Study options diverse

Dorm room too crowded? Too sleepy to keep studying? Need some study group space? Southern Miss students will find that several spots around campus are making extra efforts to relieve the strain of finals week.

For a quiet environment to study, the Cook Library has extended its hours. Sunday it will open from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m. Monday through Wednesday, it will open from 7:30 a.m. - 2:00 a.m. Friday it's back to 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. However, between the hours of 12:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m., only the first floor of the library will be open to students, and the Circulation and Reserves desks will be closed. The library study rooms are especially fitted for group study, and some even include new equipment for better collaboration.

JavaWerk's traditional 24-hour study week commences Sunday at 7:30 a.m. The coffee shop, situated directly in front of the Administration building across Hardy St., will not close until next Friday at 11:30 p.m. Employee Courtney Rowe, voice major from Starkville, says the crew doesn't get paid overtime for the late night and early morning hours. However, the sophomore says many of the JavaWerkers enjoy working the extended hours. "We know it's a great help because we're also students. We need to be studying here at 3:00 a.m., too."

Students pulling all-nighters are always looking for some caffeine combatants to the sleep demons. But before stealing an ADD roommate's Adderall, consider some less illegal (and more effective) alternatives for staying alert.

Starbucks in the Cook Library will be open at regular hours this weekend and from 7:30 to midnight Monday through Wednesday for coffee and pastries on campus. Hub City Market next to the post office, Seymour's, and the Barnes and Noble Bookstore are stocked full with energy drinks such as Monster, Rockstar, NOS, and Full Throttle.

The bookstore also sells caffeine-loaded supplements such as Superfly tabs, Kickers spray, NOS powershot, Vojo energy mints, NoDoz pills, and Vivarin pills. Even though the hours aren't extended, students can stock up on these energy doses to use during late night studying. A sweet way of extending the day are the chocolate covered espresso beans. These can be purchased at both Starbucks and JavaWerks.

For those taking advantage of the 24-hour exam week at JavaWerks, Rowe points out a bestseller during study time: The Heart Condition. This 24 oz. frozen coffee contains 8 shots of espresso, so consume wisely. Also, for 50 cents extra, espresso shots can be added to any coffee drink.

Remember though, sleep (contrary to popular belief on campus) is necessary for human existence, and more importantly, for alertness on exams. Planning your study time wisely will be of better assistance than anything else at the end of this fall semester.