Recently, the Marshall Center’s fourth floor was renovated into a sophisticated study area. I decided to see what the remodeling was about. The hype around the new lounge on campus focused mainly on the gaming section of the lounge. The Skypad has different gaming sections with 4 to 6 chairs each for players and watchers. The colors in the Skypad remind me of Yoshi from the Mario Brothers’ game. The whole color palette is a bit on the futuristic side, which is very trendy and great for gamers. However the looks are nothing compared to the outer layout of the lounge.
The lounge fills up fast with people studying. There is a section for all kinds of study groups. One section has a huge white dry erase wall with a private section of seating. There are also sections for students to plug their computer and can connect with each other. There are plenty of electrical plugs for laptop usage all over the lounge. No matter if you sitting alone or with a group of friends, interacting with one another is not limited to speaking.
The snack bar includes a soda, snack and a coffee vendor machine. One of the machines sells instant tea and coffee in companion to the hot water machine next to it. It also has a microwave for anyone wanting to heat up their lunch (or late night snack). This is great because students will no longer have to kill time by waiting for coffee before coming to the Marshall Student Center to study.
The atmosphere is very laid back. With all the additional seating, you can easily meet a new friend or two. When I went, I saw an activist, some friends hanging out and a math study group. With this relaxed atmosphere, you can get your homework done in no time.