It’s 3 a.m. in the Cabot Science Library, and above the hum of the fluorescent lights and the occasional clanking of the air conditioner, there is a flicker of life.

Tired faces illuminated by the blue glow of their laptops, students here have one thing in common—they aren’t going to sleep tonight.

At least not in their beds.

The dozen students will spend the night in the library, snacking on Doritos and pretzels while huddled in cubicles with chemistry textbooks stacked high on either side, or perched at long conference tables littered with history notes.

At the library, which remains open 24-hours throughout reading period and exams, their world is one of stale smells and purple carpets, high-calorie bagged snacks and pilfered blankets.

Some make it through the night, stumbling out the revolving doors at dawn to pass out in their rooms.

Some don’t even make it that far—as the night progresses, students can be seen staring vacantly at their computers, sleeping on their notes or stretched out on the black leather couches downstairs.

The ‘Six-to-Six People’

While desperation drives many students to forsake sleep for nights of uncomfortable chairs and stagnant air, one group of first-years this exam period just did it for the bragging rights.

Known as the “six-to-six people” across the Yard, the Weld residents heard about the library’s extended hours from their proctor and decided to spend 24 hours straight in Cabot, from 6:45 p.m. on Friday to the same time Saturday evening.

“We did it because we could, I suppose,” said Walter C. Stanovsky ’06, who was studying for his Literature and Arts B-46, “Art in the Wake of The Mongol Conquest” final. “It was pretty fun, like a group bonding experience.”

Although nine students had originally decided to spend the night, only Munia F. Jabbar ’06 and Tania Stewart ’06 never once left the confines of the library.

Their friends came and went, bringing gifts of food for support.

Armed with blankets, pillows, Watermelon-flavored applesauce, Pringles and granola, the seven first-years took turns sleeping and studying so that someone would always be awake to watch the group’s laptops.

In between studying for Chemistry 15, “Inorganic Chemistry” and a linguistics class, the first-years talked and watched “The Usual Suspects.”