You’re back for the fall semester, and it seems everyone surrounding you has some hot secret to share about the events of their summer break. Was there a development in your friend group that occurred while you were on vacation in Europe? Did one of your friends have an affair within their summer internship class? There are important interpersonal details abound, and the first few weeks of class are a crucial time to catch up on them.
Binghamton University’s campus shows a lot of familiar faces no matter where you go, and it can be difficult to find privacy in the middle of your class schedule to catch up on what the latest dirt in your friend group is. However, some of the best places to have private conversations are hidden in plain sight. Here are some of Pipe Dream’s suggestions on where to go when you have a burning need to get the word out about your peers’ lives.
Fine Arts Courtyard — The courtyard in the Fine Arts Building is an ideal place to dish out on your peers, because within the (usually vacant) space, you can always tell if someone else is within earshot. While you may have to worry about a neighboring art history professor hearing your every word from their office, and it’s one of the more visible spots on campus due to the Fine Arts Building’s floor-to-ceiling windows, it’s still a safe space since you are more aware of your surroundings.
University Bookstore — After the first two weeks of classes, the University Bookstore is an excellent place to gab about your acquaintances. Once fewer people are coming into the space to purchase textbooks, in the unlikely event that you’re spotted, you can defer from your discussion and pretend to simply be in there looking at BU-branded apparel. It’s noisy because of the constant playlist in the store, yet there are few people to overhear you, making it the perfect place to talk in public.
Library Stacks — Use your discretion when exploring the stacks in Glenn G. Bartle Library — you may want to choose a thematic area of scholarship to hang out in that’s far removed from the department you and your friends study under. For example, it’s safe to say that you won’t run into anyone you know if you’re studying business but chatting in the Arabic translational studies stacks. Bartle Library can be a tricky building to gossip in, however: Beware of the narrow halls that can obscure people from your view before you say something too revealing.
Science Complex and the University Greenhouse — The Science Buildings Complex and the adjacent University Greenhouse are secure places to discuss the latest rumors. If you’re outside, the quad is effectively a wind tunnel for most of the year because of the buildings’ orientations; meanwhile, the halls of the buildings are often more sparsely populated than more central areas of campus. The greenhouse offers a quiet space and multiple climates for your gossiping comfort, and maintains the shadowy aesthetic of being concealed by the foliage. Go here if you’re looking to share secrets in style.