If Lamont was never your studying venue of choice, it may be time to reconsider.

The trusty Harvard Yard sanctuary for studious undergrads turned 50 this year and celebrated the onset of middle age in the most American of ways--with a facelift.

Gone are the decades-old study carrels scrawled with "Ec 10 bites" and "Orgo 'till I die, baby." Banished are the cracked pleather sofas and clunky table lamps that took up space but never turned on. In their place are sleek new desks, armless chairs and retro light fixtures. Welcome to the new Lamont, a stylish cross between traditional elegance and '90s minimalism.

We applaud the change.

How nice it is to enter Lamont and no longer feel compelled to do the time warp. How refreshing to be able to lay out a book without getting distracted by who loved Katie Jones in 1965. Finally, upperclass students have a pleasant environment to retreat to between classes in the Yard and first-years a comfortable place to study at night.

Additionally, we would be remiss not to express our delight at the series of celebratory events that have been taking place over the past several months. Between the "Name the Alumni," "Highest Circulating Volume" and "Where at Harvard" contests, it has been hard to leave Lamont with out taking a door prize with you. Indeed, going to Lamont lately pays off almost as well as attending an insurance salesmen's convention in Vegas.

And don't worry if you've missed out so far. The first 50 entrants in the Lamont-sponsored "Hollis Hunt" contest, which starts Oct. 18, will receive free prizes as will the first 50 people who share their warm and fuzzy memories of Lamont on the on-line memory book. Even if you're not studying, that's reason enough to check out the new changes.