Mastering the Awkward Break

Alyse Sumens

Staff

We’ve all been there: you pack up your bag in the Humanities building, check your

watch, and realize you have exactly 28 minutes until your next lecture starts across campus. It’s

the awkward gap we all know.

It isn't quite enough time to trek back to your apartment, but it’s just long enough that sitting on a hallway floor outside your next classroom is awkward. Most students treat this time as "lost," usually spent leaning against a hallway wall and scrolling through TikTok. However, this gap could actually be a secret weapon. If you choose your home base wisely, you can turn that awkward transition into a strategic reset that saves your afternoon from a total burnout.

One good spot is the Greenwood Student Center. There are many helpful resources

here, such as The Badger Den, where students can get a meal from the grill, deli, or pizza.

Students can also get some snacks, a cold drink, frozen foods, and candy in stock for students

to buy. There is also the bookstore, where supplies can be purchased for classes. Candy,

snacks, and snow college merchandise are also available.

This is also where the Student Connection Center is; Peer Mentor, Valerie Jackson says “Students are welcome to walk in anytime to ask for advice, directions, or just to say hi, we are happy to help” There is also an alcove to study and hang out with peers; it is filled with sunlight, a proven biological hack for shaking off mid-day fatigue, plus plenty of comfy chairs to lounge in and outlets to plug in a

laptop.

Upstairs, even more comfy spots can be found to knock out some assignments or soak

up some sun before class. Chessboards, foosball tables, and even ping pong tables are set out

around the building.

Another spot is the Huntsman Library. Student Josie Ellsworth says, “I like going to the

library if I really need to focus for studying. They’ve got lots of great resources and stuff you can

use to help with studying.”There, inside, is Buster's Bistro. While the Badger Den is more

focused on full meals, the Bistro is all about the snacks. Students can order wraps, smoothies,

energy drinks, shakes, and ice cream. The Bistro also offers a collection of popular drinks and

snacks for students to purchase.

Outside in the hall, a comfy spot to eat or study can be found. On the library's main floor, students can find a handful of comfy spots to lounge while waiting for the next class. Upstairs, there is a plethora of tables to pull out a laptop and knock out some assignments. On the top floor, there are private study rooms if students need to meet up with a group for an assignment, or a good area to study. The basement is a place to focus, as it is a no-talking zone.

It’s easy to let your time slip through your fingers, but mastering this awkward break is

about more than just being productive; it’s about beating the burnout. Whether students are

soaking up the sunlight in the GSC, studying in the library, or meeting up with friends to play a

game of chess, how badgers spend those small windows dictates the quality of their next class.

Don’t just wait for the clock to run out—pick your spot, recharge your batteries, and walk into

your next lecture feeling like you’re ahead of the game instead of just catching up.