With midterms in full swing, Northwestern students across campus are finding themselves studying around the clock. For those moments when you don’t want to (or, let’s be honest, can’t) study in your room, the hunt for a decent off-campus study spot begins. Just south of campus, downtown Evanston offers up a great selection of places to study, all equipped with Wi-Fi, caffeinated drinks, and great music:
Starbucks
Studying at Starbucks is a convenient and classic choice. Starbucks offers up some of your favorite familiar drinks, ranging from iced teas to their classic roast, so you can fulfill you caffeine fix. Starbucks has free Wi-Fi, and there is no password, so you don’t have to feel pressured to buy something right away before getting to work. The general atmosphere of Starbucks is fairly calm, with not much extra noise other than baristas taking orders and music playing in the background. The music at Starbucks is conducive to studying, featuring relaxed but catchy tunes by bands like Fleet Foxes. The seating at Starbucks is comfortable and in a great location, right next to their front window, but fairly sparse. If you come here counting on finding a table to work at, you may be disappointed.
Unicorn Cafe
Unicorn Cafe is a unique option, right across the street from Starbucks. The Cafe offers a wide array of food and drink – I would recommend getting your caffeine fix here from one of their mochas. Hot food is served here, which makes studying at Unicorn a great option for those colder winter months. While Unicorn can get crowded during their busier hours, the Cafe optimizes their space and has several sets of tables and chairs and a bar to sit at by the window. Unicorn is unique in the fact that they have outdoor seating during the warmer months, so you can get some fresh air as you trudge through that essay. Unicorn has Wi-Fi and plays good music at a decent volume, making it an optimal study spot.
Pret A Manger
London-based food company, Pret A Manger, is a fairly new addition to the downtown Evanston study scene. Pret opened last year across the street from Panera Bread, and has had a steady stream of business from Northwestern students since. Pret has great coffee, but the selection is fairly sparse and the prices are a bit high for what you get. As far as food in concerned, Pret makes their food fresh daily and offers up a wide array of healthy sandwiches (cold and hot), soups, parfaits, and salads. The food at Pret tastes great and is good for you, definitely giving you the energy boost your body needs during midterms season. The service at Pret is remarkably friendly and filled with integrity; because the food at Pret is made fresh daily, any food leftover at the end of the day is donated to charity. The atmosphere at Pret is great, featuring wide windows that wrap around the entire place and a great selection of popular music. Pret has an impressive selection of seating, optimizing their space to make sure that you’ll have somewhere to study. Pret has Wi-Fi access, but the password is printed on your receipt, which means that you have to make a purchase before getting to work on your computer.
Kafein
Kafein has become a favorite late-night study spot for Northwestern students. Open past midnight, Kafein is often filled with a healthy mix of students studying and socializing. Kafein has a huge menu – featuring drinks ranging from shakes to teas to lattes to mochas and everything in between. The servings here are generous and a great value. Kafein offers a range of sandwiches and snacks, but their menu – and name – makes it clear that their specialty is drinks. The atmosphere at Kafein changes throughout the day, as the demographic inside the Evanston hot-spot plays a big role on the establishment’s vibe. Kafein plays a wide selection of alternative and indie music, but at a very high volume – so if you’re planning on doing any heavy reading, be ready to tune out or bring a pair of headphones. Kafein has a decent amount of places to sit, but if you decide to come in at a particularly social hour, you might just find yourself grabbing a mocha to go. Kafein has free Wi-Fi, and has the password posted at every table, giving you the chance to get started on your work before your waiter comes by to take your order.
Barnes & Noble
Barnes and Noble is a favorite off-campus study spot for many Northwestern students. B&N features seating at their in-house Café and on the second floor where there are several large tables and chairs tucked behind a few rows of bookshelves, along their prominent second story windows. The Café at B&N serves Starbucks coffee, so you can get any of your favorite Starbucks drinks here as well. Wi-Fi here is free, and you do not need to make a purchase to access it. If you want to sit at any one of the tables in the B&N Café section, however, management asks that you make a purchase from the Café before doing so. B&N has a familiar atmosphere for most, as the company strives for consistency across all of its many locations, and provides great lighting for studying and a range of popular and lesser-known music played at a volume conducive to managing your midterm madness.
Panera Bread
Panera Bread is the most spacious of the downtown Evanston study spots. Offering up a wide array of drinks (both caffeinated and non-caffeinated), pastries, sandwiches, salads, and soups, Panera doesn’t disappoint the hungry student. Panera has excellent seating, featuring booths, tables, barstools, and a small conference room that is often open for use. Panera has free Wi-Fi and there is no pressure to make a purchase to study here. The lighting and décor here is warm and inviting, making work feel like (slightly) less of a chore. Panera, like Barnes & Noble, is a familiar chain for many students, and aims for consistency and comfort for their patrons. Panera plays popular music at a reasonable volume, making focusing here a struggle-free experience.