With Spring Break only a week away, it’s time for buying adorable bikinis for hitting the beach, picking out sunglasses for those poolside selfies, and finalizing itineraries for those epic vacays. The week before Spring Break should be full of excitement and anticipation. Unfortunately, for the majority of college students, it also means midterms.
While the library is a fool-proof study spot, the “study corrals” in the lower levels always smell like sweat, are freezing, and have zero windows. While that environment may be effective for some, there are a ton of other great, comfier places to study around campus.
1. The Horseshoe
https://www.sc.edu/visit/campus_photo_gallery/
Why study in your dorm or locked in a tiny room when you can go over notes in the most insta-grammable spot on campus? Being outdoors and having fresh air around you while studying can also help you stay calmer. Pro tip: bring a blanket to sit on- it’ll help you avoid bugs. Plus, blankets can be super cute and contribute to a better study environment.
2. 2nd Floor of Colloquium Café
https://foursquare.com/v/colloquium-caf%C3%A9/4b571dbdf964a520092728e3
The Colloquium Café not only has great food, but its second floor provides a great study space with huge windows to let natural light in, creating a calm, quiet atmosphere. Plus, you can eat while you work, which is super important.
3. Gambrell Balcony
https://foursquare.com/v/gambrell-hall/4b8690aaf964a520ca8f31e3
If you want to study outside but don’t want to sit on the ground, the balcony on the 3rd floor of Gambrell is the perfect spot for you. With decent-sized tables and a great view of Capstone and other iconic campus buildings, what’s not to love?
4. Darla Moore School of Business
https://sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/moore/academic_programs/undergradu…
Darla is arguably the best building on campus, full stop. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that it features a ton of great study areas, including multiple lounges with tables and comfy seats. Plus, if you can get in the trading room, those double computer screens are awesome for writing papers or multitasking.
5. Cool Beans or Other Cafés Off-Campus
http://www.ratajik.net/art/Shows/CoolBeans/
While those on-campus Starbucks locations are awesome and convenient, they don’t necessarily provide a great study ambiance (I mean, the Humanities Starbucks only has like 4 seats total, and they’re barstools). Smaller indie Cafés like Cool Beans or Blue Flour Bakery have a great study atmosphere, awesome coffee and treats, and are guaranteed to be less crowded than a lot of on-campus cafes.
6. Russell House 2nd Floor
http://www.quackenbusharchitects.com/projects/usc-russell-house-leadersh…
While Russell tends to be a place to avoid for anyone other than starving freshmen who have no other food options, it does house some good, lesser-known study spots. Across from the ballrooms on the 2nd floor are a bunch of small couches and tables, and contrary to the study areas on the 3rd floor, these rarely fill up. The Leadership and Service Center also has really comfy spots to study.
7. Williams Brice Nursing Building 1st Floor
http://theconversation.com/study-habits-for-success-tips-for-students-89147
This study spot has to make the list for one important reason: There’s a public microwave. This makes it super easy to pack your own meals (even Easy Mac is better than nothing) to keep yourself full while studying. There also vending machines, comfy seats, and tons of outlets to keep you going for a prolonged study sesh.
Studying in a comfortable environment makes the experience so much more bearable. Remember: after midterms come Spring Break. It’ll be okay!