It’s a little past midnight. The sound of the cue ball breaking the perfectly racked triangle on the pool table briefly distracts the three students from their laptop screens. The rhythmic bouncing of the pingpong balls is constant – even at this hour. A group of students enjoy their dining hall pizza, while complaining about the amount of work they need to complete over the weekend. A couple of students walk back to their dorms, glad the day is finally over. A typical midnight in the NYU Abu Dhabi Baraha.

In Arabic, Baraha means a place of rest. “When [indigenous desert travellers] travelled from one place to another, they would find an oasis to rest; they called this a Baraha,” said Sultan Almheiri, Class of 2021.

The Baraha, NYUAD’s student activity zone, is one of the most beloved areas on campus. The space features a wide array of recreational indoor activities that cater not just to students but faculty and their families, contract staff and almost every visitor on campus.

Situated in front of the student lab and the student activity rooms, and a floor below the library, it is frequently visited by students, who want to take a quick study break.

“Challenging a friend for a game of pingpong or air hockey is the best way to get motivation to go back to the library and work,” said Aman Pandey, Class of 2021.

With a bookshelf shaped as the Arabic word Egra’ or Igra’– translating literally to “Read”– the Baraha also has a corner, with couches almost forming a circle, encouraging students to hang out and read for leisure. Another feature of the Baraha is the chalkboard filled with random pictures, quotes and thoughts put up by community members.

The space also has a large number of study tables and chairs, making it the perfect place to work for students who are looking for a middle-ground between the deafening silence of the library and the loud music at the Marketplace. However, the blend of a working environment and a recreational area is not the only unique aspect of this space.The Baraha is the only place on campus where the sole divide is about what game you prefer to play or how good you are at it, regardless of your role on the NYUAD campus.

Many places on campus are dedicated to a particular group in the community — the swimming pool on the Highline and the Torch Club are only open to faculty and staff, contract staff have their respective break rooms and students have D1. These spaces establish boundaries within the community reinforcing our individual roles on campus. Most significantly, there is a certain divide in the Dining Hall (D2), where the contract staff have a separate Associates counter that is confined to a corner in the back of the hall. Although there might be logistical reasons for this divide, it adds to the division between contract staff and the rest of the community.

The Baraha presents a different situation altogether.

“I am still nostalgic for my Marhaba days when playing pingpong in the Baraha helped me overcome my homesickness while also allowing me to form special bonds with not just my fellow classmates but also different professors,” reminisced Pandey.

This activity area has indeed brought together the NYUAD community, from anxious candidates trying to make friends to the ever-enthusiastic professors’ kids. Seeing all the different types of members of the NYUAD community come together to share not just a comfortable space but also laughter and banter over sports and events is truly heartwarming.

“My best Baraha memory is when about 50 people erupted into joy and tears when Roger Federer defeated Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final last year. Watching iconic events such as the US election, India-Pakistan cricket games and Grand Slam finals is a lot more exciting in the Baraha as one gets to engage in banter with opposing fans!” said Madhav Juneja, Class of 2020.

But the uniqueness of the Baraha comes to life when the sound of pingpong balls is overtaken by Bollywood music from a contract staff’s phone. After a long day of work, the pool table serves as the best way to socialize before heading back home. The playful mocking among these men and the lighthearted banter has become a part of their everyday routine.

“After our duty ends at 12, we come to the Baraha to play mostly pool or pingpong while we wait for the bus. I usually try finishing my work as fast as possible so I can spend more time here,” said one staff member in Hindi.

The Baraha serves almost as a sanctuary to these men. They catch up with each other over a game of pingpong or pool, while also befriending students who visit the Baraha.

“I come here almost every night to meet my friends and have a good laugh. It is very refreshing,” said another staff member.

The Baraha provides a platform for sowing the seeds of friendship throughout the whole community, despite one’s position on campus. Amid the hierarchical structure present in most areas of campus, the absence of divisions in this space is what makes the Baraha so close to the hearts of many at NYUAD. However, is it right for the community to hide behind a shield of inclusivity that is dictated by which part of campus we are on?