It’s been a rough week. Actually, if I’m being honest, it’s been a rough academic career. To those outside of the college experience, this probably seems a little odd. In fact, you might think that I’m mentally unstable, and while that’s true, I also happen to know that this is perhaps the most relatable thing I will ever write. College is hard. Friendships are hard. Relationships are hard. Passing all of your classes is hard. Because of that, we all get a little overwhelmed sometimes. It happens to the best of us. It happened to me this week. It will probably happen again next week as well. I’m thriving guys. I really am.
This article didn’t just come out of nowhere. I was inspired. During my nightly (okay, one of my 17 daily) social media scrolls to avoid my work, I came across this masterpiece on Facebook:
And that got me thinking – I’ve cried all over the place in my three years at Susquehanna, and even though I still have one more semester left, I can’t imagine covering much more ground. Though when the time inevitably comes, I’ve gotten great recommendations from friends that include: the art studio bathroom, the printer on the third floor of Fisher, Deg patio, or just generally the outdoors at night time.
- Library Study Rooms – 6/10
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Nothing says “mental breakdown” like spending six or more hours locked away in the library. I know what you’re thinking: 6/10 seems awfully low for one of the most popular crying locations at Susquehanna, but hear me out. There are a lot of different study rooms and crying into a pillow in one of the main level cubbies is a completely different experience from one of the upstairs study rooms. I’m big on privacy and the cubbies and glass study rooms on the main floor just don’t have that, so I had to average it out, though I will say, the carpet in the glass room next to Scholarly Grounds is great at absorbing tears.
- Steele Bathroom – 9/10
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Why is a Creative Writing major spending so much time crying in Steele? Just think about what they teach in that building, guys. Not my cup of tea, but the bathroom definitely is. It’s dark, both stalls are tucked in the corners, and the fan in there is loud enough to drown out the sounds of your sorrows. It’s a great bathroom for crying, not for actually using the bathroom. Because of it’s small, claustrophobic nature, the Steele bathroom is only a prime location in the middle of class when no one is around. You can’t spend ten minutes regaining your composure when there’s a line between classes, ya know?
- Hallway in North at Night – 7/10
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Living in North sophomore year gave me plentiful opportunities to test all of its nooks and crannies for crying. Oddly enough, I spent several nights after quiet hours had started, sitting in the carpeted halls of the first floor, crying my way through phone calls. It was kind of nice. The floor is carpeted and after quiet hours start, the main lights are turned out so you only get the soft glow that comes from the creepy vents. The lighting is an aesthetic all on its own and it’s perfect for crying.
- Counseling Center – 6/10
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So, private crying is more my style, but the counseling center is designed for crying. The counselors there are literally paid to sit and watch us cry. The chairs are pretty comfy and tissues are always available, which is a huge bonus. Still, someone is watching, so that deducts points automatically. All in all, I’d say it’s a solid crying experience.
- Third Floor Hass Bathroom – 8/10
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Hass has a bad rep. It’s small. It’s old. It’s quiet. Rumor even has it there’s a demon on the third floor, but that’s a topic for another article. The truth is that Hass is kind of the last choice in housing selection. It’s where you end up when your luck runs dry. That being said, no one really wants to be in Hass, so the bathrooms are almost always empty. The showers are tucked away in the corner if you’re into shower crying, but more importantly, there’s a cozy windowsill in the stall that you can curl up on. It’s also extremely unlikely that anyone will interrupt. It’s the perfect space, but points have to be deducted for ghosts.
- My Car – 10/10
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This might not be a Susquehanna specific cry spot, but it is oftentimes on campus. My car just feels like home. We spend a lot of time together. It’s private, I can park it anywhere I want so no one can look at me, and courtesy of my Dunkin’ addiction, there are always napkins available to be used as tissues. It’s a 10/10. Where else on campus can you find a little piece of home, a private sound system, and seats that recline.
- The Plaza in Front of the Library – 6/10
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This was a strange day, I’ll admit. Not one of my proudest moments. It was right at dusk and the sun was fading slowly away. It was a chilly, fall night and the environment was A+ for crying. Unfortunately, there were no tissues in sight (a major point deduction), but several people stopped and asked if I was okay, so at least we know the people at Susquehanna University are good people. There’s also some strange acoustics there. Sobs tend to echo, which is pretty unsettling.
- Various Dorm Rooms – 9/10
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Hass, North, Seibert, Smith, West Village, 18th Street. My tears and I have gotten around. I’ll argue that they’re one of my favorites. Comfy pillows and tissues are often abundant. The only setback on this category is that you’re usually not alone, which can be either a bonus or a total setback. Generally, though, dorms make for a cozy crying experience.
- The Writer’s Institute – TBD
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This is the only space that made the official list that I’m not sure I actually cried in, but I feel like it’s inevitable. I still have a whole semester to have a full breakdown in a professor’s office, get torn to shreds in workshop, or be totally moved by a piece of writing. It feels like a right of passage to cry here and I’m coming for it.
- Fisher Bathroom, Second Floor – 9/10
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If I’m being honest, I tend to frequent this one. The second floor of Fisher is home to many of my classes and that makes this bathroom the perfect place for a mid-class panic episode. It’s dark, pretty quiet, low traffic. You can do better, but for all intents in purposes, it does what it needs to do.
- Hass Elevator – 8/10
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This was a first-rate experience for me. There was a massive thunderstorm the spring of my first year at Susky and the power went out. I was trapped in the elevator, probably for no more than 2 minutes before I got dumped out in the GO office in the basement, but I cried pretty hard while I was in there, because who do you even call? What if your phone doesn’t work? What if none of it matters because the power is out? Points are only deducted because the elevator is the reason I was crying in the first place.
- The Letterbox – 10/10
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Just as crying in the Writer’s Institute is a right of passage, so is having a breakdown in the Letterbox. This was the most recent location to be christened by my tears and let me tell you, it was glorious. There’s no echo. It’s relatively private if you tuck yourself in the corner and the carpet is the super accepting. Just be careful not to cry too hard. Food and liquid are forbidden in the publishing suite.
From what I’ve heard, Evert, Starbucks, the science building, Mellon Lounge, and dark corners of laundry rooms (bonus points if the lights turn off) are also popular venues. Remember that crying on campus isn’t always a choice. Sometimes it just happens, so your experience may be vastly different from my own. Be sure to follow @HCSusquehanna on Instagram and Twitter to let us know your favorite place to cry on campus!
Stay strong Susquehanna students. The semester’s almost over.