It’s midterm season, which means many of us are staying up late almost every night studying for our upcoming exams. As someone who gets distracted easily, the place in which I study is pertinent to my success on exams, but I often get tired of studying in the same place over and over again. If you are anything like me, it is important to find several good study spaces on campus that will help you to ace your exams. Here is a list, in no particular order, of what I feel are the best places to study on campus at Notre Dame.
1. Hesburgh Library
This one seems a little bit obvious, but it is still important to mention. One great thing about the library is you can decide on the level of background noise that you are comfortable with. The first floor is the loudest, but as you go up it gets quieter and quieter. My personal favorite is the second floor because I don’t feel isolated, but if I need to disconnect, I can’t hear the noise through my headphones. The library is a great place to go if you want to sit down and decide that you are going to study for hours and hours continuously — and if you get hungry, ABP is right downstairs.
2. Outside (If it’s not snowing lol)
During the three months of the year where the weather is right for it, I love to study outside. Something about soaking up vitamin D in a beautiful setting really motivates me to study. Grab a blanket, lay it out in your favorite area outside, play some music, and study away. Briefly you will feel like all those kids in movies about college who always study outside. I don’t suggest doing this in the winter because, well, it just sounds awful and it’s probably not good for your health.
3. Duncan Student Center
Okay, so I cannot rave about Duncan enough. Some students may find it overrated but I think it lives up to the hype. Every time I walk into Duncan, I feel like I discover a new place to study. Every floor has unique spaces and no shortage of comfy chairs so you can always find a spot that works for you. If you want to be the envy of all of your friends, you can even reserve private study spaces throughout Duncan so you can study in a great space with no distractions.
4. Law School Library
Live out your own Elle Woods fantasy and study in the Law Library. Technically, it is not open to undergrads but if you walk in confidently and aren’t disruptive, no one will notice that you are studying something besides law. It is quiet, beautiful, and comfortable. After an afternoon of studying there, your exams will have you saying, “What? Like it’s hard?”
5. Your dorm
Nothing beats the comfort of your dorm. Grab your notebook or textbook and curl up with it in your bed like it’s your favorite novel. When you finally finish studying, you are already in the perfect place to take a rewarding and much needed nap. If you know that you won’t be productive in your room, try moving to your section lounge, a study room, or your dorm’s 24-hour space.
Good Luck and Happy Studying!!!
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