As finals week creeps up on Alina Chernoff, so does stress and anxiety over final chemistry exams, multi-step projects, and course grades. The 19-year-old chemistry student has found the second floor of the library at LaGuardia Community College a quiet sanctuary where the panic over finals disappears. But with most of the library now inaccessible due to renovations, the burden of finding a quiet study spot on campus is another stressor during finals week.
“There’s no real place to study around here,” said Chernoff. “Nowhere that’s as quiet as that part of the library.”
The mezzanine and second floor of the two-story library at LaGuardia Community College has been temporarily closed off due to construction and renovations, limiting student access to the ground floor.
The first floor is designated for computer usage and group study, with minimal regulations on noise and conversations. The top floor is a direct contrast: no music, talking, food or drink aside from water, and no noise whatsoever.
“I’m only able to focus when it’s pitch silent. I don’t even like music in the background or anything,” said Chernoff. “My family is so noisy, it’s always loud and crazy at home, so I would always go up to the library and get everything done there.”
Francisco Oliveira, a 20-year-old fine arts student, shares a similar sentiment. “It was the only place in LaGuardia that would get super quiet in the middle of the day. Everywhere else would get so loud,” said Oliveira.
The library construction has pushed students to find different locations outside of the library to review for exams, but according to students, these temporary relocations pale in comparison to the quiet second floor.
A common study spot is the E-Building atrium, where students can be seen sitting at one of the dozen long white tables, working on assignments, hanging out with friends, or enjoying a quick lunch between classes.
“Those tables outside? Absolutely not.” said Chernoff. “There’s no outlets for your laptop or phone, you have people playing music, talking, and laughing. Then you have the Starbucks and everyone talking to each other on line. I can barely hear myself think sometimes.”
With the temporary loss of the top floor of the library, Alina Chernoff is not alone in her quest to find a quiet study spot on campus.
“There’s definitely some quiet spots, but it doesn’t take long for those to get noisy.” said Chernoff, “So what now? Where else am I supposed to go?”
