FINALS: Furness to Van Pelt, U. has the place to study

Finals are just around the corner and once again, students have started their pre-examination trek to the various popular study areas around campus for intensive, all-night cram sessions. The obvious choice, of course, is the Rosengarten Reserve Room in the basement of Van Pelt Library. Since Rosengarten began staying open round-the-clock -- actually, it closes between 6:45 and 8:30 in the morning -- students have taken advantage of the peculiar benefits of studying in what some people call the "Kindergarten Reserve Room." "Rosengarten is a good place to study," Wharton junior Rebecca Coleman said. "It's quiet enough to study but it's still a social place. If you want to be seen but you have to study, you go to Rosengarten." Steinberg-Deitrich Hall has its own allure, however, as students who cannot get through the night without their caffeine and sugar fixes have discovered. For study connoisseurs, Furness presents the greatest potential as a place to get work done. But beware -- the beautiful, soaring ceilings have an embarrassing effect of amplifying your voice if you attempt to carry on a conversation. "]I have a home gym in my room[ and if my roommate has to workout, I go to Furness," Wharton freshman Steven Siegal said. "It's very quiet and there are no annoying people who talk all the time." Watch out, though, these librarians are serious. No food or drink in the library. While it may seem that noise is the main concern of many, others expressed a less commonly mentioned worry. "There are too many people there during finals," College junior Morgan Lowry said. "They're loud, noisy, rude and sick. It's a breeding ground for germs so I study at home." The Van Pelt and Lippincott libraries have extended hours during finals. The main University library will stay open until 11:45 p.m. Tomorrow, the libraries will both be open from 10 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. Sunday hours are 10 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. Rosengarten will also be open for extended hours. Instead of closing at 8 tonight, Rosengarten will stay open until 1:45 a.m. Tomorrow's hours will be from 10:00 a.m. to 1:45 a.m. On Sunday, Rosengarten will open at 10:00 a.m. and stay open until 6:45 a.m. Wharton will be on its normal 24-hour schedule and as of yesterday, Furness librarians were not sure whether hours would change for exams.