Caroline Kelleher is an anthropology and geography sophomore and Mustang News opinion and satire columnist. The opinions expressed in this piece do not necessarily represent the opinions of Mustang News.
With the Kennedy Library renovation beginning over the summer, students have found themselves lacking a consistent place to study. Although the school is providing study tents reminiscent of pandemic-era restaurant eating situations, many are looking for- well, literally anything else. The Hoof’s investigation team reached out to students to find out just where they’re grinding out their next architectural design or statistical spreadsheet – here are a few that we liked best.
- On the side of the road during move-in: “Studying next to a shirtless, drunk man holding a sign that says “daughter drop-off” or “MILFS DRINK FREE” can be incredibly productive,” says a third-year child development major.
- Inside Firestone Grill: Firestone Grill is one of downtown SLO’s most popular places to eat, but many don’t realize that the consistently peaceful and calm atmosphere cultivates a wonderful ability to get work done.
- The Pool at the Rec Center: When it’s sunny, what better place is there to study than by the pool? One student told us: “I love working poolside. There’s never any glare on my screen, and I can always find a seat!” Plus, you won’t have to risk your computer overheating – there’s so much air outside that it’ll just cool it down.
- Yakʔitʸutʸu parking garage, top floor: “I love listening to the Mustang Band practicing while I work,” says a first-year physics major. “I can always hear it from inside my room, even if the windows are closed, so I decided to just get closer to the sound instead!” The student added that the consistent repetition of the same song for hours on end helps their memorization, as they associate the sound with whatever they’re reading.
- SLODOCO on a Friday Night: “Seeing people coming back from frat parties helps me analyze behavior better,” says a graduate student working towards their Master’s in psychology. “I get a lot of work done listening to loud drunk people crying and laughing excessively.”
- Using the machines at the Rec Center: “Not a lot of people realize that you can also use the machines we have available to study,” says an employee at the Rec Center. They went on to inform us of their personal favorite: sitting down and reading on the bench press.
- On top of the P: Carrying your laptop and textbooks all the way up the mountain is a great way to get your brain working before you even study. Plus, the scenic views, high wind, and various bugs and animals add to the light-headed feeling you might get after a steep hike!
No matter what, Cal Poly has our back, even in situations where an incredibly useful place to students was taken away. We can always rely on the administration to provide all 20,000 students with adequate access to a quiet place that provokes education. They’d never take away one of the most crucial places to study while we get our degree finished after we pay tens of thousands of dollars in tuition – they care about us too much to leave us to our own devices!