For the past few weeks, the library has been my home. I wish I could say I was exaggerating, but even as I write this article, I’m sitting here, at a table on the second floor, with the hefty knowledge that I will be here for at least four more hours. My backpack is set in its usual slouch, my books are splayed across the desk, I’m taking up an inordinate amount of room, and I’ve just sunk to a new low: I ate dinner in the library. But hey, I’m ready to roll!

The only thing getting me through the catastrophic wave of midterms is the fact that my suffering is not alone. Every night, my friends and I cop a table, bringing snacks, coffee, and water, and get down to business. And, I can assure you, there’s no other group of people I’d rather knock back seven cups of lukewarm coffee with!

If I’m being completely honest, I wouldn’t be able to handle late nights at the library if I was here alone. The library is somewhat (very, very, very) depressing, and has a vibe of failed tests, sleepless nights, and stress. Without the presence of other people, I’d probably go crazy and let everything overwhelm me. Just the simple presence of people that I know and love helps me get through hours of menial memorization.

While studying is important, so is your social and mental health. By studying in a group, you can get in social time while still doing your work, killing two birds with one stone! Social studying offers a bangin’ support system. My friends can not only tell me when we should take a study break, but they can tell me when to knock it off and get back to work. They offer motivation and support that I wouldn’t get if I was holed up in a lonely box, studying by myself.

Last year, I refused to study with other people, and I found that after a mere hour or two I was ready to cry and go home. I was too busy feeling sorry for myself to suck it up and study. This year, I’ve embraced social studying, and I can go for five to six hours with only minimal complaint!

And hey...what’s better than studying with friends? Studying with friends who are in the same classes as you! I find that when I can bounce ideas off of other people or ask them questions, I learn the material better. Plus, one of the best ways to learn a subject is to teach other people, so even if they aren’t answering my questions, simply by answering theirs I can master the material.

Studying in the library is, to put it gently, absolutely terrible. My last midterm is on Thursday, so I’m excited for the small break I can take from the library. Maybe I’ll go to bed before 1 AM..?? Stay tuned! But, if I’m being honest, there are little things I’ll miss, like making stupid jokes in the wee hours of the morning, drinking an unhealthy amount of peppermint mochas, that feeling when you finally understand a problem, and the feeling of solidarity when we all suffer… together.