From all of the time that I spend typing away in Mann, procrastinating in Statler, reading in Olin, and grinding at Sage for that late night study sesh, I have seen and met all the different types of library go-ers. Each character has their own special place in the library, and no study session would be complete without the whole bunch.
The Social One
This person came to the library because they got a ride, their friends were doing it, or there was nothing good on TV. They spend most of their time away from their desk, walking around the room, looking for new people to talk to, and they’re surely not getting any work done. The worst thing about the Social One is when they start distracting the people around them under the false premise of a “quick study break” (@green couches on second floor Mann).
The Serious One
This character’s got their hoodie on, their headphones in, and a large coffee in front of them. Just from one glance, you can see that they have no intention of moving for the next few hours. They probably have a prelim in the morning or a problem set due at midnight. Either way, stay out of their zone because they are locked in.
The Regular
You can totally tell when somebody is a regular at the library. If you talk too loudly around them, you might get a dirty look or an eye roll. This is their turf and they want you to know it. They probably sit in the same seat, or at least area, every day and nobody wants to mess. Everybody has that one spot in a library on campus that they consider their own and it always shows. Mine is third floor Mann graduate study area, against the window.
The Procrastinator
The easiest way to identify this key character is by their movement. They’ll constantly get up to stretch, fill up their water bottle, buy a snack, or to run to the bathroom. Pretty much, they will do whatever it takes to not actually do their work. When they finally sit down, they’re taking a Buzzfeed quiz to find out “Where You Should Retire When You’re Older.” Creating new, fun activities to distract yourself in the library is not easy, so props to the procrastinator for staying inventive when it comes to new ways of pushing off work. However they manage to end up actually getting their work done never ceases to wow us all.
The Question Mark
There’s always that one person two desks down from you that you can’t quite figure out. Their headphones are in, but are they listening to Drake’s newest album or watching a documentary for class? They’re typing ferociously, but are they writing that four page paper for English or are they just texting their friends about what happened last night? Both unanswerable questions, which leaves this character a mystery to everyone around them.
Whether you’re always the same type of library go-er or you switch off between the different characters depending on your mood, and your week’s workload, you definitely know what I’m talking about. See you at Mann later?
