In college, creating the perfect schedule is crucial for a successful semester.
There are many factors to consider, and they often conflict. Classes need to be reasonably timed, and most students prefer to avoid eight a.m. classes. Most importantly, there should be a break between classes to grab lunch or simply relax.
During high school, I spent my lunch break at my local pizza place or eating in the cafeteria of the nearby college – I never brought food from home.
Not much has changed as starting at Cornell. While there are numerous dining halls on campus, I often walk down to Collegetown for a bite at Ninja Chicken and Friends or Xian Street Food. My class before my two-hour break is in Hollister hall, and its proximity to Collegetown makes eating out more convenient than going to a dining hall. after lunch, I either start or finish assignments at the restaurant or walk back to Olin Library to work.
But what about students who don’t have a class in hollister Hall before their break? Or, what about those who do have a class in Hollister Hall but don’t want to travel to collegetown? Where do they spend their break time?
Given the heavy workload for Cornell students, many choose to spend their breaks at the library. Selina Chen ’28 explained her decision, “I usually go to the library to do my work because my dorm is too far.” Chen’s two-hour break provides enough time for assignments but not enough to travel to and from her dorm on South campus.
Commute time is a major factor in students’ choices. Those like Chen, who don’t have time to return to their dorms, often stay in a cafe or go to a dining hall. Students like Leila Kipnes ’29, who do have enough time, often choose to go home.
Kipnes lives on North Campus, and her walk to her dorm takes only fifteen minutes out of her three-and-a-half-hour break.”I do my laundry or whatever else I need to do around my dorm during my break. Sometimes I’ll take a speedy nap if I’m tired enough,” Kipnes said.
As an engineering student,Kipnes isn’t immune to the workload that drives many students to the library. She added,”If I have a lot of work,I’ll go to the library to focus.”
The cafes on central campus…
Keep reading