Griselda Chavez

I stumbled upon this perfect little area after losing track of time and rushing to find a place where I could log into my Zoom class. Usually, when I am in virtual classes the environment is either too quiet or comfortable for me to stay awake or too noisy and uncomfortable for me to stay focused. This normal and random location was honestly exactly what I needed! The seats were super comfortable and the lighting from the glass ceiling—unfortunately, not pictured—was perfect! I felt very awake with the lighting and despite feeling comfortable I actually felt very studious and focused because I could see other students doing their work as well or attending classes. It wasn’t too quiet to the point where I would feel insecure talking in class, but there was enough silence for me to clearly hear my professor. 

After several attempts trying to secure a study room, I was finally able to reserve a study room and was a bit disappointed to find out that I didn’t feel as productive as I had hoped. Having an entire study room to myself was nice because I didn’t have to worry about my volume or disturb others; however, it also felt like being in my dorm room and just relaxing. Perhaps, study rooms might be better when studying with a group. 

Do you want to experience the “rainy day vibes” but also feel productive?!?! This is the spot! After a morning of soft drizzles and windy weather, I decided to stop by Collis’ Common Ground and settle down in one of their cushioned chairs not realizing that it was right next to a fireplace. Feeling a great urge to read and enjoy ~the vibes~ I decided to do some light homework reading and it felt so nice! Although I enjoy the readings I’m assigned for class, I also tend to get overwhelmed by the number of pages and stress out a lot while reading. The fireplace with the warm tones of the room eased my worries and made reading such an enjoyable experience. I felt so warm and at ease that it reminded me of Christmas. 

The Cube is right outside of my dorm, yet I do not visit as often. I have gone about four times and was only able to actually study about twice. I imagine it to be more upbeat and lively during a regular term; however, it is mainly a study area as of now. Compared to the “old-fashioned” lounges in Collis, the Cube is very elegant and modern. It has bold colors on some walls and appears to be very minimalistic--not sure if that’s because of the social distancing guidelines. To me, the seats are not as uncomfortable and it feels more like a social area than a place for me to focus. Despite this, there are days where it’s really nice to be surrounded by a more modern atmosphere after spending a lot of time studying in Collis and its warmer-tone-colored walls.