It’s midterm season (again)! As such, I thought I’d use my blog this week to write about some awesome places to study around campus. Of course, dorm rooms, apartments, and dorm lounges can always be solid places to spend time studying. But sometimes you just need to go to a library to buckle down and get in several hours of good studying for midterms, or to write a paper.
The first library students think of is generally Leavey Library. It’s open twenty-four hours during the week, and only closes from midnight on Saturday to 9 a.m. on Sunday. Leavey has several floors of study spaces and rooms, and computers, and can be a great place to encourage focus. Leavey is located in the heart of campus, next to the quad, making it very convenient for students to go and study there any time of day or night.
If you’re looking for something a little more traditional than Leavey, the historic Doheny library can be a great place to study. Doheny has several large rooms for studying, and the large reference room evokes a sense of the Hogwarts library, for all you Harry Potter fans. Doheny is personally my favorite place to study. In addition to large study rooms, it also has several floors of bookstacks when you need complete silence and concentration, and a cafe called LiteraTea, and a peaceful courtyard. Doheny is open 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. Mon-Thurs, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Fri, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat., and 12 p.m. – 8 p.m. Sun. To study here, you have to finish working early; this can be really motivating when you have a lot of work to do.
If you prefer a smaller library, the Library of Philosophy in Mudd Hall is a gorgeous, smaller place to study, amidst the great philosophical works of our time. I like to think that it provides inspiration for whatever I’m working on. Needless to say this is an excellent library, which also has a courtyard and fountain, and great architecture. The only downside is that its only open 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Mon-Fri., but this library remains a student favorite.
If libraries aren’t really your style, the campus center has many rooms available for studying, with desks, furniture, and white boards. Because there are so many rooms to study in, it generally isn’t crowded and it’s easy to find a quiet place to work.
Good luck studying everyone and Fight On!