Fridays are an especially busy day for the BA Criminology and BA Criminology with Psychology students and staff: for some there are 6hours of classes today, finishing their Friday at 6pm! What a way to finish off the ‘working’ week: packed full of interesting discussions and learning. However, the vibe on the roads in via the morning commute and the silence rolling through the Library at 10am would suggest not everyone shares in a full-on Friday experience!

Friday evenings would mark the end of a long week for many, and the, hopefully, exciting possibilities the weekend might hold. But as I travelled into Northampton, on my usually very early and busy commute, I couldn’t help but notice the lighter quieter roads. It makes a nice change up- can leave a little later than usual and do not have to comprehend with the stresses of the morning rush hour: but why? Why have Fridays become quiet?

As many staff and students will know: car parking can be a smidge of a challenge when arriving for 9ams: but not on a Friday. Usually, to beat the rush, it is ideal to arrive at campus before 0830:  but not on a Friday. 0845 and there remain many car parking spaces- again excellent to set up for a long day of studying but why the sudden quietness on a Friday? Is this a symptom of a wider issue?

There is a peaceful sense around campus today- despite the busy day for some courses. It feels very much like the week is over: should this be so overtly felt at 9am instead of 6pm? I have asked friends not in academia, and this Friday quietness appears to be across industries. Friday appears to be a favourite day to work from home: a gentle ease into the weekend. But should we be easing into the weekend or ending the ‘working’ week a little frazzled and desperate for the weekend ahead? Does it really matter? The grey weather we’ve been blessed with today I am sure does not help, and it is a nice change up from the mid-week hustle and bustle which exists on campus. But why have Fridays crept into this sort of ‘start of the weekend’ status? The Friday evening I can see being that representation: but the Friday morning? Maybe it’s a one-off and next week the roads and campus will be buzzing and hopefully the sun will be shining. But for today, the last Friday in February: its very much a gentle atmosphere on campus.