The Pause, a dynamic space for students to participate in an array of activities, celebrated its 57th birthday on March 7. Since its opening, the space has served as a place for the student body to grab a bite to eat, study, play games, and most importantly, be together. To commemorate this exciting event, the Pause executive team worked together to create a new mural representing the character and culture of the St. Olaf community. The new art installation illustrates the four different spaces in the pause: the Den, the Jungle, the Kitchen, and the Event Hall. Across the middle of the mural reads “By Students For Students” — representing what the Pause means to the community at St. Olaf.
In an interview with The Olaf Messenger, Xinyuan Zhao ’25, one of the artists of the mural, pointed out several easter eggs and walked through the process of making this mural a reality.
“[My favorite part of the art is the] small paw and lion that is incorporated into the design,” Zhao said.
Every piece of this work of art, down to small details such as this, was intentional.
Zhao explained that there were several goals for the outcome of this piece. According to Zhao, the intent was that the piece would curate a “sense of welcome” and that it would make students “feel more connected to the space.”
She hopes that this mural is a representation of not only the Pause but also of what the student body of St. Olaf looks like. This mural was a collaborative process and many people went into making it possible. This project has been in the works since last year and went through many stages and forms to get where it is now. The painting itself took around 50 hours to complete.
This new addition to the Pause has begun to be noticed by students and those who make the trek through Buntrock Commons.
“[The mural is] pretty representative of what the Pause is about,” Ian Holtz Hazeltine ’25 said. The assortment of activities helps the Pause stand out.
“I like being able to play games there,” Joe Deuitch ’25 added.
From hosting events, and providing an alternative food option, to being a lively place to study, the Pause offers a place for students to congregate and spend time together.
