With study days quickly approaching, the library has begun to resemble a virtual residence for many Hoyas. There will be meals eaten in the stacks, all-nighters in Gelardin, couples going about their business on the lower level, and students sneaking some shuteye in Pierce Reading Room. At least there would be students napping if their fellow studiers would just shut up. Lady Hoyas don their cutest sweats and perfect their hair and makeup before going to the library because it, like the gym and Leo’s, has become a social event of sorts. But the vast majority of students come to Lauinger in search of a quiet place to study, rather than a red-carpet atmosphere of see-and-be-seen. We all need to exercise a little common courtesy in the library to allow our fellow studiers to do just that: be quiet and study.
Most students have roommates; the library is often their only refuge of silence. So, instead of loudly complaining about all your work to that cute guy from your Ethics class, actually do the work, and chat him up later at Midnight Mug.
Study breaks are vital, of course, but please keep them to the second floor. When in Pierce Reading Room or the quiet room on the fourth floor, lock it up. Try to imagine what it would be like to have yourself sitting next to you, the night before a huge exam or paper. You would not want to hear someone typing away, so leave your laptops for the stacks or cubicles in designated areas. You would not want to hear someone smacking away like a Long Island waitress, so either forgo the gum or chew politely. And keep your iPod on low, because even if Justin Timberlake helps you focus, a late night dance party in Club Lau may not be what your neighbor desires. And for God’s sake, put your mobile phone on vibrate and do not answer it in a normal conversational tone in any of the quiet areas.
Of course, no one intends to be that jerk who annoys the quiet room, so if you run into one, don’t be afraid to approach the offender and politely tap him on the shoulder and ask him to turn down the iPod or take the conversation outside. Chances are, they will feel pretty bad, they won’t be mad at you and everyone else in the room with thank you. But also be conscious of your fellow studiers; don’t make them have to tap your shoulder, and in the spirit of solidarity for those fellow academic travelers approaching rough waters, please be considerate.
