At the beginning of the semester at Hunter College, students typically try to prepare for whatever the year has in store for them. One thing students are not prepared for is trying to find a seat in the East Building library.
It was hectic during the first week of classes and will continue to be hectic for the rest of the semester. Students find it increasingly difficult to find a place to do their work, resorting to sitting on the floor or the sky bridge.
“There is absolutely no space at Hunter College. Why do they admit so many people at a college if they barely have space,” said Shayania Simboo, a freshman sitting on the sky bridge due to the East building being filled. “My friends and I got food and had to sit on the floor. This is atrocious.”
When it comes to studying, students should have a seat with good lighting, outlets for their devices, and a table/chair that isn’t broken. These things are straightforward but almost impossible, especially during Hunter’s peak hours from 2 – 4 p.m.
Sometimes, when a seat is found, it can be difficult to concentrate due to the noise in the area. At Hunter, there are designated seating areas called “Group Study,” where talking is allowed, and “Silent Study,” where it is supposed to be quiet. This can be found on the Hunter College Libraries website. Even as this is labeled, the rule is only sometimes followed.
“Sitting on the floor is pretty tiring. We’re sitting on this cold floor. There are places to sit around, but they are always filled up,” Abdelalim Ganash, a freshman, stated. While waiting for his next class to start, he resorted to sitting on the floor with his computer on his lap.
When looking for a seat, it can take 15-25 minutes of walking around in hopes that something will open up. When a student finds a seat, they are confined to that spot because if they do, that seat will most likely be gone.
Fiordalis Flores, a freshman, was one of the lucky ones who found a seat on the 7th floor, but finding it took work. “It took me 15 minutes. I was walking around and literally went through the whole entire library trying to find a seat and luckily found this one.”
Hunter College is set to add more seating areas, such as seats on the Sky Bridge and another seating area in the West building.
In the meantime, fear not, as there is a solution. Here are some study spots around Hunter Campus where you can get some work done.
One spot you can go to is Bel Ami Cafe on 30 E. 68th St. They have outdoor seating, and you can have a nice lunch or French hot chocolate. This cozy vibe will get you in the fall mood. It is also near Central Park, so if you have time between classes you can take a nice walk and clear your head before returning to Hunter.
Another spot is The Hugh on 157 E. 53rd St. This place has nothing but seating and a different assortment of foods. It doesn’t feel like a food court but almost like a modernized college campus.
This last spot is Capital One Café, located at 731 Lexington Ave. This bank has a lovely cafe attached with seats and charging stations. Anyone can sit and do work here, regardless of whether or not they are Capital One members.
Unfortunately, Hunter’s seating issue will continue, but attending school in Manhattan, which has abundant cafes, parks, and other nice locations, is something we should take full advantage of as the semester continues.
Let’s be demure and mindful of our classmates and try to help each other out in our shared spaces. 
