The benches by the reflection pond are one of the best places to cry on campus. Photo courtesy of kibbles304.
AIDAN GREGG | OPINION COLUMNIST | agregg1@butler.edu
Between colder temperatures, homesickness and the stress of classes, sometimes you just need to let it all out. Unfortunately, it can be hard to find a good spot to cry when you’re constantly surrounded by people.
If you’ve ever been in need of a good cry but you were unsure of where to go, look no further. Here are Butler students’ recommendations for the top five places to cry on campus.
#5 Irwin Library study rooms
Studying for exams, writing essays and doing homework are liable to make anyone cry. The Irwin Library study rooms provide students with an opportunity to cry and get their work done at the same time.
Gansey Petroff, a junior classics and psychology major, looks for solitude when finding the perfect place to cry.
“I think private study rooms are the best,” Petroff said. “If I’m in the mood [to cry], who’s gonna stop me?”
The privacy offered by the study rooms is unmatched and the fountain in Irwin Library provides soothing white noise that should be just loud enough to cover up even the loudest wailing.
If you need to get some homework done but also need to violently sob, look no further than the Irwin private study rooms. Irwin’s study rooms can be reserved for up to four hours a day, which should be ample time for you to get some emotions out and get some good work done. However, study rooms have to be reserved at least two hours in advance to guarantee availability, so plan accordingly.
#4 Dorm rooms
Your dorm room is your home on campus and can be a sanctuary for you when you’re in your feelings. Wrap yourself up in blankets, put on your saddest playlist and cry your heart out.
Logan Goettemoeller, a freshman English major, feels that the privacy of dorm rooms creates a space conducive to having a good cry.
“You’ve got a nice personal space and you can cry into the pillow [to] silence some of the noise,” Goettemoeller said. “I think it’s good because then you can just play music out loud and get into your flow.”
Having a private, personal space to cry is great, but it can be potentially problematic if your roommates are around. If your roommate is around and you want them gone, create a diversion like “your car is being towed right now.” On the other hand, this does provide the unique opportunity to have a group sob session with your roommates.
#3 Holcomb Gardens — benches by the reflection pond
For most people, crying outdoors or in public is not ideal, but the benches by the reflection pond in Holcomb Gardens are an exception. The bell tower and the fountain create a dramatic atmosphere that will help you realize that you are, in fact, the main character.
Hannah Walley, a senior classics and psychology major, has personal experience crying on the reflection pond benches.
“One time last year… I went to Holcomb gardens and I sat at one of the benches by the pond [to cry],” Walley said. “There were some negatives to this… it was November so it was probably 40 degrees outside and it was absolutely freezing. But I wasn’t really thinking straight. If it hadn’t been so cold, it would have been a good spot to cry.”
The reflection pond can’t be beaten when it comes to a beautiful atmosphere to let out your emotions. Unfortunately, it is outdoors and therefore your crying experience may be hampered by bad weather.
#2 Jordan Hall — third floor gender neutral bathroom
If you haven’t been on the brink of tears in Jordan Hall yet, I think it is safe to say that you will be at some point this year. Luckily, there is a gender-neutral bathroom on the third floor of Jordan that is a great refuge in times of crisis.
Walley has used this bathroom on several different occasions to cry.
“I found this place my freshman year after I had just gotten out of a meeting with my research advisor, and he told me I did a bad job on a presentation,” Walley said. “I was just wandering through Jordan Hall on the brink of tears [and] I eventually found this bathroom and it was a godsend. I’ve cried there at least once every year that I’ve been in school.”
Where other public bathrooms are often meant for multiple people, gender-neutral bathrooms like the one on the third floor of Jordan are single-person. The privacy of these bathrooms is unparalleled, which makes them a great place to cry without judgement. If you are about to burst into tears and are able to make the arduous journey from the first floor of Jordan to the third, be sure to check out the gender-neutral bathroom.
#1 In class
Hear me out on this one: if you’re stressing out in the middle of class and feel the need to cry, you should just do it. There is too much stigma around public displays of emotion, and we need to be doing the work to combat that stigma.
Goettemoeller said that crying in class has several benefits.
“If you start crying [in class], you get the sympathy of the professor,” Goettemoeller said. “You can leave for a little bit. Have some time for yourself.”
Not only can crying in class get you sympathy, but it can also get you out of a boring lecture. For that reason, it is the best place to cry at Butler University.
