Aetiology.

So what does one do when deciding to take a break from scribbling down notes whilst holed up in a dark corner of the university at an unreasonable hour?

Blog, of course.

After a while, there is something that becomes familiar, almost comforting about this computer lab at night. But then again, every so often, the fetid smell of old energy drink, printer ink and B.O take away what ever warm fuzzy sentiments of the place fairly sharpish. A venture into the Edward Wright building without a good spritz or two of perfume is a foolish one in my eyes.

After a while, it seems like the people in here forget that they aren’t alone, I don’t mean that they start perusing unsavoury websites or start engaging in certain bodily activities, (that said, a man in the corner just picked his nose rather casually) but they seem to forget that they are in a public place. People start to giggle at their screens. The odd humming now and then. The occasional thought said out loud. I’m by no means complaining. It breaks the silence of being stuck in here and the droll monotony that comes with pretending that you’re revising really hard for exams. (Just me?)

Then you have some people in here for the long haul. Walking in at 7 pm, I overheard a man say he’s in this room everyday until 2 in the morning. I saw him last night dressed exactly the same so if I hadn’t heard that, I would’ve assumed he was here for over 24 hours. There are people walking in with bags of food and thermoses of various caffeinated go-go juice. In fact, there’s a couple of people in front of me who look like they made coming here a group effort, having some sort of crude potluck, passing around food between each other. I’m taking notes from these people and I’m not coming in here tomorrow without a can of sugar-free Relentless. And maybe a sandwich. Try as I might, I don’t think I can live on chocolate alone.

I don’t often leave here till after midnight, and if anyone would like to volunteer to cook me dinner at half-one in the morning, I shall be the happiest puppy EVER.

- Diana xxx