- Van Pelt: The Good Guy
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Van Pelt is a very dependable guy, always welcoming you with a goofy smile. He’s the one that sends you notes when you miss class and offers you a hug when he sees you struggling through the day. He’s also the one who’s up the longest and offers you shelter during your mental breakdowns. Most likely a CIS major, Van Pelt is very intellegent and most likely where you go to cry during the unholy hours of the night.
Real talk: Van Pelt is super reliable and open until the late hours of the night, especially during midterm and finals season. There are loads of study areas within the building, including the ground floor study GSRs and the group study rooms that go all the way up the six floor building. Van Pelt also has a marketplace for those late night study nights and a whole arsenal of information to check out.
- Huntsman: The Wharton Kid
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Huntsman is your typical Wharton boy – sophisticated, enticing, and selective as to who can hang out with him and when. He stands out due to his presence and gold watch, and he’s usually on his phone trying to get an “All Star” profile on his LinkedIn. He’s very technology savvy.
Real talk: Huntsman is filled with GSRs, but only Wharton/Huntsman students can book them. And while students from other colleges can study in the GSRs, there’s always the threat of being kicked out by a reservation. Selective indeed. But it is a very quiet, adult place to study (if that’s what you’re looking for). I’m a proponent of locking myself in a GSR for hours at a time.
- Stommons: The Player
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Stommons is the nice guy who turns out to be a player (a nice player if you will). He makes himself easily accessible and has lots of connections. He may look like an innocent guy in the light, but he has a lot of admirers and is a proponent of “casual relationships”…whatever that means.
Real talk: Stommons is a super convenient place to study. Not only is the location spot on – right above a dining hall and the midway of many residential areas – but it also includes easy accessibility to Starbucks. It’s usually fairly packed since it’s a popular location to chill between classes, as well as an area where lots of interviews take place. Also, it’s one of the few places that is open until midnight on the weekdays for those late night cram sessions. It’s also right below the Amazon Center and Gourmet Grocer, making it a very favorable study area.
- Saxbys: The Bad Boy
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Saxby’s is the older, more sceney guy. He’s usually either in graduate school or just a senior with lots of connections. More than once, he’ll get stopped on the street by people who’ve just seen him around (who are also older and more sceney). Usually clad in a leather jacket, Saxby’s embodies the alternative bad boy of your sixth grade crush (at least for me).
Real talk: Saxby’s is a great place to 1) socialize and 2) get a solid amount of work done. It’s almost outside of campus, so the shop is usually filled with graduate students and upperclassmen. Rarely will you find a freshman roaming the tables.
Unless you go early in the mornings, it usually gets fairly loud and busy from late morning to evening. It’s a great place if you’re looking for a more chill, coffee shop vibe, but not so great if you need to do last minute cramming for a midterm.
- Education Commons (Ed Coms): The Athlete
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Ed Coms is your typical athlete. He’s dedicated to the sport, but also grinds through homework when needed. He lives far from the center of campus, but right near a gym, making it easy for him to stay in shape. He also tends to stay with his teammates and other athletes, but he’ll welcome anyone.
Real talk: Ed Coms is a lowkey place to study, equipped with mats to take a few naps along the way. It’s located right next to the Palestra, above the Fox Fitness Center. There are a few GSRs that aren’t as difficult to get as Van Pelt, but the general area is usually a noise-free environment, allowing hours to fly by with only the music in your earbuds. Athletes are the main users of this study spot, as it is convenient for them to have a gym and weight room close by.
To conclude, boys and study spots have more in common than we might think. Yet, each person has different preferences for where they study: VP and Stommons for those late night study sessions, Saxby’s and Huntsman for more collaborative work, and Ed Coms for the athletic convenience.
But remember: boys and grade point averages don’t (and shouldn’t) define who you are as an individual. Find the spot that makes you the most productive and get to working, girl!