Finals week breakdowns: The definitive rankings of the most “cryable” places on campus
By Ayesha Kamran and Rabia Salman, April 9 2025—
Are you ready for finals? If you answered yes, then allow me to introduce “denial,” a river in Egypt and the first stage of grief. As finals week grows closer, you will enter stage four— depression—a stage where crying becomes your only coping mechanism. However, finding a space to cry is not always easy. Lucky for you, we have a lot of experience in this department—thanks, UCalgary! Here are the top six places on campus where you can sob to your heart’s content.
1. Energy Environment Experiential Learning (EEEL) Floor 4: Where main character energy and toxic fumes come together
Head to the fourth floor of the EEEL building, specifically the bar stool seating on the far east side—don’t question it—trust us and thank us later. Crying here with scenic views makes you the depressed protagonist in every coming-of-age college movie.
2. Administration Building Floor 2: Crying here lands you a hug or a DSM-5 diagnosis
Although this is where the faculty of psychology offices reside, the hallway more closely resembles a psych ward—making it the perfect place to let those inner voices out. Not only will you feel the “crazy” here, but you will look it too.
3. Science Theatres Room 148: UCalgary’s impromptu theatre
The acoustics in this room hit different. You’re not just sobbing but rather performing. Why have a world tour in your room at 3 a.m. to express all that pain when you can drop the hardest mixtape on campus?
4. The Engineering Lounge: Crying? Nah, just my white noise playlist
If you want to go unnoticed while crying but don’t want to be disturbed mid-breakdown, forget the TFDL study rooms and head to the Engineering Lounge instead. During finals week, 2–3 students are always weeping in the corners, creating white noise. Students perceive them as co-habitants of the shared space. So, cry to your heart’s desire; nobody will side-eye you.
5. Bennett Jones Law Library: Crying but make it renaissance
If you want to cry and be demure about it, the Bennett Jones Law Library is the place for you. Suffering in silence? Yeah, you’re absolutely correct. Stifling soul-crushing sobs into dainty little sniffles? Basically an Olympic level sport. You might be failing all your classes, but you get a gold medal for those tears.
6. OPA: Mini-date or self-hate? I guess we’ll never know
The far-back corner seating at OPA is perfect for mini dates and your mid-finals week meltdown. Picture this: you’re tired, eating French fries as an emotional support meal—it’s all you can afford—and “sad-boi” music from Subway next door is flooding into the space, creating the perfect ambiance. You will have privacy, the vibes and most importantly, the napkins.
We hope these spaces bring some ease into your terrible lives during finals. If you think they don’t, then let me reintroduce denial—a river in Egypt.
This article is part of our humour section.