It’s that time again. Midterms are upon us, and Gators flood Library West in desperate attempts to cram a half of a semester’s worth of information into three all-night study sessions.
We’ve noticed a few major faux pas that plague students’ “Club West” etiquette, and we caught up with Barbara Hood, public information officer for Smathers Libraries, for some advice on how to fix these no-no’s.
Talking: Cell phones and excessive conversations are the biggest disturbance in the library, Hood said. When your phone rings (though it should really be on silent, or at least vibrate) step into the stairwell to have your conversation. Also, respect the fourth floor’s designation as the “quiet floor” and don’t talk there. Save the group projects for the study rooms or the Starbucks café area.
Food: Just because Library West allows food doesn’t mean you should bring in a seven-course meal while you study. Try to keep things simple, keeping in mind that your neighbor may not want to smell your triple garlic pepperoni pizza for the next few hours. Anything that is going to stain the carpet or upholstery is a no-go as well. Would you want to sit in semi-hardened chocolate pudding remains? We didn’t think so.
There are plenty of off-campus locations open late where you can set up camp. Karma Cream, located on University Avenue, is open 24/7. They serve a variety of goodies that include vegan ice cream and fair-trade coffee. Another staple for off-campus studiers, the campus branch of Target Copy not only provides around-the-clock study spots but has plenty of food options to keep you fueled into the wee hours of the morning.
Whether you’re a solitary studier or a group project guru, carve out your niche as you cram for next week’s midterms. Just please don’t interrupt the other people around you to do it because we still have 300 pages of reading and hearing the excruciating breakdown of your Midtown-filled weekend isn’t helping us focus.
Correction 2/18/10:
The Alligator initially reported that Karma Kream held limited hours. They are in fact open 24/7.
