I’m aware this might be a hot take. People are territorial over their study spots and don’t like it when you try and tell them yours is better. A lot of people like the library, and don’t get me wrong I like the library too. However, I’m a big believer in having multiple places to do work. I have different study destinations for different occasions. I base my spot around the kind of work I’m trying to get done, as well as the time of day. The biggest thing, though, is I always avoid doing work in my dorm. Your dorm is a place to rest and recharge and so I try not to bring too much stress and anxiety into it. Anyways, here’s my list:
1. Hogan Campus center
Of course, Hogan is going to be on this list. Before I ever came to college I was always doing work at coffee shops and this really hasn’t changed. I love the business, the noise, the people both doing work and having conversations, the people coming and going, even the literal smell of coffee. In the morning and late in the afternoon this is my favorite place to do work.
2. Smith Labs
You might have expected me to say the Smith library, however, that’s still a library and as we have established the library will not be making the list. I’m talking about the tables and counter next to science cafe or “Dags.” Here, we have the same idea as Hogan. A busy atmosphere with a mixture of people doing work and not doing work.
3. Outside
I know we go to school in Massachusetts, not to mention atop Mt. Saint James. However, we have our warm months and during these months I like to do work outside. Although, some spots are better than others. I recommend the patch of grass in between Hanselman and the Chapel or in between Stein and Smith. Doing work outside is best for assignments like readings and problem sets. If you have a paper to write, outside is definitely not the place to do it. Not to mention the wifi outside, around campus can be spotty.
4. Your dorm common room
The common room of your dorm, you might have overlooked this. Maybe you thought the basement of your dorm building was strictly for laundry. Think again. Depending on where you’re living, there might even be two or three common rooms, so if you want to spread out and have some silence you can. I like this one because you quite honestly never know who else will be down there doing work and there’s something about the eeriness that lends itself to getting work done.