It’s a Saturday at 1pm (basically morning, right?) and you’ve finally mustered up the energy to start homework (because we can’t use football season as an excuse anymore). You sit at your dorm desk, pull out a textbook, and realize that all the clothes behind you are just calling your name for a fashion show–which sparks an online shopping spree. An hour later, no homework has been completed, but your Forever 21 cart is outstanding.
Hopefully, I’m not the only one who has experienced this dilemma multiple times since coming to Notre Dame. If this applies to you as well, I’ve thought of some underrated campus study spots that could help do the trick. After all, it doesn’t hurt to get out of the dorm study rooms and take in the sights of our beautiful campus!
1. Bond Hall Library
Bond’s cozy, movie-scene vibes just can’t be matched by Hesburgh’s reading room. While on the quieter side, Bond’s architecture will place you right in the middle of a Harry Potter film. Also, Café Poché offers perfect, off-the-grid study snacks! Beyond all this, Bond is the perfect starting place for taking a spontaneous trip to the Grotto when work becomes too much.
2. LaFun Basement
Get there early enough to snag a booth & you’re set for the day! Disclaimer: this isn’t the place for you if you need lots of light to study. On the plus side, you can always take a quick break and escape to the first floor civilization/madness, where you’re bound to run into a friend or two.
3. CoMo Lounge
Few things beat sitting next to the fireplace during permacloud season. CoMo is a perfect alternative for South Quad (aka Best Quad) residents that just can’t make it to Hesburgh in -40 temps. Fun Fact: CoMo’s current location used to be the Notre Dame bookstore!
4. NDH Booths
Really anywhere with a booth is an automatic win, but at NDH you can get three meals for one swipe! This is particularly important during finals, when ABP has unfortunately drained the last of your flex points. I’ve found that the back of NDH is a perfect balance of white noise without the distracting chatter during Fish Bowl peak times. NDH’s large windows are also the perfect way to watch the snowflakes fall on a wintery day.
I’m sure that at the end of my four years here, I still will have missed out on some of the best study spots around campus. However, these locations are definitely a start in curing my online shopping addiction and getting me to enjoy the beautiful South Quad sunsets after a day of homework. No matter what cozy study spot I end up at, views like this will always make my day complete.
Photo 1
Photo 2 provided by author
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