King of the hill (study edition): Davis Library

To set the scene: It’s a towering building overlooking the Pit, Lenoir Dining Hall, the Frank Porter Graham Student Union and the Quad — all of the important UNC landmarks. It’s one of the tallest buildings on campus, save for the Bell Tower and maybe a few dorms here and there. And it may be the location in which you are reading this Exam Survival Guide as you cry on its pages instead of studying for your impending BIOL 101 exam.

You may love it or hate it, but you can’t deny its existence in struggling UNC student culture.

I’m looking at you, Davis Library — and I’m here to defend you as best study spot on campus.

Davis is here for those of us who can’t get serious work done in the Undergraduate Library.

I love you, UL, but you aren’t nearly daunting enough for me.

I can openly admit I’m not dedicated enough to spend all day and night in the library, but Davis is basically a second home to those who do.

The only problem with Davis is that it’s only open until 2 a.m.

But that’s OK — in the fewer operational hours, I can still get more work done than I can at the UL.

Davis is the perfect balance of comfortable and uncomfortable.

If you feel like relaxing, Davis has two lounges on each of the upper floors.

However, if you feel like being studious — which is pretty much the whole purpose of this article — there are plenty of desks sure to keep you awake and focused.

Also, Davis has some of the best private study rooms.

During regular semester hours, you generally only need your One Card to access them.

They’re first-come, first-serve, and although they are supposed to be reserved during exam season, you can still snag one easier than you can at the UL.

The seventh and eighth floors are my personal favorites.

You can’t beat the scenery from eight floors up, especially on a beautiful fall day or right when it begins to snow.

The dreaded Finals Week is upon us.

So, no matter where you decide to study, things will be crowded.

Just know, if you’re a library first-timer, please heed these rules:

1) Don’t be loud.

2) Don’t take anyone else’s spot.

3) Be self-aware.

So, this is for you, Davis.

You’ve been there for me through exam cramming, in-between class work that I procrastinated, lots of Netflix-watching and short naps that I specifically reserved a study room for (sorry, everyone else).

You’ve been one of the best and worst things about UNC.

This senior will miss your marijuana-scented elevators, and most importantly, the view from the top.

@MariaMullis2017

swerve@dailytarheel.com