The small sixth-floor study room in the Liberty Street Residence Hall is one of six such rooms that sit on the eastern corner of the building, nestled in the heart of downtown Charleston.

As one of the newest residence halls, Liberty features a plethora of spaces where students can congregate. It boasts 13 study rooms of all different shapes and sizes. And although six of these rooms are exactly the same, the one on the sixth floor is my favorite, serving as a constant in my college experience. 

My time at Liberty started two years ago when I became a resident assistant in the building. One of my fellow RAs worked on the sixth floor, and I was immediately drawn to the study room there because of the amazing views of Charleston – the city that had become my home.

As the year went on, I ended up returning to the sixth floor to check out the study room up there. I had an essay to write and I hoped to take in the sights while doing so. All things considered, I think I spent a little too much time staring out the window, but it seemed like a luxury to me because skyline views like this one can be hard to come by in Charleston. From then on, I found myself returning more and more, whether it be to just sit and think or do schoolwork.

As time has gone on, I’ve taken on more responsibility at the College and have been pulled away from that quiet view of the Charleston skyline. Now, almost two years later, I’ve traded my study room perch for an office on the first floor of Liberty. But whenever I need to think, I find myself returning to that small room on the sixth floor. Nothing beats those views. 

– Nicholas Mashuta

Nicholas Mashuta is a senior from Albany, N.Y., majoring in marketing.