Being a commuting student is hard. There are a lot of problems that can be encountered, but the one I’ve always dreaded is the scheduling conflict. When your classes just don’t meet up, you find yourself with two or three extra hours with nothing to do and nowhere to go. Let’s face it, gas prices aren’t going to be going down anytime soon and it’s just not worth making a drive back home when you have that hour or two to spare.
So what do you do? Well I’ve got the solution right here; the new and improved Club de’VILLE! It’s the perfect place for commuting students, or even students who don’t want to go back to their dorm rooms, to find a nice place to hang out during those long sessions between classes.
I recently found myself with that same problem; a few hours to spare between my classes. So I made my way over to the SMC. There on the bottom floor you can find a nicely renovated Club de’VILLE.
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When you get down the stairs, you’ll see a large lobby area with couches and comfortable chairs, even before you walk through the doors into the room itself. When you venture into the lounge there’s more space than anticipated. The club is large, with enough space for people to stretch out, take a moment to try and forget about all the assignments that are due, or simply doze off for a few minutes.
There are couches and chairs all over the room, and finding one will not be a problem. They are sectioned off and so if you want to be alone, all you have to do is find and unoccupied one. Or break out of your shell and sit with a new person, whatever you want to do.
I found myself a chair and sat down and the first thing I noticed is a little desk type attachment that can be used to set your notebook on as well as your computer, if you happen to have the urge to bring it along with you.
If you don’t want to bring your computer with you, there’s a line of computers on the far wall that were all unoccupied when I was there. Nice large computers that you can get your work done on, or simply surf the web and play on Facebook (and Her Campus!) if you’re trying to avoid all the hard work that lies ahead.
One commuter said his favorite part is the computers. “I can leave mine at home, and not have to worry about it in my bag,” he said as he started up the search engine. “It makes things easier, and more convenient for me.”
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The best thing about De’Ville is how quiet it is. There weren’t many students in the club when I went, but is it in a nice location to give you a quiet area to study in if that’s what you’re looking for. I used to hole up in the library, because you didn’t have to worry about people being loud and noisy and you could focus on getting work done.
“It’s just a nice place to chill,” commuter Jen Summers told me with a smile. “I don’t have to worry about finding a table to sit at, or a bunch of people bothering me like when I would go to the Anchor or the Galley. Here it’s just a place to relax and have a moment to myself in between classes.”
With the library under construction, Club de’VILLE is more than just a nice replacement; it’s the perfect commuter’s lounge. It offers a nice area to study, hang out with friends, meet new people, while not having to worry about being quiet. Sure there are people working, but it isn’t a library, you don’t have to worry about keeping your voice down.
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After walking around the room, I came across another nice addition to this commuter’s area. There are lockers lining the wall opposite of the computers, where you can put belongings.
Another thing about being a commuter is the ever-annoying challenge of bringing extra things to campus, say if you want to work out. But now with Club de’VILLE you don’t have to worry about leaving all that stuff in your car. Now there is an alternative place to keep your things safe without you having to lug them all around campus. Summers agrees that lockers are a nice idea for commuters.
“I haven’t used the lockers, but I think it’s a good idea for someone who spends a lot more time up here than I do,” she said.
In addition to the lockers and computers, there are three televisions set up around the room. So if you’re just trying to chill for a few minutes, you don’t have to focus on schoolwork or try and find something to do. You can sit down in one of the couches and just watch a few minutes of TV without having to go home.
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Last semester I found myself having 45 minutes, or some odd amount of free time. I usually went and sat at the building I needed to be in and read. But after finding out about Club de’VILLE I realized I don’t have to do that anymore. I was worried since the library would no longer be there, because that was always where I would hide.
With Club de’VILLE you don’t have to hide anymore, you can actually go and just relax while trying to get schoolwork done. It’s a nice area to study, do homework or just get to know other commuters. Who knows… maybe you’ll make a few friends! Trust me, I know as a commuting student that can always be a challenge.
Come check out the new Club de’VILLE located on the bottom floor of the SMC. There’s more than enough room to bring a few friends too!