorial Stadium for commencement festivities.

They built a giant Memorial Stadium (where graduation has been held for the last decade), then placed a giant bear looking over it, which should be part of Phase 4 of Memorial renovations.

Twitter avatar for @avinashkunnath
Avinash Kunnath @avinashkunnath
I would swear to protect this bear for a thousand years
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7:53 PM ∙ May 16, 2020

Pickett, a Cal band member, helped perfect the final implementation of Memorial due to his familiarity with running through that North Tunnel!

Pickett got involved with Blockeley early on after perusing photos of the replica stadium and spotting a few inaccuracies in the North Tunnel — the landmark at the northern end zone where Cal band members meet to march onto the field at football games. Pickett plays tuba in the band and feels a connection to the tunnel.

Here’s a half-hour walkthrough of the entire new campus, UC Blockeley!

Get a virtual tour of Cal’s campus with CalTV.

They even made a fully-fleshed out Haas Pavilion!

Twitter avatar for @Th3Thurmin4tor
Robert Thurman @Th3Thurmin4tor
Happy Sunday! If you haven’t heard, a group of students and professors made an entire rendition of UC Berkeley’s campus on Minecraft. Here’s a tour of Haas Pavilion for all you Cal fans out there. This brought a smile to my face.
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7:25 PM ∙ May 17, 2020
9Likes2Retweets

In classic Cal fashion, it did not start on time.

Twitter avatar for @UBlockeley
Blockeley @UBlockeley
STARTING VERY VERY SOON!
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9:46 PM ∙ May 16, 2020

The graduates came out of the Memorial Stadium tunnel in the same way Joe Kapp, Russell White, Marshawn Lynch, and Evan Weaver have trudged out many a fall Saturday in Berkeley.

Twitter avatar for @beyabean
bean on hiatus @beyabean
IM LOSING MY MIND
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9:49 PM ∙ May 16, 2020
Twitter avatar for @laururura
laura @laururura
Wth Berkeley had graduation in Minecraft im crying 😭😭 look at the people jumping😭😭
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1:49 AM ∙ May 17, 2020
44Likes12Retweets

There were a host of speakers, including Chancellor Christ quoting Proust with that giant bear looming in the background.

Twitter avatar for @_sydneygriffith
syddo @_sydneygriffith
other schools: Zoom virtual graduation Berkeley:
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10:36 PM ∙ May 16, 2020
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Many students downloaded Minecraft for the first time.

Twitter avatar for @rachy_
rachy @rachy_
so i just graduated... on @Minecraft. Lol. we really do live in a society. 👩🏽‍🎓🥴 #blockeley
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11:52 PM ∙ May 16, 2020
67Likes4Retweets

The energy was kicking.

Twitter avatar for @FromMichelle
Michelle McIntyre @FromMichelle
Impressive commencement ceremony finale — high energy celebration in #Minecraft @UBlockeley @Cal
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10:36 PM ∙ May 16, 2020
34Likes7Retweets
Twitter avatar for @sharks_finnatic
Susan @sharks_finnatic
Congratulations to CAL’s 2020 graduating class! It is a Blockeley Virtual graduation in a Minecraft game!
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10:29 PM ∙ May 16, 2020
17Likes2Retweets

The Cal student groups came together with OS Studios to complete the entire production.

Twitter avatar for @UBlockeley
Blockeley @UBlockeley
Thank you all for coming to Blockeley Commencement! A special thank you to OS Studios, the UC Berkekey Wind Ensemble, Cal Band, and UC Berkeley Commencement Coordinator Maya Geohring-Harris and her team. We couldn't have done this without you! Thank you!
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2:00 AM ∙ May 17, 2020
93Likes9Retweets

Some even got trapped. Not the worst place to be virtually quarantined.

Twitter avatar for @PearseAnderson
Pearse Anderson @PearseAnderson
I am currently stuck inside the stadium at the @UCBerkeley / @UBlockeley graduation ceremony. After some server problems I've finally joined, but we can't seem to leave.
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10:43 PM ∙ May 16, 2020
24Likes2Retweets

After that, a literal block party that proceeded for the rest of the weekend!

You should be able to watch replays of the graduation and the block party on Twitch. There are plans to continue to Twitch stream from the UC Berkeley Minecraft campus to raise awareness for COVID efforts all summer.

Congrats to the Cal class of 2020!

Twitter avatar for @s1nubux
sinubux @s1nubux
Thanks for the memories <3 @UBlockeley @UCBerkeley
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11:00 PM ∙ May 16, 2020
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Only at Cal: The Blockeley University Minecraft graduation highlights

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Only at Cal: The Blockeley University Minecraft graduation highlights

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Rick Chen
May 19, 2020Author

Only Berkeley indeed. Go Bears!!

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goldenone
May 19, 2020

Kewl

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