The College should pay for a 24-hour Swem
Michael Young | Executive Editor
Last Updated:2/3/10 Section: Opinion
It started with an idea by Daisy Weill ('10) and cooperation between Swem library and the Student Assembly to make it possible: a 24-hour library during final exams.
Most students have all heard stories about students nobly "holding down" study rooms for days at a time, using google doc schedules assigning shifts to members of their study groups. Most students have, by now, probably also heard about students dragging in sleeping bags, coffee pots, and even camping equipment to fully experience studying, I suppose. It could also have been an experiment in knowledge mitosis from being surrounded by books, who am I to judge?
The opening of the library for 24 hours was a milestone for the College. Many large universities nationwide have 24 hour libraries, and this gesture has put us on that level.
One night during finals I stayed over until 4am, and there was still approximately 70 people in the library according to the Swem employee I asked (it might have been 73 after I reminded him there were three in the tent on the third floor). The employee then told me that in the days he had been there that the number started to rise at around 5 am, so I guess people like to study early in the morning too.
Many students pull all-nighters at some point in their college career, and I would guess that a lot of these tend to be skewed around the period of finals, and Swem being open is a huge help to roommates who have learned study skills that don't make an all nighter necessary. It's also a big help to those of us who don't want to spend a night in Morton, who does? People don't even want to spend the day there.
Although precise numbers have not been release by Swem for the rate of student occupation in Swem, the numbers were recorded and likely very high. The College should seriously consider budgeting adjustments to make 24-hour operation of Swem possible during finals. Perhaps a private donor could even earmark funds for this purpose. The best part: only $2,672 was required by the Student Assembly to make this possible last semester.
Kudos to everyone involved, let's make this permanent.
Most students have all heard stories about students nobly "holding down" study rooms for days at a time, using google doc schedules assigning shifts to members of their study groups. Most students have, by now, probably also heard about students dragging in sleeping bags, coffee pots, and even camping equipment to fully experience studying, I suppose. It could also have been an experiment in knowledge mitosis from being surrounded by books, who am I to judge?
The opening of the library for 24 hours was a milestone for the College. Many large universities nationwide have 24 hour libraries, and this gesture has put us on that level.
One night during finals I stayed over until 4am, and there was still approximately 70 people in the library according to the Swem employee I asked (it might have been 73 after I reminded him there were three in the tent on the third floor). The employee then told me that in the days he had been there that the number started to rise at around 5 am, so I guess people like to study early in the morning too.
Many students pull all-nighters at some point in their college career, and I would guess that a lot of these tend to be skewed around the period of finals, and Swem being open is a huge help to roommates who have learned study skills that don't make an all nighter necessary. It's also a big help to those of us who don't want to spend a night in Morton, who does? People don't even want to spend the day there.
Although precise numbers have not been release by Swem for the rate of student occupation in Swem, the numbers were recorded and likely very high. The College should seriously consider budgeting adjustments to make 24-hour operation of Swem possible during finals. Perhaps a private donor could even earmark funds for this purpose. The best part: only $2,672 was required by the Student Assembly to make this possible last semester.
Kudos to everyone involved, let's make this permanent.
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