Photo by: Charlie Martin

Brock University has implemented three temporary study booths to offer additional private, quiet workspaces for students on the first floor of the Rankin Family Pavilion. Just a few metres away from one of Mackenzie Chown’s entrance doors, three Inbox study booths can be seen placed around one of the tower’s pillars. 

Three different versions of the booths are currently being implemented varying in size and specifications. There’s one with a single seat and a small desk, another with one table and two seats, and a relatively bigger one that includes one table and seats four. All the pods have see-through glass doors and include lighting and power outlets. 

The booths are available to anyone on a first-come, first-serve basis. Although not every student might be using the booths on a regular basis, most don’t seem to mind its occurrence. 

“I feel like it’s a little weird, you just like see everybody walking around you, it’s a pretty populated area right in front of the Tim Hortons, but I mean I like the privacy of it,” said Jian Luca, a first-year kinesiology major.

Although the study booths are currently on a 90-day loan from their manufacturer,; Inbox, students like Luca would not mind seeing them as a permanent addition to one of the university’s hallways.

“I’d probably say it should be permanent,” said Luca

The study booth’s transparency has caused some students to have a preference for which booth they would use with regard to privacy. 

“I feel like I’d maybe use the one on the sides, not the one on the front, because it’s kind of in a weird spot, like everyone in [the Tim Hortons] line are staring at you,” said Lily Hagan, a second-year medical science student. “Even if it was just like frosted glass, that would be okay, the fact that everyone walking by kind of just sees you, it’s kinda weird—but they should be permanent.”

For others, the booth’s placement on campus is also a big concern.

“I feel like they could’ve put it in a better place in the school, but they’re cool, I guess,” said Jennifer Nguyen, a second-year medical science student. “I feel like it’d be better if they were in a library. Even if the library is quiet, like people still make noise so like it would be a nice place to put it, I feel like this area is completely busy. They should be permanent but maybe not in this location. 

The feedback from students says the study booths should be a permanent thing in the university, but just in a different, more private area. As of now, the future of the study booths remains unknown.