Page 2/At Ease/Thursday, February 18,1988
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Trips to library prove less fruitful than fun
Usually the word “library”
invokes in most people an
image of a building filled with
books, several students quietly
reading and an old librarian
with glasses pushed far down
on her nose, looking up and
saying “Shh” every once in a
while. This is the image that I
usually try to plant in my mind
when I start thinking about
going to the library. However,
this “librarial” state of mind
does not always stay.
I usually start planning a trip
to the library when I have an
important test to study for, a
LONG and DULL chapter in
political science to read or my
apartment is just too noisy to
study in. Yet sometimes 1 think
that the social subconcious in
my brain might also be a factor
in urging me to take a trip to
the library.
In preparation for my trip, I’ll
first get out my backpack and
pack it with as many books as
possible. I always decide that
this night, of course, I would
read at least one chapter in
every book. Then, as I am
about to walk out the door, I
take a quick look in the mirror
and decide that perhaps I need
to quickly touch up my face —
maybe add a little mascara and
lipstick. Also, maybe I should
change into my cute new
sweatshirt. After all, you never
know who you’re going to run
into!
Once I’m at the library I tell
myself that I am going directly
up to the sixth floor to bury
myself in a cubicle — do not
pass go, do not collect $200,
do not stop to talk — but just
straight up to the cubicle.
Unfortunately, it just so
happens that a couple of my
friends happen to be in the
crowd waiting for the elevator,
and since it would be rude just
to ignore them I stop and talk
for a few minutes. After missing
about three elevator runs, I
break away and head for the
sixth floor.
Finally, I make it. I am all
alone in a cubicle, hidden
behind rows of books, and I
plunge into my Economics
book with a vengeance. Then,
after at least ten minutes of
serious concentration, my
stomach gives a low growl, my
throat begins to feel dry and I
This week’s attention!! photo of The Dixie Chicken’s porch was taken by Nancy Haire,
a junior history major.
decide that it’s time for a candy
bar and a Diet Coke down at
the snack lounge.
On the way down. I just
happen to run into a friend and
we join up. We go down into
the snack area, buy Diet
Cokes, hide them in our
pockets so the library monitors
won’t get us and start back
upstairs. On the way, my friend
asks me to go around the
fourth floor with her to find
someone. Hmmm... the
fourth floor... the dangerous
one... should I do it? Yet, out
of the kindness of my heart, I
decide to oblige.
Well, once we reach the
fourth floor, all is lost. There’s
Andrea and Kelly and Tom
over there at that table, and
look, there’s Jenny and Brian
over there, and there’s so-and-
so over there...
It is now 11:35 p.m. I have
finally made it back to my
cubicle on the sixth floor and
have just gotten back into
Economics. The next thing I
know, “Ding, ding, ding, ding.
..” It’s those bells that mean
the library is about to close. Uh
oh. It’s been yet another night
of accomplishment for me. I’ve
read a total of five pages. Oh
well. Maybe next time...
This week’s attention!!
column was written by
Laurie Nagel, a sophomore
speech communications
major.
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