Best study spots on campus
As Willamette students, we are lucky to have a wide array of study spaces at our disposal. From the Hatfield Library to the Quad’s Adirondack chairs, you don’t have to look very hard to find a place to set down your books. But are all study spaces created equal? What makes a study spot great? I decided to evaluate them based on perceived coziness, proximity to places on campus, noise level, materials available and how busy they tend to be.
Walking through the doors to the Hatfield Library, I looked around at the students spread out at tables and desks throughout the room. Willamette’s library seems like the obvious pick for a study location — which is why it’s also overrated.
It has plenty of amenities and resources, such as whiteboards and study rooms. The space is equipped with a range of different areas. Sitting by the windows provides excellent views of the Mill Stream, and I especially love watching the ducks.
However, Hatfield Library has significant drawbacks as well. Since it is such a popular spot, it can get busy. At its busiest times, your favorite spot is likely taken. What’s more, sitting upstairs on the so-called “quiet floor,” you can often hear conversations taking place below. It tends to be a bit cold temperature-wise, and the hours are very limited on the weekends. Further, it’s not the most convenient for squeezing in some studying in between classes because it is far from most of the other buildings on campus.
Walking back out of the library, I scanned my keycard into the Fishbowl. Inside, there were a range of tables and a cozy couch. The Fishbowl has many similar qualities to the broader library. However, one of the best things about it is that its hours are much less limited. It is a great place to hunker down and write an essay. There are snacks in the vending machine, as well as a microwave and fridge. I think it's a bit cozier than the library because it is a smaller space and tends to be a bit warmer.
The next morning, I arrived at the Bistro for a short study session. There was music playing and the sound of people chattering in the background as I entered its warmth. The Bistro is by far the coziest place to study on campus. It can get loud, and not everyone there is studying, so it can certainly be distracting. The small room can be fairly busy, which adds to the noise level. The abundance of drinks and treats in close proximity is great but can get expensive once you use up your flex dollars. Like the library, it is far from pretty much everything except for Goudy and the UC. Another drawback is that it’s not equipped with any sort of materials such as whiteboards. In general, the Bistro is best for low-pressure studying, when you want to get some work done but have a bit of time for dilly-dallying.
Next, I explored the hearths. Entering the humanities hearth, I sat down on one of the comfortable couches, looking around at the array of books. The hearths at Willamette, such as the humanities hearth and the environmental science hearth, are a great study option too.
Both have a microwave, tables, seating and plenty of books. One of the advantages of the hearths is that they’re close in proximity to their subjects’ professors, which makes it easy to ask questions and get help there. In my experience, they don’t tend to be super crowded and are very cozy.
Entering Ford Hall, I examined the wide-open space, taking in the glass walls. Ford is a very popular study spot, for good reason. Like the library, this is its biggest fault. It has a lot of great resources like the Writing Center and the Digital Learning Studio. Although it is close to other academic buildings and the freshman dorms, it’s far from most of the other dorms on campus. Similarly, it tends to be very busy, and there are often a lot of group projects happening in Ford, so it isn’t the place for quiet work.
On Thursday, I stopped at the Quad between classes to get some homework done, setting my bag on the ground and sitting down in one of the Adirondack chairs. I love studying on the Quad on a nice day. The Adirondack chairs are pretty comfortable, and the grass is a great place to hang out. Its best feature is that it’s very centrally located — not far from most of the academic buildings. However, there are no tables, which can be impractical. Studying on the Quad is also very dependent on the weather. As the days grow colder, I will likely not enjoy being outside quite as much.
In the afternoon, I went to the Martha Springer Garden to get some more studying in. I found a spot at a picnic table, taking in the beautiful foliage around me. Similarly to the Quad, the garden behind Sparks is a great place to get outside when studying. It’s a gorgeous space that I don’t think is utilized enough. It is a great spot to watch the ducks in the Mill Stream and admire the flowers. Unlike the Quad, there are lots of picnic tables for easy working. Its worst quality is probably that it’s not close to much.
In day-to-day college life, it's easy to get stuck in the same habits. We have too much available to us to always use the same spaces. Next time you need to get some work done, try a new study space and explore all Willamette has to offer.
Comments