It’s Not Thompson Library: But it Serves its Purpose!

Back in Ohio I was meticulous about my study habits; I was almost OCD if you paid attention to my routines. It wasn’t so much that I wanted to study in a specific place, at a specific time; it was more so that I needed to study at a specific place and at a specific time. Given that I was already working a full-time job and taking classes full-time, it was necessary for me to be a study late at night and it was necessary for me to find places where I could comfortably, absorb information and let my creative juices flow from my fingers out through my laptop without distraction. At home, in Ohio, I never studied or completed homework in my living room, in front of a television or with any person around me. It was almost as if I needed to tune out the world around me to get some quality time with my books. Typically, I would camp out in Thompson Library with a cup of coffee, a Red Bull, an Odwalla Juice and probably some sort of food for hours on end.  If I did not feel like heading down to good ol’ Thompson, I also had my own private office in my house which had limited distractions, coffee, Odwalla Juice, and free food.

This summer, I had a difficult time adjusting to the unfamiliarity of my surrounding, in terms of my studying environment. In Columbus, even if all else failed and I needed an alternative study location, I would head to the Columbus Public Library and complete my assignments. Here in D.C., the libraries close early and obviously I don’t have access to my beloved Thompson.  As my frustrations about my study locations began to grow, and my grades suffered the consequences of my inability to adjust, I attempted to change my study routines. I tried studying with other people in the room, and did not get any work completed. I tried putting my headphones on with music to zone out on my work, and failed miserably. I even tried sitting on my bed and working in a quiet room, and had no luck at getting into my zone.  (OCD, right). I needed to get back to my roots, and find a place where learning is promoted and being done by people who have no other objectives but to learn or at least quietly read (or play on Facebook).  

My obvious choice became the Lauinger Library at Georgetown University. As mention in my title, it’s not the Thompson Library, but it totally served its purpose. They have a Quiet Reading Room that stays open 24 hours. They have coffee in the building and even computers that I can use to print. Every person on the Georgetown Campus is extremely nice and pleasant and I even met a few students who were from Ohio! Needless to say, my quiz scores jumped almost 20 points  once I began frequenting the campus library.

Now, one thing I noticed about the Lauinger Library is that it is a bit “vintage.” However, for me vintage equals comfort and the furniture is worn because many people (such as myself) come here to immerse themselves in an environment that promotes learning and creativity. For those of you looking for a place to study and complete your papers without distraction, you should consider the Lauinger Library or any of the libraries on the Georgetown campus.  It truly is a “win-win” situation when you visit the local campus. First, you satisfy your need to study in an academic atmosphere free from distractions and second, you can tour the campus and see if it may be an option for graduate school.  Donniecia