Author: Caitie Looby

 

In the midst of prelims, projects, and papers, it might cross your mind to make an appearance at one of the many study spots on campus. Whether you’re a newbie to the library scene or a seasoned regular, here are the seven people you are guaranteed to see at your late night study sesh:

 

1. The Newbie

 

After the sudden realization about how much work they have to do, this person decides that going to the library is the best idea despite having never ventured into one before. After telling literally everyone they know that they are going to the library because they need to focus, you’ll seem them aimlessly wandering around in a state of confusion. When they finally find an adequate study spot, look for them to be “seriously working” because they just have so much to do.

 

2. The Regular

This person is no stranger to the libraries on campus, and scoffs at those who are. They have spent many a night there, staying until closing time or proudly making the 2am Olin-to-Uris walk. Look to find them buried deep in the stacks, because they can’t be bothered with the mainstream study spots.

 

3. The Social Media Distractor

 

Every time you look over, they are doing something different. You see them Snapchatting, checking Insta, online shopping, and refreshing Twitter constantly, and you question how they can actually get work done with all the tabs they have open on their laptop. While they are busy perfecting  their Insta ratio, watch their ratio of studying to phone time drop drastically.

 

4. The Constant Mover

Similar to the Social Media Distractor in their desperate attempts to avoid doing work, you will see this person constantly on the move. At least 3x an hour, find them going to the bathroom or going to fill their water bottle. Much like the Social Media Distractor, the odds of them getting actual work done is small… but think of the workout they get by standing up and sitting down so often.

 

5. The Caffeine Addict

 

They’ve been running on straight caffeine since the morning cup before their 8:05. Extreme jitters are probably causing them to type super quickly, so don’t mistake that for productivity. Also, notice that they are probably refiling their BRBs because they spent all of them on coffee. Be especially weary of the person whose drinking it black. Eventually bound to crash, which leads us to…

 

6. The Sleeper

This person has been passed out from the moment you walked in the room. Whether they are in a cozy chair or on top of their laptop, they are snoozing heavily. They may or may not be snoring. While you may envy that they are sleeping and you are not, watch out for when they eventually come to and realize that they still have ten pages left in their paper.

 

7. The Combo

Odds are, you will probably find that you are a hybrid of these library creatures. We’ve all had our coffee addiction days , and we’ve all been know to doze off for a “power nap” at 1am. You may spend more time on your phone than doing actual work, but fear not: at least you made the effort to come to the library in the first place.

 

Whether they are drinking gourmet coffee over at Mann or cramming somewhere deep in the depths of Olin, once the clock tower strikes midnight look out for these frequent library goers. And remember: there is nothing quite like the bond of students all trying to get work done while simultaneously going delirious at 2am.