Best places to cry on campus

Student life is hard.

What with juggling classes, a job, and tearing up the Viper dance floor as many times as possible in any given week. So it’s understandable that sometimes the overwhelming strain can just reduce you to tears.

As Dickens said in Great Expectations “we need never be ashamed of our tears.” Or something like that anyway.

Anywhere in sight of the Boyd Orr building

Arguably one of the most visually offensive buildings ever erected, the Boyd Orr towers over one end of University Avenue and seeing it at all, be it with your eyes, binoculars or even this picture (sorry) is enough to reduce anyone to tears of anguish.

If I were Mr Boyd Orr I would be embarrassed to have my name on such a monstrosity.

In fact I would most likely seek sanctuary in some sort of witness protection programme to shelter from the people affected by this vile structure.

Downstairs in the Reading Room

The Reading Room is, from the outside, a building of  splendour and decorum – the rounded shape leading it merely to be known as “that circular building next to the library”.

But inside, should you venture down the staircase in the heart of the building, you will reach a strange darkened area resembling a gothic dungeon next to the toilets where tears can be shed quietly and uninterrupted.

The Stevenson building during Super Circuits

Whether you’re participating or merely observing the hour-long exercise in barbaric physical endurance it is very easy to let yourself go here.

Staring with twisted jealousy at those fitter and heartier than yourself undertaking the class – your tears can be disguised with sweat.

So go ahead, cry yourself a river. No one will ever know.

The Quad

For those who have nothing to hide and want to showcase some despair with flare the quad can provide a dramatic back drop – in public too – for you to howl at the current injustices in your life.

Doing so in rain and mud (or snow) will add that little extra note of theatricality for a resulting scene looking like you have just stormed the gates of Mordor.

Let it out – there will be no judgement here.

Bryce Lab (Main Building)

Anatomy students have told of a mysterious place in the main building where instead of climbing a turret you venture downwards into the dark and your own self pity.

The journey to Bryce Lab has been described as an experience on par or maybe less enjoyable than a dementor’s kiss with the sweaty walls breaking even the strongest beacons of optimism to enter it’s depths.

The Labyrinth of the John Mac building

The fortress – and I use this word deliberately – of the SRC, the John Mac building sits in the heart of campus and we’ve all visited it at least once for reasons we can’t really remember.

From the outside the building looks relatively normal but this tardis-like illusion doesn’t become apparent until you are inside and have been scratching on the walls or trying to flip a secret bookcase to find your way out again after 40 minutes.

Cry for long enough and someone will aid you in your escape but I’d maybe recommend attaching a rope to yourself before entering which a trusted friend is holding on the outside.

The Fraser Building

A friend once told me of a time when she sat in the Fraser building at one of the big tables and just began to cry.

Sat next to one of the big windows seems to be the place to go as she maintains no one bothered her and perhaps no one even realised she was crying. That would certainly be the dream.

Why was she crying? Even she doesn’t know.

BBQ Kings

I have never not seen someone cry in BBQ Kings – with tears of joy that is.

Our neon, deep-frying church of Great Western Road is a haven for drunks and those who’ve just had a crappy day in general.

Chips, cheese and garlic mayonnaise will forever draw a tear to this student’s eyes – sober or not.

A shameless guzzling of polystyrene-packed gourmet goodness is never wrong and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Anywhere

If you want to cry then I say go for it. Bottling up those tears will only lead to increased frustration and stress which will explode in nuclear proportions during exam time.

So cry often, cry with conviction, and cry unashamed. There’s enough places to do it.