Levering Lounge opens as new study spot
By Sarah Hersh · The Johns Hopkins News-Letter · October 29, 2008
For everyone frustrated with the library's buzzing mass of students, there is now a new venue for study.
The newly renovated Levering Lounge has replaced the HopStop, which has been a student gathering place for nearly 40 years.
Decorated in beige tones and smelling of new paint, the room is furnished with large comfortable chairs, couches and bar stools that aim to create a new study hub.
"The thought was that if we could create another space like [the HUT] that would be inviting and accessible, it would be very convenient for folks, particularly in light of Gilman being closed and the HUT not being available," Dean of Student Life Susan Boswell said.
Students agree that an alternative to the library was necessary. With the HUT closed, other buildings are busier.
"I'm really upset because the library now gets really crowded. It's always so packed by the afternoon - you can't really study," sophomore Andrea Popobech said.
Although the lounge has been open for less than a week, students who have already begun using the lounge are finding it to be an attractive place to study.
"It reminds me of Starbucks. It's quiet and nice. I don't think people really know about it yet. It should be more publicized," senior Dani Velez said.
According to Boswell, the lounge is primarily the brainchild of Paula Burger, dean of Undergraduate Education, who was not available for comment.
She proposed the idea to many student organizations, including the Student Government Association (SGA) and the Hopkins Organization for Programming (HOP), as well as other faculty members, including Boswell, who supported the idea.
Most renovations were completed over the summer but new furniture arrived last week. In its previous form, as the HopStop, the space was a game room, complete with TVs, video games and a pool table.
But the administration and the SGA agreed that the room was not being utilized by most of the student body.
"Different organizations, including the SGA, had tried to get more students to use and get involved with the space, but what ended up happening was most students were going in there, not to use the video games or the pinball machines, but just to study and hang out in a relaxed atmosphere," SGA President Prasanna Chandrasekhar said.
"That's the direction the Administration had gone in, saying that we have to get rid of these arbitrary video game systems. They morphed it into an actual study space, making it more relaxed."
Both students and faculty believe the renovation has effectively created a comfortable study space.
"I think it's a gorgeous room and very well done, but I think that because it's more out of the way for students coming from residence halls [the lounge's success] is at a disadvantage," senior Wren Haaland said.
Students have still been using the room more than they had the HopStop, according to Boswell.
"The minute that the furniture was in there, people started using it. So to me, that says there was really a need for additional space," Boswell said. "People are reading in there, people are having meetings in there . . . I've even seen students meet with faculty in there. So I think it's really serving a need."
While the HUT was open 24 hours a day, the new lounge is only open during Levering Hall's regular hours: closing at midnight on weeknights and two a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.
Boswell said that there are plans to keep the building open 24 hours during finals.