With the school year starting to wind down and the stress of finals slowly approaching, everyone is beginning to realize they need to start focusing more of their time towards their classes. Accompanying this realization is the sudden swarm of people who rush to the library in order to cram their heads with the knowledge they learned at the beginning of the semester. As a result, the library can become overcrowded and an ineffective study environment. Luckily, Salt Lake has a bunch of perfect coffee shops and spots for studying that are great substitutes for the library on campus.
Publik Downtown
The downtown location for Publik is a great coffee spot that has two levels filled with desks where you can study or work. There is a limited number of plugs upstairs, which can sometimes be an obstacle, so I suggest going with a fully charged computer and phone. The food is great and the environment is definitely productive. Usually the tables are taken up by people working or reading, so it’s perfect. It tends to be a little crowded on the weekends, which can be a little distracting, but if you listen to music you’ll be fine.
Presidents’ Circle
Studying outside can sometimes be a great alternative to locking yourself in a room or sitting in the library. The weather is finally starting to get better and spending time outside is really nice. If you grab a blanket and take your computer out to Presidents’ Circle or really any park in Salt Lake, you can set up a little study spot for yourself. It allows you to work without the confinements of being in some big building or dealing with the dim lighting in the library basement. Additionally, you get your share of Vitamin D and you can get some fresh air. Studying outside lets you clear your mind and refocus your attention on the work you have to do.
Coffee Garden
Coffee Garden is a cute little coffee shop that has seating inside and outside where you can work. The food is also amazing and pretty affordable (which is a huge bonus). On top of that, people are always studying or just hanging out so it’s a great study space. It can get a little loud, but that’s to be expected with coffee shops. If you don’t like the vibe inside, you can always move outside where things are a little more peaceful.
Salt Lake City Public Library
I know that this whole article is about finding study spots other than the library on campus, so it’s slightly ironic that I’m suggesting you go to another library. You have to trust me on this one, though. The city library is a good change of scenery from the one on campus, especially if you prefer studying in a library over a coffee shop or outside. It’s a beautiful library with numerous places to study, so you shouldn’t have any trouble settling in and finding somewhere to get your work done.
These spots are just a couple great alternatives to the Marriot Library on campus for when you want to change up your normal study spot or when the library is just too busy. There are lots of other coffee shops around Salt Lake City you can explore if any of the above options just aren’t working or are way too busy for your taste. Good luck studying (you’re probably going to need it).