EJ JACOBS
Staff Writer
When your creative outlet is writing, it’s important to have a comfortable space that is able to help cultivate that creativity.
At the beginning of the Spring 2023 semester, the Writers’ Lounge opened on the second floor of Fenton Hall, which used to be referred to as the “Fish Bowl.” This area was once the hub of the Math Department, and it held mostly math professors’ offices.
After the Math Department moved to the Science Center and Houghton Hall in the fall, the space opened up. The English Department always wanted a space like the Fish Bowl for students to write and create. Once the Fish Bowl was unoccupied, the English Department was able to utilize the space and create a hub for writing at Fredonia.
The Writers’ Lounge is located on the second floor of Fenton Hall and is open to all Fredonia students. This room has comfortable seating and open space for students to enjoy as they get work done.
The English Reading Room, located on the first floor of Fenton, also exists, but it is mostly used for faculty and club meetings.
The English Department was hoping to find a space that was away from campus foot traffic that provided people the opportunity to cultivate community in the department.
Students are excited to utilize the Writers’ Lounge as a new place to relax and do their school work.
“The new space is quiet and comfortable,” said Phillip Mass, a junior math adolescent education major. “It is also surrounded by the English Department, which makes it a good study area. [It’s a] place to get assistance from the English Department. The staff is friendly and happy to meet with their students.”
The department wants the space to be collaborative and beneficial for student writers. There are writing instructors that are near the space to be able to help students with different assignments or creative projects.
“We would still love to have a writers’ lounge with tutors,” said Daniel Laurie, English lecturer. “This is a step towards that.”
This is just the beginning for the new space. There is so much potential to improve students’ overall writing skills.
The Writers’ Lounge is open during regular Fenton Hall operating hours for student usage.