It’s the one place that has seen you through the worst of times. The one place that has seen more tears and determination than football field or the basketball court at NMSU. Its thank you has been left out of every graduation speech, but remains a key in most student’s success, it’s Zuhl Library.
Since its construction in 2000 Zuhl has remained a key ingredient in the success of most NMSU students. Its atmosphere is unique and provides the perfect environment for all types of students. Zuhl can be a place of solitude, or it can be the perfect meeting spot for any group project. Its convenient location on campus makes it the perfect study spot. Students are able to take breaks and walk around NMSU’s beautiful campus without ever really going too far. There are snacks in the plenty of vending machines, or the two food courts on campus are located just around either corner of the large, brick building. It has become a favorite study spot for tons of students, and if it hasn’t no student can deny the many hours that they have spent in Zuhl. It has become a second home for some, but why? Out of every cool study spot NMSU has to offer why pick the most obvious? Every student has reasons for choosing their study spot. For most their decision is based off of lack of distractions. Libraries are widely known for their silence. Students often lust for quiet places to study. Although public libraries are hardly utilized anymore, college libraries are the complete opposite. Walking into Zuhl, a student will see maybe fifty other students. Some are doing group work, some are using the computers, and some are focused solely on their notes. It’s not only motivating to see people working on school all around you but it’s also nice seeing that you aren’t the only student skipping drinks to study.
Zuhl has three different floors. Humorously, the floor in which students prefer to study or do school work is almost reflective of their personality. The first floor is bustling. Students working the front desk are chatting with one another, students are gathered in groups laughing at each other’s notes, there’s a lot of activity on the first floor. A student who doesn’t have a laptop would go here to use the computers. If they are in a hurry they might be found along the wall next to the printers. If the student is scrolling through Facebook they could be found in the roomy cubicles that offer more privacy. The first floor is more social. A student who doesn’t like feeling alone might pick this floor as their designated study spot. The second floor is much quieter. Although groups gather here to complete projects they use a much more hushed tone. Most groups on this floor will be found in the study rooms located near the front. These rooms are very popular among students and provide a cozy study annex if you will. The third floor is the quietest. The large windows provide a warm, natural, light. Students come to the third floor to study fiercely and in solidarity. It’s not uncommon to see the same students in the library, in the same spots. It’s also not uncommon to be there every night and only recognize employees.
A student’s study spot has a great role in their success or lack of. It is important that students study in places they are comfortable in but they have to be able to focus. Although preferences vary, comfortability and limited distractions are two of the underlying traits for such preferences. Zuhl’s different floors are so different that they fill all kinds of requirements students seek for a good study space. “I like Zuhl because of the environment, especially the quiet study zones” Said 21 year old Yesenia Ibarra. She is a fourth year engineering student earning a cumulative GPA of 3.6. She agrees that students who don’t utilize effective study areas are jeopardizing their grades, “For those people who can study at home, more power to you, but I feel like there are too many distractions at home. I also feel that if you wake up early (pack lunch) go to class and decide to go the library or even the gym, instead of home, that you are setting yourself up for success”. Several other students also agreed that they could contribute a lot of their school success to long hours at the library. Some students said they like Zuhl and go there simply to relax and read or mess around on their laptop between classes.
Similar to a church, students find peace in their campus libraries. For anyone that’s not familiar with churches or a religious service, this is how the library might compare: People come to relax and get right with themselves, or work on something. Staff members become friendly, familiar, faces such as the ushers and priests in churches. Libraries are quiet much but still holds a strong social aspect like a church. Churches are used to get closer to something, people use libraries as a way of getting closer to a degree. Merrit Peterson, a recent NMSU graduate says she still uses Zuhl, often going to read and get away from her roommates when doing important stuff online “Zuhl has seen a lot from me, I’ve been there more than I’ve been in any other class or building. It’s seen me at my worst during finals and now my worst doing my own taxes and paying online bills. I don’t think people even realize that I’m not a student” she says as she chuckles.
Zuhl could be thanked for numerous reasons by any student. Even I could say thank you for staying up with me to write papers well past two in the morning. It is often forgotten but remains a vital part of every NMSU graduate’s life and has always been college’s most loyal study buddy. Never bailing, never rescheduling, and always there when needed