The students were sleep deprived.
To avoid the UF libraries’ crowded study spaces, some set up shop in local cafés as they finished up their semester work. From Midtown to downtown, shops like Pascal’s Coffeehouse and Maude’s Classic Café were full of students who strayed from campus to concentrate.
"We’re running out of dishes," said Pascal’s manager, Juan Alcala, as he hunched over a sink.
Pascal’s, a coffee shop situated a couple blocks from Library West, was cramped. Alcala said he felt finals week fast approaching.
On Tuesday at about 4 p.m., Pascal’s had already made 230 transactions. And the coffeehouse was still three hours from closing.
By the time the coffeehouse closes on a typical Tuesday, Alcala said it makes about 200 transactions.
"Since I’ve been here, around finals time, there’s always an increase in business," he said.
A foot from the front door, Vanessa Martinez, 18, sat outside with two friends and a few cups of coffee.
The students spent nearly an hour Monday looking for a seat at Library West, the UF exploratory freshman said.
She said Tuesday was her first day at Pascal’s, but she’ll likely come back if the libraries continue to be crowded.
Downtown, Lauren Goldsby studied for her biology exam at Volta Coffee, Tea and Chocolate. The UF food science sophomore chose Volta over UF’s libraries because she couldn’t find any seats there, she said.
"It was ridiculously packed," the 19-year-old said.
A table down from her, Kayce Whitbeck, 19, peered into her laptop. Like Goldsby, the UF applied physiology and kinesiology sophomore was studying for a Biology 1 exam.
"The libraries have been, like, completely full," she said.
Behind the counter, Volta barista Maddison Blewett said more students have come to the café, but they stay for long periods of time, meaning there aren’t increases in sales.
"I think we’re expecting more to get busier next week," she said.
Past the Hippodrome State Theatre, Michelle Neeley, 21, shared a pitcher of coffee with three friends at Maude’s.
Layne Wrighton, the owner and general manager of the café, said she noticed a lot of students essentially camping out.
Neeley, a UF journalism senior, said she came to Maude’s because she had no other option.
"We came here today because everywhere else was full," she said.
She also said she doesn’t like UF libraries’ atmospheres during finals week.
"It was just, like, stressful to have to be around everyone stressed," she said.
Contact Martin Vassolo at mvassolo@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @martindvassolo
Students crowd Pascal’s Coffeehouse on Dec. 8, 2015. Juan Alcala, the study center’s manager, said students always bring more business during finals week.
