The Big Picture: Pod People

Studying for finals in the Sidney Lu Mechanical Engineering Building. (Image by Michelle Hassel)

Studious students can escape the everyday hustle and bustle in these futuristic-looking pods, located on the third floor of the Sidney Lu Mechanical Engineering Building. The touch of a button opens the study sphere, which comes with a wake-up alarm for those who launch themselves into deep sleep. Fanatics have dubbed them “nap pods,” and say they’re ideal alternatives to a roommate’s snoring or a noisy night in the dorm. The pods landed in 2021 when the building underwent a $41 million renovation, funded in part by a $21.5 gift from Sidney Lu, ’81 ENG, ’81 LAS.