Need to finish up studying for finals? Below is a list of the top three places to study on campus!
MJ Meiers
#3. Struve Communication Center
This small academic building is nestled between Douglas residence hall and the old gym. Since its located far from the other buildings, it is often overlooked as a studying spot. As such, one can usually find open classrooms to study in. If you are looking for a more casual study environment, there is a couch in the hallway which is perfect for catching up on reading assignments. Struve is one of my personal favorite places to study, but since it is an academic building, there are sometimes classes occuring in the building, making it best to study there in the afternoons or evenings. When this building is available however, it is a very quiet study space!
#2. Coe College Writing Center
The Coe College Writing Center is a perfect place to work on writing assignments. The space is cozy and welcoming, and includes a couch, recliners, and tables for studying. This mix of seating means that students can feel comfortable while busy studying. On weekdays, the Writing Center is open 8AM to 11PM, giving students a long window in which to study. The biggest benefit of studying in the Writing Center is that it is staffed with consultants who are eager to help students with brainstorming, revising, and generally improving their work. It is also a pretty quiet place during the day. The only reason why the Writing Center is not ranked number one on this list is pretty obvious, at least to me. The Writing Center is a great place to study when specifically completing writing assignments, but it may not be the best choice to complete things like math homework. Despite this specificity, it is still a great place to get some work done on your next paper.
#1. Peterson "Treehouse"
On the top two floors of Peterson which face College drive, there are study rooms with floor to ceiling windows, tables, chairs, and whiteboards. The floors even have live plants. This is a great place to study any kind of work, and is especially good for quietly studying with friends. In my own experience, I've found it to be a pleasant and centrally located place to complete homework. Some students refer to these rooms as the treehouse, probably because of the elevation of the rooms. There are a couple of reasons why the treehouse is ranked higher than Struve or the Writing Center. For one, the treehouse is available more hours during the day than the other two locations. There are not classes held in these rooms, and if you get to one before the academic buildings lock, you can stay as late as you like. Another reason is the aesthetics of the space. I always find it more fun to study in a pretty room compared to a boring classroom, and the treehouse is one of those fun and unique spaces on campus. Lastly, is the amount of space available. The top two floors of Peterson have a corresponding study room overlooking college drive. This means that several groups could be working in separated spaces at the same time. If studying alone, there is also enough space of every floor that another student studying across the room from you does not feel cramped. Overall, I find the treehouse to be the best place to finish up studies on campus.
