Lucub

Lucub is the period after the evening Messal when participants “burn the midnight oil,” organizing themselves into ad hoc working groups or pursuing solo work. During the current Convox, speakers describe it as the time to make real progress outside the constraints of scheduled sessions.

Context and practice

• Place in the day: Accounts lay out a rhythm of morning work in Laboratorium, informal mixing in Periklyne before Messal, then Lucub afterward for follow‑through and initiative.
• Self‑organization: Attendees choose their own collaborators and topics; people speak of finding “the right Lucub,” implying multiple concurrent groups.
• Solo work: Individuals also use Lucub for personal study or analysis; some speak of “my Lucub” after a night spent re‑reading difficult material or drafting a calca.
• Named conveners: Groups are often identified by a convener or focus (e.g., “Jesry’s Lucub,” “Ala’s Lucub”), and can be used to hold follow‑ups with designated leaders who want to take discussions deeper.
• Duration: Sessions commonly run late into the night and may continue until dawn.
• Group sense: The word can also mean the assembled group; one might step out of earshot of the rest of the Lucub for sensitive sidebar conversations.
• Networks and cells: Some Lucubs coordinate as a loose network of cells, sharing information and passing messages discreetly across maths and roles.
• Venues: Groups gather wherever space can be found—chalk halls, cloisters, or lawns—rather than in assigned rooms.
• Communication: Scheduling and cancellations can be announced informally by jeejah messages or coded bell‑ringing, and word spreads quickly around the Precipice and nearby halls.
• Discretion: It is in the nature of Lucub work that results are not talked about as readily as those from Laboratorium, making it a quieter channel for developing ideas and comparing notes.
• Load balancing: When daytime is consumed by gatherings such as Inbrase or a Convox‑wide Plenary, participants expect heavier Lucub to catch up on work.
• Flexibility under pressure: Lucub may be curtailed or put on hold when extraordinary situations demand attention elsewhere; when circumstances allow, participants still refer to having “a Lucub” after a night’s work.

Relationships and roles

• Complements formal structures like Laboratorium and evening Messal discussions by providing an open slot for initiative.
• Serves as a venue where leads and preliminary results can be pursued before they are ready for broader circulation.
• Provides a channel for initiative on technical, practical, and at times sensitive questions that participants prefer to explore in smaller circles.

Current status

Temporarily suspended during a Convox‑wide shift to concentrated analytical work; only Laboratorium and Messal continued, with cancellations broadcast via jeejah and bell codes. Outside such pauses, Lucub remains the primary avenue for self‑directed work after Messal, whether in groups or as solo sessions.