With midterm season in full swing, Bobst Library is overflowing with students. Which floor people are racing to, however, can say a lot about what kind of student they are. Let’s take a tour, and maybe you’ll find the perfect floor for you.
1st Floor
The first floor primarily serves as a place to pass through before arriving at your destination on another level. As for those you see seated on the black seats in the atrium and in the gallery to the right, they are likely one of two things: procrastinators — whipping up a last-minute essay — and loyal friends, waiting patiently to meet their buds for lunch. Also in the gallery, you’ll find students sprawled out on the floor, passed out from exhaustion, too tired to go back to their dorms to sleep.
Lower Levels
Taking the stairs below, you’ll find a collection of insanely Vitamin D-deficient dwellers. These people seldom see the light of day, choosing to set up camp in the many study rooms and corners of the lower levels, which are open 24/7.
However, in the common spaces of LL1, you’ll also find the foodies. These students were driven down here because the upper floors explicitly ban food — in theory, anyways. Here, feel free to eat and study (or not) to your heart’s desire. Having been shunned themselves, the students here are extremely lively and welcoming. Grab some overpriced snacks from the vending machines and you’ll be on your way.
2nd and 3rd Floors
Nothing special here. The second floor is closed for renovations, but it’s okay — no one relevant goes there anyway. The people on these floors say they can study anywhere and anytime, but really they’ve just learned to settle with what they’ve got.
4th floor
This is a floor of wannabes. These are the people that want to either be on the fifth floor talking with friends or on the sixth or eighth getting their study grind on. It’s not quite one of the popular floors but also isn’t as insignificant as the ones below. While average, the fourth floor has its perks. When you inevitably get forced out of the fifth, sixth or eighth, the fourth is like the nice guy who likes you but was unconsciously friendzoned — dependable, trustworthy and always there for you.
5th floor
Ah, the party floor. Don’t go to the fifth floor without your friends unless you want to stick out like a sore thumb. Fifth floor people are the cool kids of Bobst. Catch them blowing smoke next to the “NO VAPING” signs and discussing Friday night plans more than school work. In the minority are study groups scribbling chemistry equations or integrals on huge whiteboards. However, they eventually turn back to gabbing with their friends, saying things like, “We should get back to work, we have a test worth 30 percent of our grade tomorrow!” knowing fully well that’s not going to happen.
6th floor
The sixth floor is the quintessential study room. This is where the poster child of NYU goes to study — someone who is academically driven but knows when to have fun. While defined as silent study, the silence isn’t deafening. This floor is open to both graduate and undergraduate students. Because of this, and its nice view, it’s prized real estate. It’s so sought after that people waiting for you to pack up and go are sitting at your seat before you even zip up your backpack. However, because the room consists of rows of tables — with lots of outlets — you can usually find room to squeeze yourself in.
7th floor
What is it with these odd numbered floors? The seventh floor is home to the Avery Fisher Center, where you can check out movies. But besides this resource, the floor is just another option if you don’t care and just need to study, or gave up with the hierarchy of the other levels. We get it, we’ve all been there.
8th floor
This is for the most studious among us. These rooms say they are graduate study only, but you can get away with going in if you embody the persona of a grad student — sweats, messy bun, a cup of coffee, a bullet journal and a large stack of reading in tow. If you find the courage to snatch a seat, proceed cautiously, as anything above a whisper is seriously frowned upon and immediately shushed. This includes sneezing and coughing, as natural bodily functions are prohibited on this level.
9th and 10th floor
These are the veterans of Bobst. The students who sit here have sold their souls to gain the prime study spots. Beware — they are not to be disturbed. Hold your breath, don’t say a word, and try not to look at them. They can feel your eyes and hear your beating heart — both of which would be considered distractions. These students are more akin to zombies, forgoing sleep and food in favor of the darkest under eye bags and the longest dissertations. While there are Bobst regulars, the people on these floors are inhabitants of the library who only leave when forcefully evicted.
11th and 12th floor
Here, you can find actual adults working in a world separate from the students below. They even have their own special elevator that takes them only to where they need to go so they can stay as far away from us as possible. If you do happen to accidentally get on their privileged elevator, just try to get off as soon as possible and be prepared for scoffs and scorns from these higher beings.
A version of this article appeared in the Monday, Oct. 22 print edition. Email Anna de la Rosa at [email protected].
