Let's say you're a college student, in desperate need of a quiet place to study. Naturally, the campus library comes to mind. Unfortunately, when you get there, it quickly becomes apparent that everyone else had the same idea. Everywhere you turn you see clusters of kids you know from class. Even worse are all the 'study groups' full of students who seem to think that they are the exception to the 'inside-voices-only' rule. How are you supposed to get anything done in here? Where else could you go?
Obviously, the student union is out of the question--that place is a zoo of loud, hungry animals.
Well, the good news is that there actually is a third option. If you're willing to venture a little ways off campus, you can check out your town's public library/ It's guaranteed to be quieter, cleaner, and full of considerate people who appreciate having a quiet space to think just as much as you do. And I know all of this because as I write this article I am sitting in a nice, cozy chair in the Wood County Public Library, which is a ten minute walk from my dorm, and the only thing I can hear is the sound of my own typing.
Sure, there are obviously a million other places off campus that you could study, and they're probably all more hipster than the city library. But guess who's the first to flock to the trendy coffee shops and used book stores? You guessed it--all the self-proclaimed 'cool kids' from campus. And they're bound to be listening to indie music and loudly discussing all the benefits of going vegan, or the hottest new hookah bar in town, or something else equally distracting.
Your campus library may have a vending machine and a so-called quiet zone, but your local library actually IS a quiet zone--full of window seats, cozy nooks, and friendly librarians. You won't have to worry about turning a corner and catching two horny coeds making out behind a row of books, which is an actual risk on campus. As an added plus, if you visit your local library you may meet someone new and interesting who you may not have had the chance to meet at your university.
It's easy to get tired of walking past the same drab buildings each day on your way to class, and it's also easy to get bored of studying in the same three spots. Visiting the town library is a simple, free way to remedy both of those issues. You can get away from your roommate, from boisterous college students, and from school as a whole as you relax with a book somewhere you know you won't be deserved. So Google your public library, figure out their hours, and head on over there--chances are, you'll be glad you did.
