Which Chair is the Best for Studying in the NAC Library?
Words and Photos by Clark Adomaitis
The NAC’s Cohen Library is the school’s epicenter forknowledge cultivation. The seat that you sit in defines your study experience.If you are uncomfortable or too comfortable, your knowledge intake andproductivity level could diminish greatly. According to a Cornell Universitystudy, “an estimated 50% ofpeople in the industrialized world suffer some form of back complaint and manyof these are related to poor seat design.” If you are complaining about yourback, you are wasting time not studying. Comfortable chairs are the answer tothis problem. Here is a tour of the seats in the Cohen Library!
COUCHES
The couches are easy to get lost in. Your posterior sinksdown and backwards to a position that, for some, is more cushiony than theirhome mattress. If this is true for you, you are more likely to fall asleep init. Therefore, sitting in this couch is extremely relaxing and therapeutic. Youfeel rejuvenated and refreshed for an upcoming class. If you have a lot of workto do and are sitting in this couch, perhaps you would not get much donebecause of the amazing comfort.
The couches are arranged in rows on the third floor for‘Group Study.’ Here, you are allowed to talk at any volume. You can socializewith your friends and enjoy yourself, partially because of the availability ofthese couches.
The semi-rough and scratchy texture of the cushion allows for a traditional atmospherethat makes you feel at home. The smell of the couches is musty, however. I donot know how often the couches are cleaned, but I imagine that it is notnightly. Beware of falling asleep face-first on one of these couches.
8/10
PLASTIC CHAIRS
The ground floor of the Cohen Library is the school’s maincomputer lab. Students spend long hours here working and looking ateye-straining screens. The key to students spending many hours here is thecomfortable chairs.
The lab is home to black plastic chairs with ribbed seatsand backs. The seat is shaped to fit people comfortably. Sitting in this chairfor many hours is not difficult. The plastic ribs have a flexibility to them,which gives you the feeling of sitting in a cushioned seat. You can put yourhead down on the computer desk in front of you and take a nap easily.
The chairs are very new. They swivel, roll, and rise/lowerfluidly. I feel almost as if the chair is a part of me. I am being veryproductive in this chair. I am writing all of this. Additionally, this floor ofthe library is generally well maintained and clean, as are these chairs.
6.5/10
STOOLS
The stool is an unsung hero. its uses are twofold in thelibrary. You may sit on it; however, its back support is nonexistent. Its bestuse satisfies those seated at a couch. You are able to extend your legs forwardso that you are in a reclining position.
The left side of the fourth floor has a row of couches withthese stools in front of them already set up so the students may plop down andrecline for a relaxing midday nap. The sun shines through the windows and warmsthe napping bodies.
5/10
WOODEN CHAIRS
The unforgiving hardness of these chairs exacerbates thealready stressed, anxious, and exhausted posteriors of CCNY students. The seatdoes shape to the buttocks, but this makes it no more enjoyable.
These uncomfortable wooden chairs litter the second, third,fourth, and fifth floors of the library. They infest every desk, cubicle, andtable.
They do not seem to be cleaned or wiped off well. Theyalways appear greasy or oily; filth builds up after days of not being cleaned.Hands, backpacks, jackets, pants, and shoes which have been exposed to subways,floors, railings, toilets, sinks, and pollution all come in contact with them.
Their proximity to the inviting and spacious couches makesone want to get out of the chair and sit on a couch. The attractive lure of themore comfortable seats makes this hard demon feel even more uncomfortable.
These chairs suck.
