Despite the recent onset of warm weather, the season of midterms and its accompanying feelings of general despair make this time of the semester a difficult one. For the days when you just can’t keep it in, find solace in these on-campus spots where, hopefully, you can shed those tears without judgment.

The King Juan Carlos Center’s inner courtyard

For those familiar with the struggles of gasping for breath during an all-consuming, ugly bawl, NYU’s lack of fresh air in many of its lounges is a nuisance. But if you head into this building — located next to The Catholic Center at NYU — walk through the front door and all the way to the back to find a courtyard that gives the one at the School of Law a run for its money. Multiple seating areas are positioned across the space, but the left corner in particular boasts benches surrounded by pebbles that are perfect for sobbing your heart out, away from prying eyes. If you go on a sunny day, you can even hear birds chirping and feel the sun drying your tears. 

721 Broadway’s third floor staircases

What better way to score your weekly breakdown than to have a bunch of Drama students belting a song on repeat? Look no further than the grimy but mighty staircases on the third floor of the Tisch School of the Arts’ main building, where after 5 p.m., the stairs get a lot less foot traffic and noise — no one walks up past the second floor anyway — apart from the occasional rehearsal next door. But if you don’t mind some occasional music, sit down on the oddly comforting, albeit cold steps and let your sorrows out beneath the suitably dim and depressing lighting.

Bobst Library’s study pods

Located on the eighth, ninth and Lower Level 2 floors of Bobst Library, these soundproof, sensory-friendly pods allow you to adjust the lighting, turn on the fan and move the desk to create a crying hideout tailored just to your liking. One downside to the study pods is that they have giant windows for passersby to peer inside — but if you dim the lights and lay your head down, who can tell if you’re crying or sleeping? The pods are often in high demand during exam season, however, so if you envision a breakdown in the near future, make sure to book one in advance. 

20 Cooper Square’s seventh floor common area

Not to speak from personal experience or anything, but if you hide behind the iMacs on the far right of the space, you can blame your pain on Adobe Premiere. Typically quiet in the early afternoon, this floor — one of several that houses NYU’s journalism department — also offers plenty of other nooks and study spaces to cry yourself a river. Of course, if you’re a journalism student, this might not be the best location to have a breakdown without running into a fellow classmate — but at least the natural lighting from all the oversized windows will make your splotchy face look fantastic.

The Kimmel Center for University Life’s secret stairs  

If you take the elevator to the eighth floor and walk away from the study lounge, you’ll find Stair M: a fully functional stairwell that barely anyone seems to use. Technically someone could walk in at any moment, but the chances are low — meaning that you should have plenty of privacy to feel all the feels. Whether you have class in the Global Center for Academic and Spiritual Life or are just dropping by for a quick lunch, this stairwell is the perfect getaway for an efficient, private sob.

Broadway, on your way home from Bobst

When there’s no space left in the pods, save your woes for the road. No true New Yorker will do a double take if you’re puffy-eyed as you stumble home, weeping from a failed midterm or the fact that you waited 45 minutes only to get your Upstein order refunded. And for those who would argue that Broadway doesn’t count for a list of on-campus spots, hey — the city is our campus. 

Contact Alessa Alluin, Mariana Arboleda and Mia Shou at [email protected].