The semester is racing to a close. Many students are moving away from the festive, half-hearted study practices they've become accustomed to, and buckling down to do some serious studying, away from friends and distractions.
But even the libraries are not safe.
Many students scour the library for out-of-the-way spots, in which to avoid being sucked into extraneous chatter.
Those who have found them are leery of giving them up.
"Sometimes I find myself hiding from people in Capen, so I found a secret hideout. I would rather not say where it is because I don't want to be distracted," said Sean Teehan, a senior chemical and biological engineering major.
Those who have not yet succeeded in finding their own nook say they have found certain general areas in the library to be more conducive to studying than others.
"I usually study on the third floor of Capen because it seems like the people there are there to study, so it helps me concentrate. Since I am a math major, I tend to do my math work in the math building near NSC," said sophomore Jackie McQueen.
Some feel the need to steer clear of the libraries altogether.
"Because of finals, I know the libraries will be really crowded so I will be doing most of my studying in my room. I live on a really quiet floor so I can definitely get work done," said McQueen.
According to Margaret Wells, the director of public services in the Arts and Sciences libraries, which include Capen, Lockwood Memorial and the Architecture and Planning library on South Campus, the quiet study areas in Capen library are usually full.
"There is always a lot of traffic in the computer areas and the quiet study areas," she said.
According to Rhea Xi, a library assistant in the Lockwood Memorial Library, a little advanced scheduling can make a big difference.
Xi said the hours between 9 a.m. and noon are the busiest - and the best to avoid - during finals season.
"I think that the morning is usually the busiest time because people like to get their work done earlier in the day," said Xi, a communication major in graduate school. "I also notice that the first, third and fifth floors are where students like to study because these are the quietest floors in the library."
Wells said that the overnight locations on the ground and first floors of Capen library are available for students who choose to get their studying done at night. From Fri., Dec. 10 until Mon., Dec. 20, the overnight study areas on the ground and first floors will be open 24 hours.
"The ground and first floors are helpful for students because they are overnight areas so students can study as late or early as they want. Those areas are also wireless for those who work with a laptop that has wireless Internet," said Wells.
Wells recommends the overnight study areas for students because there are cybraries, group study areas and quiet study areas for students to choose from according to their individual needs.
Ashley Bennerson, a junior psychology major, says the most important thing is not where a student does his or her work, but the effort he or she puts into doing it.
"Honestly, I don't really worry too much about where I study, I just focus more on studying and learning the material," said Bennerson.
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew Messina, from the RMBERS' Instagram page
