It’s easy to find yourself cocooning either inside your dorm room or the fourth floor of Snell come exam season. But if you’re willing to look for new environments to study in or just need a quiet place, try checking these places out!
- Law Library
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The law library inside Knowles Hall is a hidden gem. I honestly don’t think enough people use it to their advantage (but then again, I guess if more people did, it wouldn’t be as much of a gem). If you’re worried that you’re not a law student, fret not, because no one bothers you at all.
The library consists of two floors with very nice seating—I mean the comfy seats in Curry but for almost every chair. There are also outlets that work; I know, I never could say the same for the ones in Snell. Most of the time there are not too many people so it’s nice for a quiet space with just a little noise (think a mix between the third and fourth floors of Snell). I’ve done most of my non-stop studying here because it’s just so great.
- ISEC
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If you’re willing to make the trek to ISEC, then definitely do so. ISEC is such a great place to work because the views, both exterior, and interior, are stunning. I tend to find myself on one of the chairs by the windows on the fourth and fifth floors either facing or inside. Something that’s also neat is the in-house cafe on the first floor so you don’t have to leave the building for a quick bite. I extremely recommend going to ISEC on rainy days and studying at any one of the floors, or even empty classrooms.
- Koi Pond
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If the weather’s nice, you can almost always find me in a lawn chair by the koi pond next to AfterHours. The area is mostly shaded by the looming trees so you don’t have to worry about the glare from the sun whilst reading on paper or on your laptop. Plus, this outside side of Curry is generally a lot less crowded during the passing period than the other so it’s never too loud. And, of course, the views of the koi pond and the peaceful fish are enough to just relax right there. If the chairs by the koi pond are all taken up, the bench terrace above the stairs outside of the Thrive office is great too.
- West Village H
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Other than being the home for CS majors, West Village H is an amazing place to study. On days when there isn’t an upcoming exam, the classrooms are generally empty and most areas have outlets free to use (because, again, CS). In addition to there being several free spaces, the views are gorgeous as well. Take a look down Huntington Avenue if you’re on any of the higher floors and you’ll see what I mean. I’ve also heard that if you don’t have any printing dollars, the computer labs let you print for free—so long as you bring a CS major to check you in.
- Dining Halls
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I remember the first month of school, my friend and I would meet at the dining hall at 10:30 AM to start working on homework and we’d leave at 3 PM. This also meant we ate breakfast and lunch at the dining hall. This is great if you’re trying to stretch your meal swipes, especially if you’re like us and went to IV each time. Besides this, the dining hall is just nice to get work done since you’re energizing your brain at the same time. I recommend either the window seats by IV, the tables next to the Xhibition kitchen in Stwest, or the booths in the very back of Steast.
- Dorm Basement
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My dorm (Smith Hall) honestly doesn’t have the best-looking basement, but I still find myself going down there to do work, especially if it’s with other people who live there too. The basement of your dorm is a great place for two reasons 1) if it’s midday, most people won’t be down there so you can get a lot of work done and 2) it’s a way to meet or reconnect with people in your dorm. I’ve also been in the Kennedy Hall basement a couple of times and it’s very aesthetically pleasing so please take advantage of that if you live in Kennedy (and don’t get me started on East Village).