Welcome to the MPA Lounge. The door only opens for those with ID cards that have been activated to allow entry, making the GSB 4th floor room exclusively for MPA students.
Two girls are sleeping in the corner, one on each couch. Apparently the end-of-semester demands kept them up late last night.
In addition to those two couches, there are six comfy arm chairs (not lazy boys, but pleasantly comfortable), and five tables at which people can study, cruise the Internet, eat, or socialize.
Three guys just walked out after spending approximately five minutes socializing. For some, this is a place to make quick pit-stops between classes.
Of the remaining three students (besides me), two are working on an assignment at one of the tables, and another is studying at a separate table. Except for the sounds of my typing and the group studiers quietly discussing their assignment, it is relatively silent in here.
Wait. I wrote too soon. The student who was studying quietly by himself just turned to the other guys to ask what hats they brought to wear to their tax class. Over the past couple of days, several of my MPA friends have discussed their tax class and how today has been designated hat day, requiring them all to wear hats to class. They’re not sure why, or if they’ll actually be docked points if they don’t wear a hat, but nobody seems to want to take that chance.
OK, they’re done. It’s quiet again, and the couch occupants are still pleasantly slumbering (with occasional grumblings about not being able to sleep due to incessant thoughts about all of the things they need to do today).
[2 minutes later]
Three students just entered and one of the girls in the corner is awake. More discussions about hats.
This is one of my favorite spots to study, as that brief glimpse may (or may not) have illustrated. It’s generally quiet, but MPA students come and go all day long, providing a few welcome breaks when I remove my headphones, join in the conversation and catch up with friends.
I hadn’t thought about it until today, but this is also a place where one can often hear the latest of what is going on, including MPAC events being organized, people’s recruiting successes and grievances, opinions about teachers and classes, etc. We should probably add a water cooler to complete the image I’ve just painted, but all jokes aside (it’s not a gossip center by any means), the MPA Lounge is one of the only places on campus, aside from classes, where I find myself exclusively with other MPA students. To me, it’s one of the best perks around, almost on par with the facilities at Gregory Gym. Almost.