The diary of an all-nighter

Staying up well past midnight is nothing unusual for Tech students-but are tests and homework always the reason for the insomnia?

I decided to stay awake myself and wander around campus to see what students are really up to during the wee hours of the morning and their opinion about Tech’s late-night atmosphere.

11:42 p.m.: Campus Recreation Center

Students exiting the CRC around this time gave mixed reactions when asked if a late night workout was a regular part of their schedule.

“The CRC should be open later...until around 2 a.m. would be good, especially on weekends,” said Rachel Fincher, a second-year International Affairs and Modern Languages major, “That is when I have time to cut loose and play some basketball.”

11:48 p.m.: SAC Field

Even this close to midnight, there were several intramural practices being held on the SAC fields.

Why so late? Davis Kim, a fourth-year Industrial Engineering major, explained, “The field clears up around 11 p.m. because then the actual flag football games are over.”

Kim said that he doesn’t mind the late-night practices, even though as a commuter, he has to get up around 5 a.m. to get to Tech in time for his 8 a.m. class. “You have to have some free time,” he said.

12:35 a.m.: Student Center

There were very few people in the Student Center at this time: 11 in the computer lab and three studying at tables.

Asma Rifay, a third-year pre-med and Management major, took a break from studying to comment about the places available to Tech students that function as 24-hour study facilities.

According to Rifay, there is a great need to renovate the library. “Students spend so much time there, and Tech spends their efforts building a new [Fifth Street] bridge and a new recreation center,” Rifay said. “But what about renovating our study facilities?”

1:00 a.m.: Yellow Jacket Park

The first evidence of homecoming week was found here, as three members of Delta Sigma Phi fraternity practiced for two of the homecoming field events.

John Kelly, a second-year Computer Science major, was making a valiant effort to first spin around a bat 10 times and then complete a standing broad jump.

Jeff Geisert, a first-year Industrial Engineering major, and Tom Fairchild, a third year Mechanical Engineering major, practiced for the punt, pass and kick event.

“We didn’t have any time during the day to practice,” Fairchild said. “I always say that I am going to stay up late tonight and get to bed early tomorrow...but that never happens.”

1:45 a.m.: East Campus

During a drive through East Campus, nothing was more evident than the efforts being made to “pomp.” Greeks were still out in force, constructing their displays out of chicken wire, wood and tissue paper for the homecoming contest.

Tony Le, a fifth-year Electrical Engineering and Management double major and a brother of Pi Kappa Phi, said, “Staying up late to finish the display is one of the best parts of homecoming week. You just get to hang out with your friends and work on something fun.”

2:22 a.m.: West Campus

There were numerous students still outside their dorms on West Campus as well, but not because they were completing homecoming displays.

Freshman Andrew Butterfield was hanging out in the courtyard between Caldwell and Folk.

“I like how quiet it is later at night,” he said. “[I] can actually get things accomplished.” In fact, Butterfield says he and his friends are “just waking up around midnight.”

Students were also outside waiting for late-night food. During the 10 minutes I spent in the courtyard, there were three deliveries made.

“Woodruff should be open later at night, even if they just serve pizza and hamburgers,” said Reed Lovell, a first-year Industrial Engineering major. “Some cheaper late-night food options would be nice.”

3:02 a.m.: Library West Commons

At 3 a.m., the library was very populated, with the LWC around 50 percent full. Most students I spoke with had either homework due or a test the following day.

“Having a library that is open 24 hours is something we take for granted,” said Brantley Beaird, a third-year Biomedical Engineering major. “I have friends at other schools where the library closes at 10 p.m. and they have no quiet place to study late at night.”

Matthew Ritz, a third-year Mechanical Engineering student, said, “We pull all-nighters here all the time, especially when our homework is due.”

Since they spend so much time at the library, both Beaird and Ritz suggested that there could be “more real food at the library...you can always order food, but it is expensive, and the vending machines don’t quite cut it.”

3:42 a.m.: Architecture Building

If you want to find students awake late at night, the architecture buildings are a good place to look, with students consistently working on projects for their studio classes during all hours of the night.

“Studio takes up a lot of your time,” said Michelle Mendenhall, a second-year Architecture student.

However, she added, “You are there with the responsibility to get your work done, but it is a social hour at the same time. People play music, there is conversation, and being surrounded by all that is comforting."