Alright frosh, listen up. It’s your first Dead Week – things are about to get real – and everything you’ve heard about where to study is wrong. Sure, Meyer may be convenient and the Bender room may be pretty, but the perks of these popular spots aren’t worth the crowds (or, in Bender’s case, the squeaky chairs). This week, step off the beaten path and take your last-minute cramming to these little-known locales:

• Art and Art History Library: Hands down the best library on campus to study in, with huge windows, high ceilings, large tables to spread out your stuff on and a secret mezzanine level to escape to if you really need to pound out those papers. Bonus: it’s almost never crowded, and the super-sweet librarians are always available to help with online research and printing.
• Engineering Quad: The engineers among you may have already figured this one out, but fuzzies, be adventurous and explore this mysterious side of campus! Specifically, give the study rooms in Huang a try – glass-walled and well supplied with white boards, they are a surprisingly calm and picturesque place to work on that p-set or creative writing essay.
• Margaret Jacks Hall (Bldg 460) English Lounge: Fuzzies know where it’s at: the English Lounge in Building 460, that is. With comfy chairs, footrests and ample table space, the English Lounge is the ideal spot for cuddling up with your textbooks. Plus, if you get an itch for fresh air, just one floor above is the serene and scenic English Terrace overlooking the quad.
• GSB Courtyard: If it’s a sunny day, camp out at one of the wooden tables in the courtyard of the Business School and surround yourself with focused soon-to-be CEOs for motivation. There’s a Coupa nearby if you feel peckish (although these days, where isn’t there a Coupa…) – just make sure to avoid groups of rowdy seniors downing bottomless mimosas on weekend mornings.
• La Boulange: When it comes to off-campus study spots, Philz might seem like the go-to coffee shop (I mean, everyone and their brother has checked in on Facebook…), but if you want to avoid the parking nightmare and the crowds, check out this other great café. La Boulange’s coffee may not be quite as delicious, but you can’t beat the ambiance. Grab a table in the sunny octagon room overlooking University Ave. and get to work on that Thinking Matters paper.

Contact the Arts & Life staff at [email protected].