The Fireside Lounge may not be an ideal place to study, due in part to a mixture of characters who inhabit its vast spaces, filling it with an oft incomprehensible language influenced by Anime, fantasy card games and video games.
But if you are a fan of games such as “Magic: The Gathering,” or are into Anime or role-playing games revolving around swords and sorcery, then this is the place for you.
Perhaps you are already one of the semi-permanent fixtures putting down roots in the Fireside Lounge. You are one of the inner circle, a lounge lizard if you will, who spends whatever free time is available to you on campus camped out at Fireside.
The area, far enough away from any classrooms or offices, seems perfect for the types of socialization that the inhabitants engage in before, between, or even after classes at Bucks.
Jessica Jennings, 21, a resident of Bensalem, is a general science major with plans to transfer into the astronomy program at the University of Florida.
“The Lounge is just a perfect space to relax, to be social between classes,” she says, “and it’s also convenient since it’s too far to go back home between classes.”
While she doesn’t describe herself as the most avid “gamer,” Jennings says, “I’ll join in a group battle every once in a while, as long as it’s not super competitive.”
And like many of her friends, Jennings recalls growing up with video games, enjoying “The Legend of Zelda” among others. Her most updated console is the Wii system, which offers backward compatibility to many older Nintendo games, definitely a perk for the gamer that likes to get a little “retro” from time to time.
Jordan Lockaby, 21, of Pipersville, is a chemistry major who plans on attending Temple. He confirms what others say about the social aspects of the Fireside Lounge, and adds, “It has a certain reputation, that it’s not necessarily an appropriate place to study or do school work.”
When asked if they ever did academic work in the Lounge, the larger consensus from the group was “rarely” or “almost never.”
Instead, head-to-head or group battles of “Magic: The Gathering” occur with regularity, and gamers voluntarily bring in their PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 systems to play their favorite games on the big-screen TV.
Other die-hard gamers are rarely seen without their laptops, on which gaming is also popular, and even more importantly, portable.
So, if you happen to stumble upon the fabled Fireside Lounge, either much enjoyed or much maligned, do not be scared off by the discord of battle epithets, unusual jargon, or someone decrying the validity of Yu Yu Hakusho as the best anime series ever.
Instead, pull up a chair, take the time to pick up the lingo, and who knows? Perhaps you will be welcomed into the fold of sci-fi and fantasy gamers – as a “newbie,” of course. Look into the swirling vortex, and become a lounge lizard.