Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE a good Stauffer study sesh as much as the next person. But it’s mid-term season, soon it will be exam season, and you will be fed up with doing laps around Stauffer’s six floors… just to sit down and discover the outlet doesn’t work. Even though Stauff is the go-to study spot for the overwhelming majority Queen’s students, it can be oversaturated. There are so many other places as worthy as the classic library. Though I am hesitant to share some of my favourite places with everyone, I’ve never been a fan of gatekeeping. So here are some of my fave study spots!
1. Douglas Library
Recently I’ve become a much bigger fan of Douglas, which is something first-year me would’ve NEVER said, so you know I’m serious. While yes, the all-famous Harry Potter reading room is finally open, I personally prefer the top floor room of Douglas that lives without a cool name (at least not one I know of). Personally, I went to the Harry Potter room and OMG—I don’t think I have been in a hotter, dryer room in my life. Yes, it’s absolutely stunning and the vibes are vividly felt, but the heat simply is not worth it. In contrast, the top floor room in Douglas is always kind to me when I need somewhere accessible and quiet to study.
2. Bracken Health Sci Library
If you’re living in Wally, Bracken is a lifesaver! Located right outside your building and usually not too busy, it’s the perfect place for a good study sesh! One of my absolute favourite parts about Bracken has to be its massive study rooms. Most of them seat up to 16 people, which is incredible for group study sessions with your besties.
3. Cogro
Now hear me out. I know I said I would share places less busy than Stauffer, but I love studying at Common Ground so much, I couldn’t help but add it to the list! If you find yourself needing to wake up super early to grind a ton of work, or find that you like working with some background noise, then CoGro is the perfect spot for you!! Treat yourself to a coffee, a bagel, and get to work! Pro tip: if the main floor is busy, head upstairs to find more seating and less noise.
4. Empty Lecture Halls
Hey, if there’s no class going on, lecture halls are a free-for-all! Grab a group of friends from a class of your choice and use the chalkboard to teach each other the material. Alternatively, if you don’t mind studying with noise, go with a friend to one of their lectures. Seeing everyone around you work hard will motivate you to get your own work done!
5. Jeffrey Hall
No no no no no. NOT THE SECOND FLOOR BASEMENT!!! I heard there were seats there, went down to study once, and came up traumatized. It just looks out into this courtyard (?) if you can call it that, and there were spiders ALL OVER THE WINDOW (on the outside though, so don’t worry too much!). However, it is a quiet floor, so if you value that then go ahead! Personally, my favourite part of Jeffrey is the first floor. There you will find nice big comfy chairs and round tables in what’s usually a completely empty room! While there are only two tables, I’ve never had an issue finding a place to sit. It’s also so quiet you can hear a pin drop… making it a great spot to focus on your studying.
So there you have it—my favourite study spots on campus besides Stauffer! My final suggestion would be that if you need a study room in one of the libraries, book it early! Those hot commodities fill up quick. Good luck with your midterms, and try out some of these spots when you need a change in scenery (just please don’t take all the seats from me, thanks)!