Merion Hall

With the recent addition of the bagel and coffee shop, the Merion Hall common area seems to be third most crowded spot on campus during the day. People meet there to discuss legistics on a project, have a moring coffee, meet with friends, and do homework. Seating goes fast during the day, leaving many to sit on the floor along the walls. Anywhere near an outlet is considered prime realistate and gets claimed almost immediately. There's always a nice hum of conversation and activity, and its never quite empty.

When I asked a guy by the name of Jason if he liked spending time at Merion rather than at Campion or the Library, he responded "It's just really chill, y'know? I can hammer out whatever I gotta' do and get a snack if I want. The library's too quiet and Campion's just too busy. It's a good balance." I then asked if he ever hung out with friends in Merion. As it turns out, he did. "We all got classes here 'round the same time, right?" Said Jason. "We meet here and shoot the shit. If anyone's got a class to go to, then they don't have to rush."

A fair statement. My friends and I have used Merion as a meet-up point ourselves for at least two years now. It's convenient and it has what we need. And after asking around a bit more, Jason's thoughts seemed to be shared with quite a few people. Everyone seemed more than happy to spent their down time in Merion. Although a few admitted it wasn't their prime study spot, they did admit they spent more time there than in the library.