October 11

the thing i forgot to post

With gray carpet and white marble like floors dividing the library floor, the stark white marble like floors reflect the fluorescent light bulbs as far as the eye can see. The library, lit by fluorescent light bulbs aimed towards the ceiling illuminate the vast expanse of technology, people, and books under it. The light creates a contrasting white to its surroundings in comparison to the ceiling to which it is mounted to. Basking under these fluorescent lights are the denizens of Georgia State huddled at different centers of amenities, leaving other areas almost completely vacant. As people with Georgia State access enter to and fro the library the foot traffic gravitates towards the center of the room while the opposite ends of the library are almost completely vacant leaving a void where only chairs idly wait as if wondering when the next butt would be placed upon them.

While other areas of the library are left somewhat empty, an area of active traffic and activity are the computers and the seating booths found on the far left of the library located next to the library classroom 1. The U-shaped seating booths adjacent to the library classroom have groups of students sitting together. The Georgia State residents sitting at one of the groups of cabins are somewhat loud and rowdy. They are paying no mind to the unspoken rule library rule of thumb and continue to enjoy one another’s company. Fashioned in only muted colors of grays and blues, the small band of merry students does a good job of compensating for being nothing short of loud. Despite the fact the group remains unmoving from their seats, they also simultaneously create a mess that is composed of open book bags and food sprawled all over the table, which ever so slighty spills over into the booth beside them where they sit.

Parallel to the seating booths and the library classroom are the array of blue screens monitors positioned on tables like small islands. The islands have students sitting in hunched back postures with eyes nailed to the monitor reviewing subjects and reading their online course materials. One male student with a dark skin complexion wearing a yellow jacket is knee deep in his work as he furiously types away. Moreover, without a second glance begins to fill the white monitor at each flicker of the finger and now and then only ever returns a glance at the screen for a quick spot check and resumes his work. With book bag agape and hands busy, he has been working diligently and doesn’t intend to stop till he has finished.

The other side of the library is comprised of the technical help desk where student hired clerks are sitting on high stools hidden behind a desk assisting anyone inside that may need it. The clerk deskbound waits patiently with eyes forward and hands on the desk. His hair is long and brown and is out of his face but somehow manages to fall back in place and has to be repeatedly brushed aside revealing excess skin on his neck folding over itself. Even if not unmoving the assistant has heavy breathing patterns and the slightest effort of a keystroke is followed up by a heavy gasp. As students or persons in need approach, suddenly his sloth-like manner is covered up and he is invigorated and composed. Once done the sloth-like manner returns and he sits idly waiting again.

Next to the counter where the help desk was are mini stations for students to approach and make reservations in advance. The number of people that approach is few due to the nature of how quickly reservations get to fill up for the novelty of the study rooms and competition for them highly sought out for. An Asian girl, wearing a gray plain sweatshirt and navy blue jeans with brown hair cascading as she walks, stops at the station. Typing and only clicking a bit she finishes and walks off into the distance.

 


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Posted October 11, 2016 by Bob Nguyen THE REALEST WRITER ALIVE in category Final Spatial Ethnography Report

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