When you think of a library, especially the biggest library on Swarthmore campus, you probably think about studying. You think about holing up with your friends in a study room, or grinding out an essay in a study carrel, or just reading a book in a comfy chair. And I will be honest, when I am in McCabe Library, that is often what I’m doing. But tucked away in a corner of the first floor you will find a small table with two chairs and a chessboard where I have spent some of my favorite hours in McCabe.

Let’s get this out of the way first: I am not good at chess. I am, in fact, very bad at chess. I barely knew the rules until this year, and I do not hold the foresight to think twenty steps ahead and protect myself from disaster. But one day last semester, I was walking through McCabe with my friend on our way to our normal study table. It had been a very long week of work and we were both really tired from seminar. So when they asked, “Hey, want to play a game of chess?” I only had one requirement: “Don’t laugh at how bad I am.”

Last semester after class we would go to McCabe and play each other whenever we didn’t have too much work to do. Although “play each other” was generous – they would give me hints and moves whenever I got stuck, and help me out of tough positions I got myself into. I did work myself to a tie once, which I was very proud of.

This semester, things got a little more serious. Another friend started teaming up with me and we actually started – not doing horribly? Don’t worry, we were still losing a lot, but we all started walking over to McCabe after our history class and playing a game before we started working. Which often turned into two games. Or more, if we were doing really badly. But we’ve even won a few times (occasionally with outside assistance)! I have finally started to see at least a few steps ahead, and we are all very competitive. Every once in a while someone has to come out from the class in the classroom next door and ask us to quiet down. While we play, people come by and say hi, or maybe give us a move we hadn’t seen. One of my friends always pops in during their seminar break, and although she doesn’t understand chess, she always joins in to support the losers. And I’ve stopped worrying about not doing well and started to just appreciate it as the fun break it is.

Going to the library can sometimes feel like a chore: you’re going in for the fourth time this weekend to continue working on your, although very interesting, endless history readings. Even if you’re with friends, you have to block them out to be able to focus on your own work. So to have a way to make going to McCabe feel like a treat, like a fun way to hang out with your friends, is something I would definitely recommend. Although don’t take over the chessboard – there’s only one, and I have to protect my winning streak!