Next week will mark the passing of one month of our fall semester at Quinnipiac – nearly one down, about eight to go. For freshmen, it has become clear that professors mean business. The workload is one of both large quantity and expected quality. Late night study sessions have become a steady norm, while breaks between classes are spent writing a paragraph of that essay or reviewing for the dreaded biology test.
Naturally, us students have become fairly creative in our choice of study locations; if we didn’t remove ourselves from the confines of stuffy dorm rooms, it’s likely we’d punch holes in their white brick walls. But we have removed ourselves, and our favorite places to study are uniquely our own.
The Arnold Bernhard Library, situated beneath the beautiful clock tower we admire every day, is one of the most common study spots for obvious reasons. It has a studious, serious air about it that adds to students’ determination and focus. It’s a comfortable temperature: cool, but not too cool, even with an Au Bon Pain iced latte in hand.
It’s spacious, open and quite populated, yet you can seemingly always hear a pin drop. Freshman Jemaa Mwinila-Yuori is fond of the corner upstairs in the library.
“There’s a painting on the wall,” Mwinila-Yuori said. “It’s quiet and there’s more privacy.”
Others, like freshman Brittney Eldridge, prefer the brighter downstairs portion.
“I like those comfy chairs by the windows,” she says, then adds with a laugh, “I take naps there sometimes.”
Some students gravitate more toward the Student Center, which bears the convenience of the cafeteria downstairs and a more relaxed feel than the library. It retains a level of quiet necessary for studying, but isn’t silent, allowing for semi-talkative study pow-wows with your friends on Sunday afternoons.
Freshman Harmony Grodsky falls in line with students who study here.
“I like the Student Center, upstairs especially,” Grodsky said. “It’s comfortable, really quiet, not crowded and the view calms me.”
The dome allows a warm light in, while the fireplace in the piazza provides atmosphere, Grodsky said.
Studying outside appears to have mixed reviews among students at Quinnipiac. On a nice day, you may see a sparse scattering of people cross-legged on the Quad, but not too many. Despite having such a beautiful campus, most people prefer indoor study spots.
Sophomore John Penney is reclining with a laptop and some books outside the Lender School of Business, but emphasizes that it’s not his favorite place to work.
“My room is usually pretty hectic so I come outside, but sometimes it’s just way too hot out,” Penney said.
Freshman Amanda Taft also likes being outdoors.
“I think I will go [outside] more in the spring,” Taft said. “It’s different from being inside, it’s the normal environment and it’s just gorgeous.”
