I used to think that my medical school was just ghetto, with an entire courtyard separating the medical school from the hospital.
When it's raining or snowing, it's not cool to have to bundle up and walk or run between the two buildings. More than once, I've wondered why they haven't drilled an underground tunnel yet. (Yes, that sounded creepy to you, but remember that I went to a very prestigious research school in Baltimore for college. The hallmark of that place is underground, interconnected walkways to keep secret, emerging research shrouded from the general public. Don't kid yourself about these things.)
Today, as I left my isolated hole of habitation in the library, it occurred to me that perhaps this engineering design is purposeful.
By putting the Starbucks in the hospital, and separating the hospital from the medical school, we are forced to emerge from our cocoons of darkness to see the sunlight for at least five minutes a day. Ten, if there's a line at Starbucks.
So, thank you, medical school for making sure that I don't get Rickets. But, on days like today, I feel like the forced excursion is just an excuse for the sun to taunt me. A library design with more windows could have been equally effective, I think.
8 comments:
Why is it that the most uncomfortable, ugly, poorly lit librarys are always the ones affiliated with the medical school? It's the same at my med school.
OMDG- They did do some renovations here about two years ago, but on busy study days (like today), all of the study rooms with windows/computers near windows are taken pretty fast. I totally pulled the weird card and asked some random kid if I could sit next to the window in his study room. Whatever. I'd rather be weird than get Seasonal Affective Disorder, so there.
Better be careful, RS, or he'll think you're hitting on him. Watch out for friend requests from strangers.
;-)
OMDG- You speak the truth! If he tries to start talking to me, I'm going to have to leave! Haha...kidding. I already left that room and found a computer near the window. We had superficial chit-chat about his upcoming exam--he is a 1st year--and I definitely downplayed the fact that the exam he is going to take tomorrow will make him cry.
Hahaha that poor kid, I've done the same with first semester nursing students. They have no idea what they're in for.
Zazzy- I figured it would only make it worse if I actually told him how miserable the exam was going to be. When he asked for pointers, I gave him vague information. "Go over the powerpoints. Make sure you know all of the bolded words." I did not add the caveat that I was thinking, which was, "...Not that it's really going to help you..." Good luck to the nice kid who shared his study room!
Librarian here, weighing in. . . they never build the libraries with an eye to the future (i.e., hey, those study areas are going to fill up quickly), and they hardly ever ask the librarians what THEY would like. "Here--this is what we're giving you! Isn't that great?"
Us: But we wanted. . . ugh, we mean Thank You.
Kate P- You speak the truth! The librarian offices range from really spacious offices with windows to cubicles in some back room. It's definitely not equivalent...or cool.
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