The ‘Reg Culture’
During my first quarter in college, I had a conversation, with a senior, about the awkward social interactions that UChicago’s environment can foster. His response baffled me at that time:
“No, it’s not that bad. I just make it a point to go to the library every day. The Reg’s the most social place on campus!”
In high school, the library was a place of uncomfortable fidgeting and pin drop silence; a place of infrequent, short-lived visits. Just how any library could serve to be more than that, and become a part of a lifestyle, seemed to be an alien concept. Therefore, a group of friends and I decided to dissect the culture of the Regenstein, and we noticed right away that it was a world within a world. Some common patterns (listed below as common occurrences) became obvious from very early on, and although we have many examples of each, we have listed just one with every pattern, to keep our observations short and succinct.
Subject of Inquiry: The ‘Reg Culture’
Parameters of Observation: 1100 East 57th Street Chicago Illinois 60637. B-level to the fifth floor of the imposing, gray structure known lovingly as the Regenstein library.
Some Noted Colloquialisms:
“Reggin’ it”
Translation: Studying at the Reg, for an extended period of time.
“Secret Garden ”
Translation: Referring to the couches positioned behind the ground floor bookstacks, often obscured from common view.
“Jock floor”: Second floor of the Reg, scattered with group tables. It is considered louder and more social than most of the other floors (with the exception of the A-level).
“Caffiee” A mixture of the words ‘coffee’ and ‘caffiee’. Mostly uttered by sleep deprived students, dragging themselves to Bart Mart, or Ex-Libris.
Common Occurrences:
1. Domestic Disputes:
Observed: A college couple peacefully studying on the fifth floor. Suddenly, bickering ensues and the girl is seen snatching the papers from her partner’s hands and flinging them into the air. He, in turn, starts violently shaking her. Other students around come to life and intervene. Boy and girl collect things, walk out (together) while the fifth floor looks on, cell phones in hand.
2. Student-Staff Squabbles
Observed: Student attempts to walk in to the study space of the Reg with banana in hand. Member of the staff angrily tells her she cannot enter with a piece of fruit (although students are often seen devouring pizza and other edibles). Loud argument interrupts the ground floor studying and goes on for a good ten minutes. Finally, student heatedly throws banana into the trash bin and storms out.
3. Morning After (all-nighter) Rituals:
Observed: Girl with two large duffel bags positions herself in front of the mirror in the A-level bathroom. Takes out many, many bottles of product, and slowly goes on to wash hair in the sink, brush teeth, apply makeup – all the while remaining oblivious to the growing knot of people whispering around her.
4.Finals Week Retreat
Observed: As soon as the week begins, a tent is put up in the A-level. Inhabitants are seen taking sporadic naps within, whenever their schedule permits. Other students are seen camping at the A-level in different ways. Some sleep under the tables, while others on top of the tables. There is a mass exodus on Friday of that week, and the Reg is at once reminiscent of a forgotten graveyard.
Note to Diskord readers: Send us any new colloquialisms you note, or any recurring patterns you observe! The Reg culture, like all others, is also an evolving one, and we would like to keep out studies updated.
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