It is finals week here at MTSU, and you can tell. You can tell it’s finals week because everyone is in the library. This is a great thing, though. Everyone should visit MTSU’s James E. Walker Library. We have so many different resources and cool features here.

One of the best things about the library is that it stays open until 2 a.m. I will tell you what it’s like to stay in the library until 2 a.m. during finals week.

I arrived at Walker Library at 8:29 p.m. with a checklist of things I needed to do in my hand. I am almost done with classes, but I have a couple of end-of-the-semester papers to wrap up.

Once I walked in, I did my usual thing. I typically walk immediately over to where the booths are and hope that one is open. Luckily for me, one was available! I set my things down, opened my laptop, and got to work.

My objectives for the night were to finish a 1,200-word critique, take a final, and write this article. At 9:30 p.m., I had reached 600 words on my critique. This was a major milestone, so I decided to treat myself to Starbucks! I found enough coins in my backpack to get a cake pop. When I get up to get my cake pop, I run into a couple of my friends. Did you know that Starbucks is the only franchise on campus that takes gift cards? I know, kinda crazy. I get my treat and slowly saunter back to my booth to get some more work done.

At the 11 p.m. mark, I am starting to get tired. I’ve been staring at my computer screen all day, but I must finish these things tonight. I have 967 words down, so only 300 more to go. The library is still very crowded. Many people who are here are using the free printing on the first floor. Some people are even using the whiteboards that can be rented out at the front desk. I’ve never rented one out, but I think I might one day.

The clock rolled around to 12:37 a.m. I finished my critique and my final! I finished both those things so early that I had time to study for my final that’s tomorrow, well actually today. I am getting extremely tired, but I have so much more to do. The rest of the students in the library are starting to call it a night. There are a strong few who are still working, though.

At 1:42 a.m., the warning announcement has gone off twice now. The announcement tells you how much time you have before the library closes. It goes off at 30 minutes until close, 20 minutes until close, 15 minutes until close, and five minutes before close. I am about to start packing my things up. I need to go to my bed. Goodnight!

Author Stokeley Ellison is a Public Relations major with a concentration in the Recording Industry.