This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.
The original was posted on /r/nosleep by /u/judgement_cometh on 2024-11-23 07:06:29+00:00.
“Attention: The library will be closing in fifteen minutes.”
The voice coming from the building’s speakers startled me a few hours into my uninterrupted studying in the library’s silent area. I glanced at the clock on the wall, only to realize that hours of screentime had made me lightheaded and caused anything over two feet away from me to look blurry. Regardless of the library closing, I took this as a sign that I should probably wrap it up for the night. Besides, after snapping out of focus, I noticed the air flow in the library had at some point shut off, ending the comforting hum of the vents above. I liked the silence of the library, but without the vents running, it was almost too quiet. I packed up my computer and notepad, trying not to disturb the other sleep-deprived students around me. I had been studying in this same area nearly every Friday since the beginning of the semester, and it was clearly becoming more popular as midterms approached. Even I found myself staying later and later each week. It was easy to focus there, and I wish I had spent more time there during my first year. As I wandered towards the main doors of the library, I smiled to myself when I saw a committed gathering of students in one of the dimly lit conference rooms, clearly engrossed in whatever they were studying and likely to stay there until security threatened to carry them out. I wasn’t feeling great about the next day’s Differential Equations midterm, but historical class averages for Math 235 told me that was a common student experience.
When I received my midterm grade the following week, I realized I should have been a little more worried. Sure, a 68% average isn’t great, but the bright red 33/60 scrawled under my name on the returned test was considerably worse.
“How’d you do?”
I looked up at Harrison’s curious expression, his tone telling me that he didn’t do so well either.
“Not great. You?” I responded, offering my test in exchange for his. He silently handed his over, and I felt a bit better after reading his 31/60.
“Well, at least neither of us failed! Considering that I still don’t even know what question 3 was asking, I’d say that’s pretty good.”
I laughed at Harrison’s optimism as I handed his test back. I didn’t love this class, but at least I had someone to struggle through it with. As we gathered our things and left the lecture hall, I asked what he’d be up to this weekend.
“Uh, just catching up on work. I might try to go to that mid-semester club night I keep hearing about on Saturday, but tickets are so expensive I can’t decide if it’ll be worth it. You?”
“Same. Too much going on to do anything interesting."
“Ain’t that the truth. Well, enjoy what you can, and for what it’s worth, have a good weekend, Eliza.” With that, he zipped up his coat and headed out into the chilly Fall air. I gave him a mock salute and headed out in the opposite direction, taking a detour to Timmies before heading to the library.
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“Attention: The library will be closing in fifteen minutes.”
For the second Friday in a row, the voiced startled me out of my study stupor. I was sure I’d get used to it as my late nights continued, especially since my current grades were motivating me to really pick it up before finals. Once again, I noticed the eeriness of the completely silent study room and absentmindedly wondered when exactly the vents turned off. I figured it was a good thing that I was so focused on my work that I completely tuned out my surroundings. Trying to shake off my screen-induced dizziness, I started to exit the library, looking for a garbage bin to toss out my long-empty Tim’s cup on my way out. I spotted one around the corner from the water fountain, right outside one of the occupied conference rooms. As I made my way over, I recognized the group of students I had seen huddled around the room’s table the previous week. Throwing out my garbage, I realized they were considerably older than me, closer to the age I’d expect most professors or possibly mature PhD students to be. I guess I had just assumed everyone in the building past 11pm would be undergraduates fighting for their academic lives. I saw through the glass walls of the conference room that all three windows were open, and I wondered how the room could still feel too hot at the end of October. Glancing at the room’s booking schedule, I saw that it was reserved every Friday from 10pm to midnight for “Anonymous”.
“Hey! Can I help you?”
I jumped, turning to look at the demanding voice behind me. It had come from a middle-aged man who I hadn’t noticed walk up behind me. Man, was he quiet.
“Oh, uh, I was just reading the room’s schedule.” I started to walk away from the door when I heard him again.
“What’s your name?” he commanded. I didn’t appreciate his question. It was dark out, he was at least 6 feet tall, definitely looked stronger than me, and I was well aware of how dangerous campus can be to young female students at night.
“I don’t need to tell you that.” I retorted, barely turning around to face him
“If you’re going to peer into my group’s private session, I want to know your name.” he snarled. At this point, I was starting to get annoyed.
“Dude, this library is open to the entire university. If you want somewhere private, go somewhere else. I was literally just reading the schedule.” I could see him starting to reply, but I turned and put my headphones on before he could say anything. Some people think they’re so important.
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The next Friday, I found myself squinting at the clock multiple times before 11:30pm. I cursed previous generations for developing technology. I’m sure I wouldn’t feel so dizzy and nauseous if I could study from regular paper every day instead of staring at a computer. I had finished all my midterms for the semester, but I needed to make sure I didn’t fall behind over the next month and a half before finals, so I turned to Google in search of quick remedies for dizziness and nausea. I rolled my eyes at the typical fearmongering that greeted me on the first website I clicked on. I scrolled past multiple links warning me about “The Increase in Patients Suffering from Coronary Artery Disease in Canada’ and “Number of Surgeries for CAD Seeing Exponential Growth” and saw recommendations for various prescriptions. I figured it would be too much trouble to get a prescription, and besides, I wouldn’t even get the pills for another few weeks, so I settled on stopping to fill up my water bottle on my way out. I sighed when I remembered the most convenient water fountain was located right by “Mr. What’s Your Name” ’s booked room, but I needed water and as I had told him the week before, the library doesn’t belong to him. Also, I might be able to avoid him seeing me, as the fountain was around the corner from the glass doors of the room. I left my study area right at half past, noticing a couple of the sparse students around me rubbing their eyes or laying down on their desks for a break, and headed in the direction of the conference room.
I bent over to take my water bottle out of my backpack and felt a rush of light-headedness. Taking a deep breath, I took a moment to close my eyes and lean against the wall beside the water fountain. I could hear hushed voices travelling through the wall from the group inside.
“….system…blockages…transmitted….” my head felt better and my vision was no longer blurry, but hearing those few words made me curious about whatever Mr. What’s Your Name was being so pretentious about. I admit, our encounter was still annoying me, so I figured a bit of eavesdropping could be my way of secretly getting back at him. I turned my head and laid my ear directly against the wall.
“…increasing subject…cabbage…implantation…high recovery rate….” Cabbage? Were they studying gardens? I pressed my head harder into the wall, wondering what kind of gardening meeting would be such a secret.
“…continued artery…under radar…donor…” This voice was quieter, and while I could make out less words, what I did hear was enough to confuse me further. Arteries had no place in gardening… I would think? Then again, I figured this could easily be some sort of animal testing study. The voices went quiet, so I decided to give up my efforts and finally fill up my water. I really hoped hydration was the issue. I did not want to deal with health problems in the middle of my second year.
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“Eliza, can you grab me a Gatorade while you’re at it?”
I nodded at Harrison as I stood up to go to the vending machine. He didn’t usually like to study on campus after class, especially in the middle of the week, but this week’s Math 235 assignment was kicking our asses, so we decided to work on it together in the collaborative zone in the basement of the library. As the time went on, I started to ask myself why I ever thought it was a good idea to become a physics major.
“Here you go.” I tossed Harrison his Gatorade and cracked open my Coke Zero.
“Are you sure you want caffeine this late at night?” he asked.
“Yeah, I mean, I’m so tired these days it’s not like it’s going to keep me up. If it can help me get this assignment done tonight, that’s all I care about.” I rubbed my temples, staring at the equations on my screen as if doing so would make them solve themselves.
“I feel you. Leave it to uni to drain us of our lives *and* our health.” lamented Harrison. I smiled i...
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