Creatures of habit. This expression may describe humans in general, but perhaps not the average University student.
"I feel like in college you can't really get stuck on routines because no night is the same," third-year Engineering student Mary Sunny McCoy said. "Even if you don't go out, there's always going to be something new or different that you'll end up finding yourself doing. It's all part of the college experience."
A traditional night for a University student may be described best by first-year College student Galen MacCaba.
"Clouds part to let the moonlight fall upon the forest floor, as different clouds emanate from my pipe," MacCaba said with an authentic Irish accent. "As the grey-white smoke departs, accompanied by a sweet odor, a certain euphoric glee descends upon me. Following in the footsteps of Poe, Coleridge and de Quincey, I embrace the ensuing haze of relaxation."
MacCaba continued his unusual observation of University nighttime habits with behaviors many students could recognize.
"Having welcomed twilight to Charlottesville, I stroll back to my dorm room," he said. "There, I observe roving bands of vocalists -- self-styled 'singers.' These latter-day minstrels delight their auditors in the rooms above, whose Dixie cups spill over as they pre-game. Around the eleventh hour, old dorms disgorge their residents in one magnificent spasm toward Rugby Road."
Or perhaps, the routine night for the average student is less poetic and a bit more chaotic. College provides an array of things for young people to do at night. At the University, many students say the activities never seem to come to an end.
It is not uncommon to see streams of joggers at all hours of the night, students engaging in late-night snacking at the Castle or Tree House, studiers packing all four floors of Clemons Library -- only to take a short break at Alderman Cafe to refuel with caffeine -- and the hardcore partiers hitting up the bars and/or fraternities every possible night of the week.
"Well, I usually start out my night with a stop at the Tree House at about 9 p.m.," first-year College student Dan Hecht said. "I'll start upstairs staring at whatever the special is, deciding whether it's worth my precious plus dollars. Yeah, usually I figure an 89-cent cup-o-noodles is where the deal is at. Maybe it's 79 cents. Anyway, what I know is I don't have enough plus dollars to afford even one of those anymore. Well, not really. I equate fewer plus dollars with less of my inner workings being destroyed by the food at O-Hill."
He grimaced while recalling cafeteria food before continuing to detail his nightly rituals point by point.
"Anyway, after that I usually head back to my suite, eat my MSG soaked cup-o-noodles and watch the TV with my never-working suitemates, hit the books in my room and am quickly distracted by Instant Messenger or thefacebook.com," he said. "I try to escape that by going over to Webb lounge, but unfortunately I bring my computer so that doesn't work. I usually finish the night entering my room around 3 a.m. and pretending to be quiet as not to wake up my roommate."
Hecht grinned sarcastically before continuing his diatribe.
"And what I'm really doing is all I can to make sure he sleeps terribly, because I hate him," he said, laughing and shaking his head. He then added, "No, just kidding on that last part."
For many students, college is a time of pulling all-nighters. The Journal of American College Health reported that most college students only spend six out of the 24 hours in a day sleeping and that the average bedtime is 1:17 a.m. Some students said they would be lucky to be in bed by 1:17 a.m.
"By the time I get into bed at 3:30 in the morning, I've somehow managed to watch four hours of trashy TV and done no work," first-year College student Michael Ann Bevivino said. "I think to myself, 'There goes another wasted night of getting nothing accomplished.' But really, those are some of the best kinds of nights."
A study conducted by The National Survey of Student Engagement reported that as many as 63 percent of students spend less than 15 hours a week studying while 19 percent study less than five hours a week. Spending time with friends seems to be a favorite alternative to studying to finish the day among University students.
"It seems like every night during the week, no matter how much work I've got to get done, I find myself chilling with my best friends, driving around or watching movies until our eyes burn," first-year College student Alisa Wulff said. "I've never watched so many movies in my life as I have in this one year."
First-year dorms provide breeding grounds for a variety of behaviors and nightly routines. Music blares from open windows, and shadows of dancing figures move against the walls.
"My roommate Amy and I like to swing dance to 'Brown-Eyed Girl' at night sometimes," first-year College student Michelle Freeman said before continuing sheepishly. "Yeah, we sing Disney songs sometimes too."
While many students said they spend their nights around friends and roommates, other students said they find they enjoy sharing the night with a different kind of companion.
"After taking my puppy out for a walk, I get ready for the night's festivities by blasting my stereo and putting on my sexy underwear," first-year College student Steve Hromada said. "Then after a crazy night, I lay in my bed, with my puppy snuggling up close to me -- at least I got something to hold at night, right?"
Numerous students said they enjoy the sleep and dreams that finish their busy days.
"When I go to sleep," Winnie Chao, a first-year College student and women's Club rugby player, said, "I dream of sweet victory in California next week, when U.Va. women's rugby takes the national championship!"
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