University offers students options for finals studying
Students study in anticipation for their final exams at Grainger library. Several libraries and other campus locations have expanded their hours and added services, such as therapy dogs, to assist students.
May 4, 2017
There are several options on campus when it comes to spaces to study for finals, and many of these places are making accommodations to the high demand during finals week.
Lori Mestre, professor and head of the Undergraduate Library, said the UGL has a capacity of 1,400 students at one time.
“Typically, during the day for certain hours, from 4 p.m. on, we have about 700 students in the Undergrad (Library),” she said. “But (during) finals, we get to our max of 1,400 or more. I know that during study time in finals, people are usually sitting on the floor.”
Sophia Ruggeri, freshman in DGS, said the UGL is her favorite place to study on campus because the upper level provides her with the right amount of background noise; however, she said the limited space during finals was a problem for her last semester.
“I noticed when there’s an MCB test coming up, I will see a lot of the students in my class at the UGL,” she said. “So when there’s a major test coming up, it is very hard to find a spot in the UGL.”
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Mestre said the UGL has two floors. The upper level is collaboration space where students can talk out loud, do projects and congregate. The lower level is reserved for quiet study, which students can use to focus on their work.
The UGL has 18 group study rooms available for reservation, a variety of seating preferences and 108 carrels along the border of the lower level that are hidden away from distractions.
“I like that they have smaller tables, so I can just spread all my stuff and all my study materials on the individual tables,” Ruggeri said. “And if I need to do a group project, there are larger tables.”
The Espresso Royale at the UGL is extending their opening hours to accommodate students’ needs around finals week.
Dylan Harmon, employee at Espresso Royale, said the cafe will be open for 23 hours per day starting last Sunday until roughly the end of finals. They will only be closed from midnight to 1 a.m.
The Communications Library in Gregory Hall is also extending its hours during finals week.
Lisa Romero, associate professor and head of the Communications Library, said the temporary opening hour for finals time is from 8 a.m. to midnight from Monday to Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and from 1 p.m. to midnight on Sunday.
Romero said there are close to 80 seats at the Communications Library, including couches, comfortable chairs and tables.
“There’s usually someone at every table, not every chair at every table is full, but every table has got someone at it,” she said. “Usually the week before and during finals, it gets really busy.”
Romero said the Communication Library gets close to capacity during finals week.
“We offer extended hours for several years, and we do this as an effort to do what we can for the students,” she said. “Especially to encourage them to use the library, so they can see that not only the resource is available but the really great spaces.”
