Five types of people you’ll meet at Leavey

Let’s face it — Leavey library is not anyone’s favorite place on campus. But as much as we all roll our eyes at the questionable interior color scheme and resent the fact that we have to pay for printing, most students, if pressed, would likely admit that Leavey has come through for them in one way or another throughout their years at USC. Spending any extended period of time inside means seeing the same sorts of people over and over. Here are the five people you will likely meet in your 8+ hour-long visits during midterm season.

1. The kid who has a midterm tomorrow but is just now opening the textbook.

We have all seen (and felt sorry for) this kid. He sits in his cubicle in a state of panic with seven weeks worth of messy class notes spread out around him. He flips frantically through his textbook, trying to figure out a way to absorb an extensive amount of information before the exam tomorrow. Seeing this kid makes us sad, but it also secretly makes us feel better about ourselves. No matter how unprepared we feel for our own midterms, at least we know we’re better off than he is. Good thing Leavey is open all night!

2. The kid who, despite having been at USC for five months, is in Leavey for the very first time.

She walks from floor to floor in awe, trying to figure out how there are possibly so many people there. She doesn’t know how many floors there are or that there is a group study room downstairs and asks questions like, “Wait, but where are the actual books?” You hear her looking around and whispering, “Wow, this is so cool!” You chuckle, realizing she has clearly never spent an entire night cramming in a cubicle.

3. The kid who will quite literally do anything to avoid studying.

 

We see them and wonder why they’re still there. We struggle to understand why they’re electing to spend time in Leavey if they aren’t going to study. She’s browsing the Lululemon website for a new pair of leggings. He’s playing Minecraft. Go home, we silently urge them. Just go home.

4. The kid who uses Leavey as a backdrop for social hour.

Of course the upstairs areas are designated quiet zones for studying, but the basement level outside area and the group study room both permit talking. Some kids choose to use these spaces to host their socializing. On occasion, you can spot people sitting on the couches outside of the group study room eating snacks from TroGro and casually chatting. As in #3, he same question arises: If you’re not studying, why are you here?

5. The kid who is only in it for the printing

This kid usually visits late at night or early in the morning before class starts. He walks in, puts a couple dollars on his USCard prints out whatever paper is due or whichever lab he needs to prepare for. And then he gets out of there. As quickly as he possibly can.