Your guide to tackling library snacks in the silent area

The library silent area is an intimidating place at the best of times, a sea of angry eyes ready to glare at you for any noise you make. But nothing is more infuriating to these sassy silent workers than a simple snack.

After spending, what seems like, years revising or writing an essay it is only logical to grab yourself a snack to recharge your batteries. Unfortunately, you don’t have time to take a break and you’re scared someone will steal your seat, so you are forced to stay put and start the task of eating your food as quietly as possible.

Not until you embark upon this mission do you realise that items of food can actually seem as loud as a crowd of overexcited One Direction fans. There is no way that you can avoid or brush off the burning stares of outraged onlookers, who are determined to let you know you are pissing them off, but your rumbling stomach is enough of a reason to carry on eating.

We took to the library to find out which snacks were the top troublemakers in a bid to save you poor studiers from further embarrassing yourselves and causing some other people serious irritation.

Crisps

Noise level: 1000/10

Irritation Level: 10/10

Satisfaction Level: 5/10

Crisps are without doubt the devil of the library snack world. There is no way to sugar coat it, they are noisy when you first open the packet, even nosier when you delve your hand in to get your first mouthful and they are at their noisiest when you have to repeatedly chew them.

Having to do this over and over is obviously why everyone around you gets so annoyed. But on the plus side, after the embarrassment of having the whole room glare at you, you will be slightly more satisfied knowing you have tingled your tastebuds.

Maltesers

Noise level: 8/10

Irritation Level: 9/10

Satisfaction Level: 7/10

Maltesers have that notorious crunch that we usually associate with cracking into their delightful centres, but in the silent area all you’ll feel is the holes burning in the back of your head.

A small bag of them just never quite hits the spot, so a share pack is the only other option.

With your friend just a few centimetres away, it would be rude to keep them all to yourself, but this means that not only are you raising the decibels of the silent area with your chomping, you then have to add to this by offering the packet to your companion.

You can always try sucking on these bad boys but it’s no where near as satisfying.

Smelly sandwiches

Noise level: 1/10

Irritation level: 8/10

Satisfaction Level: 6/10

Whilst sandwiches might not be the loudest of light bites, the stench of your snack isn’t earning your any fans.

In this instance we tried it out with a tuna sandwich and it was less than a few minutes before that fishy stench plagued the nostrils of fellow studiers. They are silent but deadly.

No one can concentrate on what they’re doing with the off-putting odour of tuna lingering in the air which is why, in some ways, they are an even more irritating snack than some of the crunchier options.

Apples

Noise level: 9/10

Irritation level: 9/10

Satisfaction Level: 4/10

Apples are one of those snacks you take with you to the library in a desperate attempt to stay healthy and avoid the temptations of all the other sweet stuff you could have packed.

However, there is one major flaw to this vitamin rich option, it is a lot louder than the likes of pear drops and strawberry laces. Biting into these juicy beasts requires an initial loud crunch, followed by the necessary slurp, to avoid any juice spilling onto your chin – particularly with the green kind.

Also, despite the refreshing nature of the apple it is generally pretty unsatisfying in comparison to the likes of crisps, which makes the awkward noise intrusion seem even more pointless.

Bananas

Noise level: 0.5/10

Irritation level: 4/10

Satisfaction Level: 5/10

All in all, bananas are not the greatest thing to be munching on but they are a great alternative to the dreaded apple for a healthy snack, as they are virtually undetectable.

I say virtually because if you pick up one slightly past its peak, it will give off that sickly smell which again is not a welcomed addition to the silent area. So beware, chose your banana wisely otherwise your safe snack will become anything but.

Cookies

Noise level: 7/10

Irritation level: 8/10

Satisfaction Level: 10/10

Crunchy cookies are an essential snack because they are just so delicious but noise wise they are a killer. You will definitely receive some dirty looks when your crack these out, not only because you have caused people to lose their train of thought but they are also very jealous they did not bring some along with them as well.

Hopefully this has helped prepare you for the silent area and allowed you to properly weigh up the pros and cons for your chosen study snack. At least now if you dare to take out your noisy nibbles you know what to expect.