Midterms just ended, and that means we can all breathe a collective sigh of relief. It was a tough week for others and me, especially with the 3 midterms I had to take. A good amount of studying went into each one to ensure a good grade. Because I was doing all of this studying, I had to get creative with where I would go to study. I can quickly get burned out if I’m stuck in the same spot, so I try to find new environments to study in to keep it fresh. Here are my top 5 study spots on campus besides my living room couch (not having to leave the house beats out any of these):
5. Kanbar
It’s basic, but it gets the job done. There are plenty of seats and enough places within the building to switch up the environment. The area with rocking chairs overlooking the Ram statue has a beautiful view during the fall and winter seasons. It is very noisy though, so that’s why it earns the bottom spot on my list. It can be hard to focus when people are playing games and talking with their friends.
4. Gutman/Ravenhill Quad
During the warmer seasons, I love to sit in the blue lawn chairs outside on both the Main and Ravenhill campuses. The sun and breeze can make a perfect vibe for studying or doing schoolwork. It’s very comfy, especially if you bring a soft blanket. Beware if you’re studying with paper though, it tends to blow away, and you don’t want to chase papers across the lawn while everyone watches.
3. Library
It’s another basic spot, but there are plenty of seats and it’s quiet. The first floor can get a little noisy on days before big exams but the upstairs floor has a strictly enforced quiet rule. Also, the library has tons of free resources such as whiteboards, anatomy models, and tons of educational books. It’s also helpful that they have printers on each floor to make them easily accessible. The only reason this one isn’t higher on my list is because it is number one on a lot of people’s lists, and I tend to like to avoid people when studying.
2. Second Floor of DEC
I’ve never had a class up there, but I have studied in a few of the rooms on multiple occasions. The floor-to-ceiling whiteboards are perfect for large study groups and brain dumps. My favorite thing to do is write everything I know about the topic on a whiteboard, so it’s like my own paradise up there. You do have to work around class schedules because it’s an instruction space, but not many people go up there besides for class.
1. Third Floor of Ronson (Main Campus)
This is my favorite spot because the chairs at the end of the hall overlook Henry Avenue and Schoolhouse Lane, and it’s rarely visited by other people. I love being able to people-watch while I do my work and look at the fall scenery. There are no whiteboards in the hallway, but the secrecy of the spot is what wins me over. Not many people are willing to walk up three flights of stairs to study when there are chairs on the main floor. There are also a variety of chairs to choose from and they’re all comfy and clean. I have definitely knocked out my fair share of reports and lab write-ups here because of the blissful silence.