SOPHIA CASA: I always like to say I’m a person who needs to be busy. I have tons of classes, clubs, and plans to stay focused and be the quote un quote “best version of myself”.
Like, for example, here’s a regular Monday for me:
[SOUNDS OF ALARM, CONAN O’BRIEN NEEDS A FRIEND, SHOWER, PENCIL SCRATCHING, PEOPLE TALKING, RADIO NARRATION, WALKING, AND LULLABY PLAY]
CASA: I’ll wake up at 8 am, get ready, listen to Conan O’Brien needs a friend while I run on the treadmill, and shower- all before my 9:30 class. I go to that first class, then sprint half mile or so to my second class, get lunch, and do all my homework. Then, I go to a couple meetings for a club here or there, get dinner after, work on a WNUR story or some stuff for The Dolphin Show, and then finish it all off with my weekly theatre board meeting from 10pm-12am. I shuffle back to my dorm, go to bed and then…in one form or another I do it all again. And again. And again.
Supposedly, according to my own set of principles, this should make me the best I can be. And I am perfectly happy with it…right?
Well according to a study from the University of Miami I wasn’t. Their study done in 2020 found that changing one’s daily routine led to better moods and an overall increase in happiness with one’s life. So, I decided to give it a shot.
But of course, because I can’t do things casually, I took it to the extreme.
[RECORDING
CASA: HI, UM, MY NAME’S SOPHIA CASA. I’M A SOPHOMORE AT NORTHWESTERN. UM I’M A JOURNALISM MAJOR. IT’S CURRENTLY 6:30 PM ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 10TH AND 30 MINUTES FROM NOW BE SPENDING THE NEXT 24 HOURS IN MUDD LIBRARY]
CASA: For those unacquainted with it, the Seeley G. Mudd Library is one of four libraries at Northwestern. It has tons of tech, study spaces, and glass windows which give a great view of the outside. But most importantly for this story, it is the only library on campus open to students 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
So my mission if I chose to accept it? Stay within the confines of Mudd Library for 24 hours, document the entire thing, and maybe learn a couple things along the way or at least try not to lose my sanity.
This is 24 Hours in Mudd
Now, this was rather uncharted territory I was delving into.so I decided to make my own rules for the gauntlet:
- I would only be able to eat food from the library
- I would allow people to visit me, but they couldn’t bring me anything: no chargers, no food, nothing but their company
- Under no circumstances could I leave the library. Ever.
In order to ensure the success of the last point, I sent some emails to my professors, got out of class and told the people involved with the meetings I had scheduled that we would have to talk virtually. I packed my backpack of supplies
I dotted my Is, I crossed my Ts, and at 7pm on November 10th,
[SOUND OF MUDD LOCKING]
CASA: I was locked in.
Now the few hours went by pretty quickly. Despite the fact it was a Sunday night, the library was absolutely packed. I got lucky and managed to secure a study cubicle near the entrance. I did my reading for my religion class. Texted some friends. Sent some updates. Scrolled on Instagram, nothing too different from my normal routine.
But eventually, I got to the first hurdle. I was hungry.
[SOUND OF VENDING MACHINE BUTTONS]
CASA: I found a machine called Farmers Fridge machine which specializes in sandwiches, salads, and other grab and go meals.
So 8 dollars and 99 cents later, I treated myself to their Green Goddess Salad,
[RECORDING
CASA: ACTUALLY NOT TOO BAD, BESIDES THE SPOON NOT REALLY BEING THE BEST VEHICLE FOR THE SALAD. GOTTA SAY, SOLID 8 OUT OF 10. THANKS FARMER’S FRIDGE]
After my spoon fed dinner, I made my way back up to the second floor and went over to the glass walled study area near the lobby stairs,sat down and did 3 hours of reading for my English class. This really tired me out but it brought me to midnight.
And while I didn’t want to do anything but sleep, I knew I had to tick one item off my to-do list before I went to bed…I had to go to the Mudd showers.
[RECORDING
CASA: WHICH IS THIS SINGLE STALL AND HONESTLY VERY VERY NICE]
[SOUND OF SHOWER]
CASA: Mudd is one of a number of buildings on campus with showers in the bathrooms, possibly an aid to those who want extra long study sessions, But yes, to get it on the record, I did officially shower in Mudd. And you know what, not the worst shower on campus. The water pressure was a bit iffy and the temperature a bit hard to regulate, but overall a solid 7 out of 10.
After joining the list of daredevils who have showered here, I had to lock back in as I contended with the next big task, finding a place to sleep. Thankfully I got a bit of luck in the form of an empty glass walled study room.
[RECORDING
CASA: OKAY IT’S 12:50, I’VE GOTTEN MYSELF A CRUNCH BAR FROM THE VENDING MACHINE THE GOAL IS TO GO TO SLEEP AND NOT GET KICKED OUT]
CASA: Now to answer the question on none of your minds, how exactly did I end up sleeping? I slept in an L-shape across three chairs, which is to say, very uncomfortably. But I was so exhausted I didn’t care, and eventually I fell into a somewhat restful sleep, however that didn’t end up being for too long.
[RECORDING
CASA: OK IT’S CURRENTLY 3:52 AM. CURRENTLY, FROM MY VANTAGE POINT, MUDD IS EMPTY. ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN HERE HOURS EARLIER ARE GONE. IT’S QUIET. IT’S PEACEFUL. IT’S A LITTLE SAD. I HAVE TO GO BACK TO BED]
CASA: I managed to rest for 3 more hours in my desk chair bed, but eventually I decided to call it quits as I hit a major milestone.
[RECORDING
CASA: IT’S OFFICIALLY 7AM WHICH MEANS I AM HALFWAY THROUGH MY 24 HOURS. AND IT’S NOT LOOKING GOOD, IT’S NOT LOOKING GOOD.]
CASA: But there was something nice about the early wakeup. Despite the night of mediocre sleep, I was able to watch the sunrise which I haven’t been able to do as much as I’d like.
After I worked up enough motivation, I said goodbye to my night time lodging and set about doing more work in the library
After two more hours, I was joined by my first friend in nearly 18 hours, my roommate and Medill sophomore Grace Jordan-Weinstein.
[JORDAN-WEINSTEIN:I THINK IF ANYONE CAN DO THIS SHOW OF ENDURANCE AND STRENGTH, I THINK IT’S YOU
CASA: SO AS SOMEONE WHO HAS STUDIED IN MUDD A LOT BEFORE, WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE FEATURES OF THE LIBRARY?
JORDAN-WEINSTEIN: I LIKE THE SHOWERS, I’VE TAKEN PHONE CALLS IN THERE BEFORE SINCE THEY’RE KIND OF GOOD SPACES FOR THAT– BUT THAT WAS DURING THE DAY WHEN PEOPLE WEREN’T REALLY SHOWERING. A LOT OF OPTIONS FOR SITTING: THERE’S COUCHES AND DESKS AND SPINNEY CHAIRS AND MORE RECLINING CHAIRS. I THINK THERE’S A GOOD VARIETY OF CHAIRS AND FURNITURE THAT HOPEFULLY HAVE KEPT YOU ENTERTAINED FOR THE PAST, HOWEVER MANY HOURS YOU’VE BEEN HERE.
CASA: UHH AT THIS POINT, WE’RE NEARING IN ON 18 HOURS
JORDAN-WEINSTEIN: THAT’S INSANE
CASA: YEAHHHH. SO IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT ME TO TRY AND MAKE SURE I DO BEFORE I HAVE TO BE OUT OF HERE AT 7PM?
JORDAN-WEINSTEIN: I’D SAY THERE’S A LOT OF DIFFERENT VENDING MACHINES AS I MENTIONED, SO MAYBE GET IN ON THOSE. MAYBE TRY TO SIT IN AS MANY DIFFERENT SEATING OPTIONS AS POSSIBLE.]
CASA: I tucked away my expert’s advice for future use. Meanwhile Grace and I worked and chatted for the next few hours. But eventually…I found myself hitting the midday wall.
[RECORDING
CASA: IT’S CURRENTLY 2:25 WHICH MEANS I HAVE ABOUT GIVE OR TAKE FOUR AND A HALF HOURS LEFT TO GO AND IT’S GONNA BE A LONG LONG TIME]
CASA: It was odd. I had survived 19 and a half hours by this point, so 4 and a half shouldn’t have felt so daunting. But with Grace having left, no meetings to attend, and no more homework to do, to be honest I didn’t know what to do with myself. I was all dressed up with nowhere to go, so I had to try and relax.
I watched videos, I sat and watched the people walk across the quad to class, I started wandering around. I texted with my twin sister, I talked to my mom, and my mood began improving. I started to feel less tired, and eventually the time passed by quickly enough for me to welcome my next guest at 4:15pm, Communications Sophomore Ellie Caro.
[CARO: IF ANYTHING I THINK YOU’RE BRINGING SOME LIGHT TO THIS WHOLE EVIL SPACE
CASA: YOU’RE NOT A FAN OF MUDD?
CARO: NOPE. NEVER.
CASA: WOULD YOU WANT TO STAY HERE FOR 24 HOURS?
CARO:ME? DO I WANT TO STAY HERE FOR 24 HOURS? ABSOLUTELY NOT]
CASA: So suffice to say, Mudd wasn’t Ellie’s cup of tea. After rehearsing our scene to present later that week, we left the room, since technically we never reserved it, as the farmer’s fridge’s siren song lured me back.
[RECORDING
CASA: I DON’T KNOW IF IT’S THE 22 HOURS GETTING TO ME BUT I’M SO EXCITED TO SEE THE PESTO PASTA BOWL.]
CASA: But you know what? The Sophia of the normal world would have enjoyed the pasta bowl ironically and seen it as a laughable breaking point in my decaying mental state . But the Sophia of Mudd Library was different. I had lost my cynicism, a casualty from hour 8 or soAnd let me tell you, it was really good. It was nice that something so simple as a good meal cheered me up and pushed me through this slog.
As the clock struck 6pm, aka one hour til my release, I hopped back on Zoom for another meeting.
[SOUND OF CLUB MEETING]
CASA: This time an executive board meeting for CRUSH, a publication I’m involved with on campus. By then, word had spread and I got a couple questions about my Mudd experiences these past 23 hours and also some nice words of encouragement. The meeting wrapped up around 6:30, so that left me with 30 minutes to kill.
How would I spend them? I’d spent nearly a day here so I felt like I had to make this time count for something. I should have done that picture perfect cinematic ending I’d always wanted. But I didn’t.
Instead, I decided to take Grace’s advice. I went to the vending machine one last time
[nat sound of vending machine]
CASA: I spent two dollars and 25 cents on a pack of Chuckles, this five pack of brightly colored jelly candies I used to get all the time with my grandma. I went out to my favorite spot, the seats right by the wall of glass at the front of the library and just…sat there. I watched cars go by, little windows of light flicker on and off across the horizon, I watched my own reflection too. It was nice to just breathe.
And eventually, the clock hit 6:59 and I gathered my stuff, went down the stairs, stood awkwardly by the lobby door for 20 or so seconds, and then
[SOUND OF DOOP OPENING]
CASA:I was free
[DOOR CLOSES
CASA: OH THAT FEELS GOOD]
[RECORDING
CASA: OK SO IT IS NOW 7:01 WHICH MEANS I HAVE OFFICIALLY COMPLETED MY 24 HOURS IN MUDD LIBRARY. UM…I DON’T KNOW, I FEEL GREAT! REALLY TIRED, A LITTLE COLD, I DIDN’T BRING A JACKET AND I HAVEN’T BEEN OUTSIDE ALL DAY SO I DIDN’T KNOW IT’D BE THIS COLD, BUT THAT’S OKAY, THAT’S OKAY]
CASA: Whenever I told people of this idea, to spend a full day in Mudd, the most common response I got was “why would you do that to yourself?”. And I can understand why, 24 hours is a deceptively long time so would you really want to spend it in a library?
But the thing was, despite my tiredness and some hiccups, those 24 hours may have been some of the most restorative I’ve had on this campus. In a place that’s prevailing culture is to do everything all the time or that “and is in our DNA”, it can often feel like if you’re not busy, you’re doing something wrong. I’ve certainly bought into that by taking on more classes and clubs and commitments than I probably should be able to handle sometimes. But Mudd forced me to relax. Once I ran out of work, I had to spend some time with my friends, with art and music, with myself. I got to have some actual reflection and take some time to stop and smell the roses, which is a lesson I’m going to actually earnestly try to bring back into my life. And for that, well I wouldn’t trade that for anything.
[RECORDING
CASA: BUT I DID IT! BUT I’M NEVER GONNA DO THAT AGAIN, NEVER GONNA DO THAT AGAIN. BUT I DID IT.]
CASA: For WNUR News, I’m Sophia Casa
