With Finals week quickly approaching, you may be starting to panic about how you are going to get all your studying done. And on top of that, you also have to worry about WHERE THE HECK AM I GOING TO STUDY????!!?!?! WHY ARE THERE SO MANY PEOPLE IN THE LIBRARY??? DO YOU EVEN GO HERE???!!!! Well have no fear, your neighborhood Charleston 40 Tour Guide is here to help! Thanks to the College of Charleston Cougar Countdown Webpage, I have compiled a comprehensive list of on and off campus places (other than the Library) that you can get your study on in these next few weeks!
On-Campus
Because it really is the most convenient.
1) Rivers Green. Located right behind the library, you are close to Starbucks, there is pretty of room to spread out, and if you’re lucky, you might also get a chance to work on your tan while you work! If you get distracted easily though, this might not be the study spot for you, as your friends are likely to walk up and talk when they see you outside.
Noise Level – Medium
Use – High
Wifi -Yes
2) Stern Center Gardens. A surprisingly peaceful location in our urban campus. This study spot is right behind the Stern student center. Again, close to food in the Stern Food Court if you need some brain food. Another outside location, but a much lower traffic flow.
Noise Level – Low
Use – Low
Wifi – Yes
3) Center for Student Learning. Hear me out, even though this is in the library, and I promised you study spots other than the library, I felt this was important to include. You might not know that during finals, the CSL is open study space during all hours except during a few hours a day when they do tutoring. Those hours vary, but they are always posted outside the door to the CSL! So as long as there isn’t tutoring going on, all of the rooms back there are free reign!
Noise Level – Medium
Use – Very High (during tutoring) Medium (during open hours)
Wifi – Yes
4) Multicultural Student Programs and Services Center. I bet this one is brand new to you. This is a hidden gem on the CofC campus. Located right next to the Library on Calhoun and Pitt, this center houses the Study Center for International Education, as well as some awesome study spaces! There is a computer room, library, and study room all in the MSPS!
Noise Level – Medium
Use – Medium
Wifi – Yes
5) Lightsey Center 2nd Floor. Located on Calhoun right across from College Lodge, the 2nd Floor of the Lightsey Center is where the Advising and Registrar offices are. There, you will find places to study, as well as a few computers up for grabs!
Noise Level – Low
Use – Low
Wifi – Yes
6) Freshman Commuter Collegium. Located on the first Floor of McAlister Residence Hall, the FCC is home base for all the freshman commuters out there! If you are a freshman who lives off campus, the FCC is open to you to come in and study, or take a load off between classes.
Noise Level – Medium
Use – Medium
Wifi – Yes
7) School of Science and Math Building. The SSMB is located right across Calhoun from the Library. This is a great facility to study, many people don’t know that it’s open to students of all majors, and there are various study nooks all throughout the building. This building also has an even lesser known about courtyard right out back that is perfect for a mid study session relaxation.
Noise Level – Medium
Use – Medium
Wifi – Yes
Off Campus
Of course there are always some places right around the College that are off campus that are great places to study.
1) Calhoun Street Starbucks. An all outdoor study space, this is obviously a great choice if you need to get your caffeine fix. This location is right next to the Calhoun Street Annex and it has tables for you to sit outside.
Noise Level – High
Use – High
Wifi – Yes
2) The Francis Marion. The Francis Marion Hotel not only has another Starbucks you can visit, but it also has a great lobby that you can sit in and get some reading done. This is the perfect place to go if you just need to get off campus for a little bit. Not an ideal location for a group, the hotel obviously has the right to ask you to leave if you are disrupting the guests with your crazy studying.
Noise Level – Medium
Use – Medium
Wifi – Yes
3) Kudu. If Starbucks is a little too mainstream for your hipster side, you can always hit up Kudu for your finals coffee fix. Located on Vanderhorst Street right next to Kelly House, there is often music playing in the courtyard.
Noise Level – High
Use – High
Wifi – Yes
4) Waterfront Park. Take a walk down to the water and grab a cute little swing or a bench and do your studying while taking in the breeze off the coast. Nothing akes studying bearable like a classic Charleston sight.
Noise Level – Low
Use – Low
Wifi – No