Passing by the lounge and seeing the same people inhabiting it can be bothersome, especially if you want to catch up on homework, watch TV or make some popcorn! A lounge is a designated spot in every residence hall for gathering, studying or just chilling out. These shared spaces can be dead silent or bursting with laughter and excitement any night of the week. My floor’s lounge has been lively almost every night of the week since move-in day. Occasionally, there will be a conflict between the people who want to reside in the lounge all day and people who don’t occupy it as often. Do some students “hog” the lounge and not let others enjoy it? The answer is yes. Though my friends and I enjoy the lounge often, we have experienced people who never leave!
While the lounge is a shared space open 24/7 to all residents, there should be some limit to the time spent there, especially when others want to assemble without the “usual suspects” being present. Our floor has engaged in many fun things such as playing “Just Dance”, Dress to Impress (a game on Roblox), movie nights and baking cookies. These activities are open to all because everyone should be able to enjoy their hall’s lounge! Multiple times, however, I have seen students peek into the lounge to see what is happening inside, just to be met with the same inhabitants. They ultimately choose to return to their dorm hall, dejected. Unfortunately, “non-loungers” don’t get to experience the shared space as much as the dwellers. There is a healthy dose of time that should be spent hanging out with friends on your floor; making friends and memories is what college is about! As I said before, the lounge is a shared space and should continue to be that way, but definitely with some unspoken rules.
After speaking to my friends on my floor, we agreed upon these unspoken rules to take action in our lounge. These unwritten rules included the following: do not intrude on personal space or conversations, respect others’ wishes, do not leave personal belongings, do not hog the TV or appliances and do not leave a mess. Imagine that a student’s roommate studies in their dorm often, but the student wants to have some time to talk and interact with others, the lounge is the perfect spot for that.
At the end of the day, it’s crucial to recognize that everyone’s college experience is different. This means that on some days students may want to be in isolation and have time to themselves, while on others, they may go to the lounge to engage with people on their floor. This experience is something that the presence of “lounge hogs” can take away from others. Ultimately, the goal of the lounge is to create a versatile space for people to enjoy a multitude of activities and where all students should be able to take advantage of any hour of the day.
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