By Gary N. Hermann

After many UK students have returned to their dorms for the night, several students are just getting started with activities.

These “night owls” can be partiers, procrastinators or overachievers and can be found studying in the library, playing sports on Stoll Field, working on projects at the College of Design and even in your own lobby.

Night owls often flock to the William T. Young Library. Many students are at the library after midnight because they have an exam the next day.

Biology sophomore Annie Tiu, like several other students in the library that night, was studying for an organic chemistry test and bio systems engineering freshman Dylan Heath had a calculus test.

Tiu enjoys going to the library late at night.

“It’s nice because my roommate doesn’t do as much on the same schedule as I do,” Tiu said.

Safety has been an elevated concern on campus this year, but “I’m not too concerned,” Heath said. “I will walk her to her car. It’s chivalry.”

Kinesiology junior Jimmie Jones sees the return of many night owls when he works the night desk at Holmes Hall. Jones said he is largely unfazed by many of the strange occurrences in the lobby after midnight. In fact, he uses his time at the desk to catch up on Desperate Housewives and Glee.

Jones cited several instances of students going to the desk after having been locked out of their rooms in towels that were too small.

Some students use the night desk workers as oracles of vital information.

“I have people who come down in the middle of the night and ask random questions like ‘what time does Tolly-Ho close?’ Everyone knows Tolly-Ho stays open 24 hours,” Jones said. “They were second year students.”

Some of UK’s night owls can be found in room 106 of the College of Design building.  These second year architecture students refer to themselves as “O’Bryan’s Army” (a reference to their architecture studio professor ), enjoy blasting music and have a 2 a.m. minimum for leaving the studio.

“It’s a love-hate relationship,” architecture sophomore Eric Burnside said. “We’ll complain about it, but we love what we do.”

The architecture students have their own keys giving them 24-hour access to the building, and they frequently use the privilege.

Architecture sophomore Shannon Ruhl noted the value of 24-hour access from the previous week.

“I was here until 8, then I had a 9 o’clock class,” architecture sophomore Shannon Ruhl said. “I was really cranky that day.”

Some of the UK night owls often ignore or even forget the very concept of time.

“At least two nights a week, we are all here,” said architecture sophomore Sam Forman. “There’s a couple hours where you just get in the zone.”

Look for these night owls to be starting their activities as soon as your ready for bed.