Every DePaul student knows what the actual struggle bus will be in the finals days before spring break: finding a place to actually study for finals that isn’t overrun by out-of-towners done with finals waiting for their flight or by students who are taking life way too seriously, way too late. While everyone flocks to the library, stay smart and find peace of mind in a less stressful study space.
5. Third Floor of the Student Center [open until 1 a.m.]
If you are looking to accomplish low intensive work, but are simply looking for a change of scenery, look no further than the top of StuCe. Students don’t tend to wander up there, because stairs are hard, and the employees that do work on the third floor keep to their own offices. These aren’t great study spaces in the way of supportive chairs or high table tops, but it is a quiet place to complete computer-based work. The most disruption you should come across will be the people who live on-campus getting finals care packages from their parents. Don’t worry, the mailroom staff goes home at 8, so you will have five hours of pure, comfy, uninterrupted studying bliss.
4. Starbucks [open until 11 p.m.]
I feel what you’re saying and I understand it on an emotional level. I cannot afford a 5 dollar latte every night from now until the end of finals, but hear me out. If you’re like me and you can’t study in complete silence, studying at Starbucks will become your jam. They have dainty elevator-esque music playing at all times, so it’s never distracting but never pull your hair our silent. You wil feel inclined to sit there until you finish your paper, after all, they totally include the cost of the atmosphere into your drink. Might as well take advantage of it. By the end of Spring Quarter, you’ll be a Gold Star member, I promise. The productivity of Starbucks (or David’s Tea if that’s more your scene) will ensure that you actually finish a rough draft, at least.
3. Arts and Letters [open until 10 p.m.]
Academic buildings should be obvious places to begin when looking for a place to study, but often they aren’t. Sure, many of them are not possible to study in because they are classic academic buildings that are hallways of classrooms, but Arts and Letters is different. It isn’t a picture out of a horror film, it’s beautiful with paintings on the walls and the stairs that everyone has instagrammed.
Moreover, it’s a welcoming place to be; Arts and Letters is equipped with the most sitting areas throughout any of the academic buildings on the Lincoln Park campus. If you’re going there to work with a group, you may want to stick to the lobby or the mini-lobbies on every floor right off the architectural stairs and the elevator banks so you have enough space and don’t disturb your fellow students. Remember, everyone is as tired and as stressed as you. Everyone could use a hug at this point in the quarter, honestly.
But, if you’re looking to study with you, yourself, and your thoughts, then there are many opportunities away you within the halls of Arts and Letters. You can cozy up with Kant or a lab report and kick these finals out of the park. I believe in you.
2. SAC Pit [open until 10 p.m.]
I, too, was first skeptical about studying somewhere that closed at 10. How could I get all of my homework done? By TEN O CLOCK? Forget grabbing a place to study at the library! Exactly. Forget grabbing someplace to study in the library – the library blows during finals week.
You will never be able to find absolute silence within the Richardson, even on the fourth floor. There, you wil still find people typing up papers, shuffling through textbooks, and there’s always that one guy who thinks it’s okay to skype into his group project from there. You’ll never find that in SAC. I’ve always found it to be pin-drop silent, but you do get that rush of activity while night classes are letting out and going between classes, so watch out for that.
SAC Pit has the Bean, which is open until 9, as well as enough tables, comfy chairs, and outlets, that I’ve never been one to complain. After all, if you look sad enough, maybe the fellow student baristas will take pity on you and make you a Big when you paid for a Small.
1. Brownstones [open until 1 a.m.]
Brownstones is often overlooked because it’s assumed to be hectic, but here is my best kept secret: after 2 p.m. the only people in there are printing things, caffiene junkies, and Chartwells workers.
Besides that, there is light background noise (you are, after all, in the Student Center) and passerby, but because Brownstones stops making anything besides drinks at 2, you will be hard-pressed to find a group of speak break bounders socializing as people are just getting their caffeine to go. While they rush back to their table they hope hasn’t been claimed at JTR, you can sit there. With ample outlets, little distraction, and an entire table just to yourself. You and your sleeping pattern can thank me later.