As a college student, finals week is pretty much synonymous with ‘stressed out.’ It is the season for students to start pulling all-nighters, sleeping in the library and consuming dangerous amounts of caffeine in order to study for their tests, write up papers and put together slideshow presentations. During this time, everything in the school begins to close prematurely except for one place: the library. 

Kessel will begin to close some of their stations, Miller Mart will shut its doors and Starbucks will turn off their machines before most finals even start. However, Mortola Library opens even longer (24/7) and is providing games, motivation, free food and coffee as the end of the semester approaches. 

Students studying in the library are welcome to take breaks by heading downstairs to the “Napping Area,” where cots and soft chairs are provided. There is even advice posted on the walls about the benefits of naps, and how long the ideal nap is (twenty minutes). 

Free midnight coffee is provided during finals week and on December 9, the library is holding its annual “Toast to the End of the Semester” event, where free toast (and Nutella) is provided for hungry students. 

The “Meme Motivation” board, which is posted by the staircase on the first floor, is covered with popular memes and encouraging notes from other students. You can take one and write one for another student to see or take. 

Studying in the library is popular during finals because of how effective it is. Sitting in your bed doing work often proves to be distracting, as it is easy to get too comfortable and maybe even fall asleep. The library provides a quiet environment where you can be comfortable but focused. The first floor is a “green” zone and group work and conversations are encouraged. The second floor had “yellow” and “red” zones where conversations are quietly permitted, and where there is no talking at all. 

Junior nursing major Shelby Cherwek comes to the library to type up study guides, rewrite notes, and memorize material for her nursing finals.

“I go to the single desks in the quiet section so I don’t have any distractions,” Cherwek said.  “I use a lot of YouTube videos and crash courses because it’s better to understand the info as opposed to just memorizing it. I try and make sure I always have snacks and water with me because I spend usually six to eight hours in the library on a good study day. I always listen to music too but more instrumental or lo-Fi because the words in songs can get distracting.”