During Dead Week and Finals Week, some students feel like they spend so much time at the library, they might as well just stay there.

So, that’s exactly what two ISU students decided to do this week.

While just a joke at first, Ali Elsadig and DeVaughn Jones decided to go through with “setting up shop” at Parks Library during Dead Week after a policy change that would allow the library to remain open 24/7 for two weeks, starting Sunday and going through Finals Week.

Elsadig, senior in microbiology, and Jones, sophomore in biochemistry, were sitting around one day earlier this semester trying to think of something that they could do.

After observing the popularity of the “Damn, Daniel!” meme, Elsadig and Jones were asking themselves how someone or something like that could blow up or go viral.

“We [were] just spit ballin’ ideas and what not — and this man [Ali] said, ‘hey, what if I bring my TV to the library?’ and I was like, ‘bro, that sounds like a good idea,'” Jones said. 

Elsadig and Jones set up their tent Sunday night, along with their TV and Play Station 4. The location they picked, which is on the third floor near the stairs, was mainly based on the view it provided.

“It just so happened these chairs were right here,” Jones said. “Things worked out pretty cool. We had to take a few things from different parts of the library, but we got it done.”

Hesitant to set up at first, Jones and Elsadig were nervous after a library employee had been snooping around their stuff. Following that encounter, Jones said he saw three police officers walking into the library and he could feel his heart racing.

The officers weren’t there for Jones and Elsadig and their TV and tent, however, so the two students went on with their business.

A little while after, Beth McNeil, dean of the library, walked over to Jones and Elsadig and asked what their plan was.

“We just stood there silent, just like, ‘man, I know she did not allow us to set this up just to tell us to take it down,'” Jones said. “So we started talking to her and it turns out she was actually cool with it. She was on board, she thought it was funny.”

As for how long they are staying, Jones said they plan on staying the entire week. They even hope to spruce up the area a little bit more.

In regard to going to class and other activities, Jones said they are looking for more people to help them out — but are not trying to start a tent trend in the library.

Overall, Jones and Elsadig are just trying to put smiles on people’s faces as they all survive Dead Week.

“Some jokes here, some laughs there. Frowns here and there. Just, it’s real cool to watch all the reactions of people as they go by,” Jones said. 

“Just trying to keep people alive and keep people happy,” Jones said. “Don’t be frownin’, don’t be mad during Finals Week, you know?”