Monday, September 22, 1997 You Gotta FIGHT For Your RIGHT To
STUDY From the nooks and crannies of Kerckhoff to the upstairs
lounge at Jerry’s Deli, students must shop around for a study spot
before finding the one that fits By Michelle Navarro and Greg Mena
Daily Bruin Contributors
A pair of Nikes peeks lazily over the edge of one of the sofas
peppered around the room. To the left, one student shifts in his
sleep, disturbing the quiet, museum-like atmosphere of the room.
The sound of footsteps echoes throughout, heading for the adjacent
reading room. There, Ron Redoblado sits in a stiff, straight-back
wooden chair, working on physics homework. The cold air is thick
with concentration, and the room is dead silent until two students
in the corner start to whisper.
Since its re-opening in August 1996, Powell Library has quickly
become one of students’ favorite places to crack open the books.
Last year, Powell saw its millionth visitor.
"I think it seems to be the spot," said Eleanor Mitchell, head
of the College Library.
Powell’s versatility of locations to study, Mitchell feels,
makes the library "wonderful" for those who are comfortable in the
center of things. Individuals can study in the Rotunda, while study
groups can reserve a room. Those craving privacy and silence can
envelop themselves in a cubicle on the lower level.
Excluding the work stations in the computer lab, Powell has
approximately 750 chairs for students. With so many spots
available, a study session is bound to turn into a social
session.
"It’s easy to see someone you know and then talk to them, even
in low tones. That’s a distraction and it can ruin a study
session," said David Liu, a third-year computer science student.
"Anywhere where people can see each other is less effective."
Mitchell said if a group did create a distraction, she would
"prefer for students to take responsibility"and ask the group to be
quiet. However, she said, Campus Security Officers (CSOs) are
available to handle those situations.
The noise does get on some nerves. Liu said he probably would
return to studying in places like Powell if administrators made a
better attempt at keeping the library silent.
"If they enforced a rule, I would study," he said. "But, where
do you draw the line? What’s too loud?"
Another solution to the ‘noisy-quiet-place’ problem, Mitchell
suggested, is to use the cubicles on the first floor. The enclosed
seats are helpful for shutting out unwanted noise.
Many flock to Powell in groups because they share the same
class, for safety reasons or – according to third-year biochemistry
student Redoblado – "just because I’m with them."
Six small-group study rooms are located on the west side of the
first floor, but they are difficult to reserve once midterms and
finals roll around.
"Groups talk in the lounges because (UCLA) has a lack of
group-study rooms. There’s nowhere for them to go except the
lounges, unless they’re lucky enough to have a room when the
roommate’s not there," Liu said.
Powell Library is also a favorite simply because of its
eye-appeal.
"It’s beautiful. We have a suggestion box and people always say,
‘This place is terrific,’" Mitchell said.
The library’s central location on campus is an added bonus when
resources other than computers and books are needed.
"It’s nice and quiet. It’s also closer to the TAs and other
centers for help," Redoblado said.
Signs prohibiting food or drinks are a drawback to studying in
Powell; what is a study session without the essential C’s: candy,
chips and coffee?
There are the few, however, who still manage to get the best of
both worlds.
"I eat anyways, so it doesn’t bother me," Redoblado said with a
smile.
Where Sherlock Holmes would study
Outside, the familiar sound of metal scraping against concrete
rings as a student gets up. Fearless pigeons waddle around the feet
of two students playing chess under the canvas umbrellas. The sun’s
rays burn down, causing one studier to read biochemistry in a pair
of shades. Meanwhile, Shirley Lara just settles in and starts
studying.
If studying in UCLA’s "concentration camp" isn’t your style,
then perhaps one of the many nooks and crannies of Kerckhoff Hall
is.
From the isolated study room behind the art gallery to the
social outside patio and coffee house, students manage to
comfortably wedge themselves into a spot for a rendezvous with 50
pages of economics.
Behind the art gallery hides a small study area with a unique
style. The leather chairs and wooden staircase give the impression
that Sherlock Holmes could walk in at any moment, smoking a pipe
and chatting with his partner Watson. For the reclusive, designer
studier, this place is perfect. Very few go past the threshold of
the gallery back door to this concealed gem, so the room is seldom
full. Usually one finds a snoozers’ convention instead.
Despite the old, metal furniture, the patio is well-suited for
students who enjoy people-watching and catching a little sun, not
to mention getting the chance to see a bird and squirrel duke it
out for a piece of bagel.
"I like studying outdoors because of the fresh air. There’s not
as much tension like there is in a library where everyone’s all
cooped up inside," said Lara, a third-year international economics
student.
Although the constant surrounding movement may be considered a
big distraction, Lara said that she "eventually get(s) used to
it."
Inside the coffee house, speakers hanging from the ceiling
circulate the sounds of bands like New Order. The vibrant colors of
the room reflect the lively chatter of students drinking their
grande cappuccino royales. The white noise buzzes in harmony with
blenders behind the counter whipping up the room’s sweet,
coffee-scented aroma. In front of the Baskin Robbins counter,
5-year-old Tommy devours his strawberry ice-cream cone.
Kerckhoff Coffee House is not the quietest, most secluded place
to study; in fact, it may be the noisiest. Either way, a
considerable student portion prefers to park it there.
"The music keeps you awake and there’s good people-watching,"
said Robin Nussbaun, a second-year business economics student.
"They’re distractions, but it’s better than falling asleep."
Lu Valle Commons offers a similar setup – an outside patio and
adjacent coffee house. The only difference between the two is the
preferred company: stressed out, pressured South Campus students or
laid-back, stop-to-smell-the-flowers North Campus students.
"The only place my bed is"
A student clad in a towel and flip-flops strolls through the
lounge, nodding "hello" to the students reading on the sofas.
Fragments of chips lie forgotten on the brown carpet. One girl
slouches in a corner chair with a book while Tori Jackson goes over
material with people in her group.
Up on the Hill, every dorm hall offers places to study. If the
thought of lugging four classes’ worth of books and notes up and
down Bruin Walk to go to the library isn’t very appealing, no need
to despair. Each dorm contains several small lounges which house
comfy chairs and couches, as well as handy coffee tables – ideal
for solo studying or group sessions.
"I usually study in the dorm study lounges because we’re in a
group, there’s a lot more space and everyone can be more
comfortable," said Tori Jackson, a third-year psychology
student.
On the other hand, Jackson said she preferred her room over the
lounges when it came to studying by herself.
"In my room, it’s quiet and peaceful. I like to study on my bed
and the only place my bed is in, is my room," Jackson said.
The advantage of studying in one’s room is that it’s available
24 hours a day, and most possessions and supplies are
accessible.
"I like studying in my room because I have my computer and all
those comfortable things. I can’t study unless I’m comfortable –
but not too comfortable or else I’ll fall asleep," said Mike
Mirhadi, a third-year microbiology and molecular genetics
student.
A study break at Nordstrom’s
The clinking of spoons on coffee cups rings throughout. One man
lovingly bites into the pastry he bought at the Starbucks counter.
Two girls sit at a table, flipping through the latest Discovery
issue. Janelle Hu gets up from her chair, ready to take a study
break at Nordstrom’s, Barnes and Noble’s neighbor.
Off campus there are a variety of places that welcome students
in desperate need of a place to rest their books – Denny’s, Jerry’s
Deli and Barnes and Noble, for example.
At Denny’s, a cup of coffee and an inexpensive order of "Play it
Again Slam" or "Moons Over My Hammy" can accompany the stack of
literature that awaits.
For the more financially stable, Jerry’s Deli offers an upstairs
area for students during finals. If a student can’t afford a meal
from the menu, he or she can simply order Jello or mozzarella
sticks – and the studying may begin.
Students utilize tables and chairs scattered around the
three-story Barnes and Noble. A Starbucks is also planted in the
store.
The books and other stores in the mall, however, may lure the
weak studier away from his work. Only the strong will survive.
"I like to study there because McDonald’s and Nordstrom’s are
there," said Janelle Hu, a fourth-year sociology student. "It’s
good for study breaks. I look forward to the study breaks and that
makes me work harder."
CHARLES KUO/Daily Bruin
Jack Karadanaian (foreground), an English student, and Nghia
Phan, a math student, study quietly in Powell Library – a case,
some argue, which happens too infrequently.