By Elizabeth Zakaim
Arts & Entertainment Editor
As someone who has occupied the College’s campus for quite some time, I can comfortably say that I’ve come across some of the school’s best study spots. When the third floor of the library gets too crowded, and your bedroom “study sessions” all turn into naps, below are some better spots to start hitting the books.
Before the weather gets unbearably cold, bring your books to a bench by the lake. We’ve got two of them so you can take your pick. The calm blue water and the rustling leaves make your 10-page paper a little less intimidating. There also won’t be anyone close enough to bother you with their loud chewing, paper crumpling or incessant whispering.
If you’re not the outdoorsy type, the fourth floor of the library, right in front of the circular window, has been dubbed both the best study spot and one of the best views of campus. You don’t realize how high up the fourth floor of the library is until you look down and see how far away you are from the rest of campus. This is also a good spot if you’re someone who likes total silence while you’re studying. The third floor of the library can get a little crowded, but the fourth floor –– especially in the morning –– is a much quieter place to get some work done.
The fourth floor library, however, is a rather popular study space in general. If you’re someone who likes to study alone, but you’re too easily distracted in your bedroom, a good place to try is the Social Sciences Building atrium. While it can get a little crowded during the week, especially in between classes, I’ve found the prime time to grab a table or nestle up on the couch –– Saturday and Sunday mornings. Once in awhile a few students will shuffle past, but for the most part SSB is yours for the weekend. While most students aren’t eager to hit the books every morning on the weekends, if you’re serious about getting work done, this is the place to be.
For some people, too much quiet is a little unnerving. If you like background noise, but don’t want to be sitting with headphones in your ears all day, the Barnes and Noble bookstore is a good place to do some light studying. Their hours are pretty great –– 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. during the week, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays. If you like getting up early, or if you’d rather start studying after dinner, the bookstore’s hours are likely to accommodate. The cafe-like atmosphere will also put you in a productive mood, that is, if you like the smell of coffee and listening to acoustic radio. The best part though, is that if you hang around there long enough typing diligently away at your computer, you’ll likely be approached by Starbucks employees handing out free samples of coffee, hot chocolate and various other yummy treats that also incentivise you to stick around and get your work done.
Whether you like studying inside or out, in a quiet space or loud, the College has a lot of nooks and crannies tucked away on campus that have already become, or are waiting to be, turned into great study spots. I wish you luck in finding the best spot and getting the most studying done.
