Studying at Valpo
Piles of textbooks. Giggling companions and soft shushing. Carefully written notecards, scattered around. The days of staying up late to finish an assignment might be in your past, but the coursework hasn’t gone away. Whether you relied on Wi-Fi, dial-up, or physical texts, memories of late nights spent in the Christopher Center, Moellering Library, or other campus buildings unite Valpo students past and present. The study tools may change, but our unforgettable Valpo experiences do not.
We asked alumni and students through Valparaiso University’s social media to share their best memories of studying during their time at Valpo, and here you will find a collection of their responses. Connect with Valpo’s various social media channels to join the conversation.
I loved the time I spent as a Hesse Learning Resource Center tutor, spending many hours in that crowded room studying for my engineering classes with friends and working through problems with the students that came in for help. It taught me valuable communication skills and helped familiarize me with the programs engineers use to solve problems.
In December 1987, there was a large group of us who gathered together in the Lankenau Hall study room. Prior to studying, we would walk across the street to Miller’s Mart. We picked up raw cookie dough, Coca-Cola, and ice cream. It was a silent study room, so quite often you could just hear the sound of people whispering “please pass the cookie dough…” and “please pass the ice cream…
Studying on the first floor of the library with friends is a staple for me. We quiz each other on our notes and make sure to take necessary laugh breaks.
Carrel desks, little study rooms in the library, and the secret quiet areas of Guild and Memorial Halls were perfect with some coffee to study in.
For me, once I got to college I had more of an appreciation to learn and study new subjects. My classes were filled with a ton of knowledge that tested me and allowed me to become a better and smarter individual. What I loved the most was having smaller classrooms where I could participate and interact with my classmates. My professors all knew me, so it was easy to strike up a conversation with them about any topic we discussed or about potential career opportunities.
Sitting by the fish tank lounge in the Union to study!
When I studied abroad in Athens, Greece, my favorite place to study was a café called Kekkos. Everyone who worked there was so kind, it was hard to stay away. There were also comfortable couches and other
aspects that made me feel at ease when preparing for my lingering Greek exams.
My best studying began at 11 p.m. and continued until the wee hours, or until I went to class. My favorite spot was in the Scheele cafeteria on the first floor. Armed with Tab, books, paper, and sometimes my portable, non-electric typewriter, I would position myself at one of the long tables and work my magic. I wasn’t alone … there were several regulars. We had little to say to each other. Everyone had a mission to accomplish.