University of Michigan - Michiganensian Yearbook (Ann Arbor, MI)

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On a sunny afternoon, this student tries to concentrate on her work at The Coffee Beanery on South University. Some people preferred to study outside during pleasant weather, despite distractions from traffic and passersby. V. Granata photo Two students take a break from school to relax and enjoy a conversation over coffee at Starbuck ' s. Though considered costly by most students, Starbuck Coffee ' s two locations on State Street and on South University made it a convenient coffee house choice. L. Proux photo by Yrette Granata Although traditional places like the Undergraduate Library and Michigan Union were common study locales on campus, many students found solace in the diverse coffee shops scattered throughout Ann Arbor. In addition to the always-useful caffeine boost, the assorted atmospheres of local coffee houses also added to students ' mental stimulation. Places such as The Coffee Beanery and Amer ' s inspired political awareness by selling Fair Trade coffee to customers, and other places like Crazy Wisdom Book Store and Tea Room were host to an array of events including poetry readings and musical performances. Coffee shops were oftentimes an extension of the classroom. I like meeting with GSIs in coffee shops better than in an office because it ' s really laid back. When I can have a conversation with an instructor in an open environment, I usually get more out of it, said Sociology senior Mitch Rosch. One of the more popular places for graduate student instructors and professors to hold office hours was Espresso Royale on State Street because of its proximity to central campus. Coffee shops also served as an extracurricular social scene. The choice between corporate chains and smaller, privately owned coffee houses was dependent upon the kind of ambiance and sustenance sought. ! can ' t stand Starbucks. Their coffee tastes horrible and it ' s overpriced. Plus the seating arrangement is awkward and not very comfortable. I prefer any place over Starbucks, commented political science and economics senior Nilay Dave, who instead frequented places like Rendezvous Cafe on South University because of the environment and vast menu. Some of the menu items at the cafe not available at other campus venues included the Nutella Crepe and newly instated hookah pipe and flavored tobacco menu. Students, friends and clubs congregated in coffee shops on and off campus under the pretense of latte drinking to engage in intellectual conversations, light-hearted repartee, or simply just to hang out. 36 Michigan Life

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A Biology of Nutrition lecture in Dennison provides this student the perfect outlet to take a quick catnap. Opportunities for students to sleep were sometimes few and far between, and boring classes seemed to be the perfect time to rest. L. Proux photo by Nicole Mammo Groan.Yawn. Snore. Giggle. Whisper. Sigh. Grunt. These were just some of the daily sounds heard during certain classes at the University.They were the lessons that students just barely motivated themselves to roll out of bed for, because they were either extremely difficult or just incredibly boring. Driven by some powerful force, however, students had no choice but to attend these sessions that were filled with doom and despair: the classes that SUCKED. Two hours of straight lecture in classes such as Psychology 111 or certain Philosophy courses were too much to bear. Crossword puzzles became a daily ritual, and were an outlet for the absolute boredom that students experienced in lecture. No one readily admitted it, but certain classes were simply social periods where students learned the latest gossip and discussed the craziest parties from the previous weekend. Other classes were found to be somewhat pointless by students. An Engineering 100 course titled, Saving Beach Environments was not a favorite of many. We ' re supposed to be engineers, not environmentalists, commented sophomore mechanical engineering student William Frencher. At the other extreme, walking into a class such as Math 216 and seeing frustrated students near tears was also a common occurrence. Another infamously difficult course was Organic Chemistry, or Chemistry 211. Though orgo does not require a great deal of memorization, it involves an entire new way of thinking which makes learning the material much more challenging than other science classes, stated sophomore biopsychology major Courtney Meyer. Although the University was known for its challenging courses, many students were not prepared for how thought provoking and draining these courses would actually be. Regardless of these details, it was mainly agreed that these horrendous courses were necessary to fully shape the U of M experience, and without pain, there would indeed be, no gain. A student does her homework in the last minutes before her cognitive psychology discussion. Homework for undesirable classes was often done at the latest possible moment. L. Proux photo Dreadful Courses 35

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prepare to get caffeinated kick back and relax grab a study partner and head to the coffee shops A study group discusses their notes at the Espresso Royale on State Street. Due to its comfortable seating, proximity to campus, and internet access, Espresso Royale was a popular spot amongst students to study. L. Proux photo Coffee Shops 37