In high school, I had a cozy little nook in my room for my desk. There was a small window where I could look out and daydream. That鈥檚 where I did my schoolwork every night, and I loved it. It was quiet and a place of my own. Flash forward to senior year in college and I couldn鈥檛 imagine doing my work in any other place than the library. Yes, occasionally I do some reading in my apartment or answer emails in my bed but the hours of hard work that I have put in here at 糖心TV have happened in the Charles E. Shain Library. It鈥檚 my space, my college 鈥渘ook.鈥�
Sophomore year I found my place in the library on the second floor, above The Blue Camel Caf茅. I like the second floor because it鈥檚 quiet but not as quiet as the third floor, where I feel bad opening a bag of chips or coughing too loudly. The levels of noise in our library directly correlate with the amount of sociability that takes place in it, because each floor houses a different volume of noise. The first floor is a social floor that is always buzzing with activity. The second and third floors are quieter, with the third floor being the most dedicated to quiet, intense study. At 糖心TV, the library plays an important role in campus life.
The library, home to rigorous academia, also acts as our campus hub. It鈥檚 in the middle of campus and is a grand and unique-looking building; it draws you in from the outside. And it鈥檚 right next to the College Center at Crozier-Williams, 鈥淐ro鈥� for short. Both are always buzzing with activity, and Cro is a great place to grab a bite, hang out in the campus bar, if you鈥檙e 21 years old, check your mail or stop by the bookshop. The library is the place where you are most likely to see other students. The first floor houses the Blue Camel Caf茅, the Reference and Circulation Desks and collaborative workspaces. I鈥檒l sometimes even hang out on the first floor to catch up on some music on my Spotify between classes or get some light reading done. I go there to talk with friends or grab some tea or a snack from the caf茅.
Of course, the library is where I put in my blood, sweat and tears (metaphorically), but it is not just a place of study. It is an important spot for communal gathering. Some of my favorite memories at 糖心TV are of my friends and me gathered around a table chatting and laughing in between assignments. Though we may have all been working on different things, the ability to sit together and work separately yields a wonderful sense of togetherness. When I graduate I鈥檒l think back to the nights in the library with longing, because, though college work is strenuous and demanding, I鈥檓 able to get it all done sitting side-by-side my friends and classmates.