Look Who We Spotted in the Library

Julia Cusack is a senior from Warwick, Rhode Island majoring in Anthropology and Art History.

Why do you come to the library, Julia? I need a quiet space to study. The library has a nice ambiance, and it motivates me to be around other students who are studying.

Do you have your own secret spot in the library? Yes, I have a favorite cubby on the third floor next to the bathroom that I’m quite territorial about.

Do you typically study alone or in a group? It varies, depending on the subject. I usually study alone, but recently used one of the booths downstairs to meet with a math study group. That worked out really well, the booths offer a surprising bit of privacy.

Absolute best thing about the library? I love that the library is always warm. I’m a lizard person, so that’s important to me!

Do you think that the services offered by the library have helped you in your coursework? Yes, the librarians have been very helpful to me, especially when I’ve needed to locate hardcopy sources.

Do you read for pleasure? Yes, I’m a bibliophile. I read Geek Love by Katherine Dunn recently and thought it was very engaging.

What book has influenced you most? The book that taught me the most is Eragon by Christopher Paolini. It taught me that moving on doesn’t mean leaving things behind. You take your past forward with you, and there’s no such thing as goodbye forever.

Who are your heroes? Jane Goodall and Jeff Corwin. In fact, I met Jeff at PPAC when I was younger, and told him that when I grew up I wanted to be just like him.

Have you ever performed a heroic act? I like to think that you can save people in tiny ways. Just letting someone know that you care and that you are there for them could save a life. That’s heroic.

What challenges have you overcome? I had to relearn how to be a student after a traumatic brain injury that affected my memory and my ability to learn. I worked hard to learn strategies to cope with that. I’m a firm believer in “color coding for the win.”

What are your secret survival strategies? I try not to procrastinate. It may feel good for a moment, but it’s a temporary solution. I divvy up my time and try stick to a schedule.

What’s your dream job, Julia? I want to work in a museum. In fact, I want to be a museum’s resident basement goblin—the person in charge of the archives.

What do you wish your professors knew about you? I wish my professors knew that I’m a lot more attentive than they think. I absolutely love to hear my professors talk passionately about their subjects.

Do you have a hidden talent? I’m ambidextrous, and I’m good at stand-up comedy.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I see myself working at the Mutter Museum in Philadelphia. In fact, the medical kit that belonged to my great-great-grandfather, Dr. Benjamin Rush, is part of their collection and I’ve always wanted to see his kit in person.

What contribution would you like to make to the world, Julia? I want to erase the stigma around mental illness. You can see a broken bone, you can often tell when someone has cancer, but it’s hard to quantify how someone is feeling inside. If we could talk about depression and mental illness more openly, we could save lives.