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How do students keep themselves awake past 2 a.m. at the library? With Pop Tarts and coffee.

This semester, the Boca library rolled out its 24-hour, five days per week schedule. The University Press camped overnight in the library and caught up with the few students working past 2 a.m. during the hours that the library was previously closed for.

Some students, like sports administration and real estate major Devin Collins, don’t mind a little bit of sleep loss.

“This schedule doesn’t really bother me and it goes with my work schedule because I work at night,” Collins said.

Collins, who also drives for FAU’s nightly golf cart transportation service, Night Owls, believes the students at this time show more determination than most students throughout the day.

“People here at this time show they are willing to be successful regardless of the time or situation,” he said. “People who are go-getters no matter the time. It shows how many hours they are willing to put in for success even if they don’t schedule their time all that well.”

Collins said he had been working on an essay for his English class for over four hours, and it “wouldn’t make sense” to give up for sleep now.

And he wasn’t the only one who stayed up to write.  

At 2:12 a.m., neuroscience major Carl Gittens was working on an essay for film appreciation class. He had been at the library since 8 p.m.

“It’s not unusual to be here a little after the regular hours for me,” Gittens, who goes to the library almost every day, said. “Maybe if Owlsley were here at this time he could read up on how to pump us up when we’re tired.”

At 2:45 a.m., the smell of coffee wafted through the air, coming from the cups of a few nursing majors studying for an anatomy exam they were going to have five hours later.

“We have an anatomy exam at 8 a.m. and we’re trying to cram everything in,” nursing major Matthew Bisbee said, huddled around his textbook. “I’m used to this. I’ve pulled an all-nighter. Just don’t go to class tired. If you do, don’t rely on other people for your notes and don’t play catch-up if you can help it.”

Although Bisbee is grateful for the new hours, he admitted that “If I worked harder on my notes, I wouldn’t be here at this time.”

Madeline Wulff, who joined Bisbee, said she can work through the night as long as there’s food involved.

“I’m mostly productive during the day, but this time is really quiet,” she said. “We also have snacks to keep us awake.”

At 3:21 a.m., some library staff said they’re pleased to see students taking advantage of the new hours.

“I think students are actually here because they want to get ahead with their work,” library staff member Juana Lopez said.

Lopez, who only works during the overnight hours, said all the usual services are still available during the new hours except the study rooms.

She’s also surprised by how many students are dedicated to their work late at night or early in the morning.

“You see the difference between the people here at normal hours and now,” Lopez said. “People at this time seem to be more focused on their work and they concentrate more because it’s quieter and more organized.”

And at 4:00 a.m., pre-business marketing major Talayah Hall had her friends’ help getting her through the night.

“I usually chill with my friends anyway, so we decided to get together and influence one another,” she said.

Even though Hall and her friends are all different majors and were doing work from separate classes, they studied at the library together for one reason — to keep each other’s spirits up.  

“We’re here to motivate each other,” Hall said, “no matter the time.”

Nile Fortner is a contributing writer for the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected].