What it's like to spend Fling in the library

While many undergraduates were attending parties and sunbathing in the Quadrangle, a handful of students experienced a different kind of “lit" perusing through literature in Van Pelt Library.

Many students who found themselves within the walls of Penn’s largest library this weekend were tied down because of schoolwork.

College senior Leila Ehsan, for example, was in the library during Spring Fling because she had to finish her thesis on the voting patterns at the United Nations Security Council. But she was not overly concerned about missing out on Fling.

“I feel like I was never that good at Fling,” she said. “I never understood the binge drinking. I’ve always enjoyed Fling, it’s just that work is my priority right now.”

College senior Ankit Dahal had a similar predicament; he had to prioritize future goals over attending the "Fling of the Future." Dahal is set to take the MCAT next week but said he hoped he would have time to enjoy some of his last Fling weekend at Penn.

Students interviewed in the library said their professors didn’t lighten their workload this weekend even with Fling festivities going on.

Despite being a Chance the Rapper fan, Engineering freshman Natalia Baykova sought refuge in Van Pelt to study for her upcoming chemistry exam.

“I think some of the professors are completely oblivious,” she said.

College freshman Liz Kraeutler agreed.

“If anything the professors went harder,” she said.

Despite the blaring music and groups of rowdy undergraduates in tanks, there were even a few students that did not know this was the infamous Fling weekend. First-year Engineering graduate student Anupama Kumar, for example, was surprised at how empty Van Pelt was on Friday.

“Had I known and had I not had many assignments due, I would have gone. But this is too close to the end of the semester,” Kumar said after finding out that it was in fact Fling weekend.

College senior Jamie Vaught expressed similar concerns about the timing of Fling being so close to the end of classes and exams, adding that she does not regret missing out on her last Fling.

“I feel like I’ve already done the Fling thing and I’ve moved past it,” she said. “I didn’t want to put myself through that party bootcamp.”

While many of the students at Van Pelt had hordes of work to attack, some still had time to offer words of advice.

“Just have fun and be safe even though you’ll probably read that after it’s done,” said Victoria Aguilar, a first-year graduate student in the School of Social Policy & Practice.

Ehsan stressed the importance of making Fling what you want it to be.

“If Fling for you means going to Van Pelt, you do you,” Ehsan said.

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