On Campus Study Spots

The Inside Scoop on NEW Places to Study

Studying in your room can be hard. Studying in the library can be crowded. So what are some other places you can go for a change of pace? Luckily, I have faced these problems many times during my study sessions and I have found the best places to go when you need something different. 


If you’re feeling a library setting and the main library is way too crowded, check out the smaller libraries spread out all around campus. You can even reserve rooms in these buildings too! I frequently did this when I had to study for a long period of time. Reserving a room here is much more open and flexible with your schedule. The main library usually has its study rooms filled up FAST. I enjoy going to the

Earth and Mineral Sciences Library in Deike. It has a very convenient location, close to the west campus and a lot of engineering classes. Another convenient library option is the Engineering Library in Hammond. I go here frequently for group projects. There aren’t as many rooms here to reserve but they have whiteboard tables!  More examples of these smaller libraries that you can reserve a room in are the Architecture and Landscape Architecture Library located in the Stuckeman building (close to north campus) and the Physical and Mathematics Library in the Davey Laboratory (in the middle of campus).


If you’re feeling eating while you work, the Panera in the IT building and the Panera in Kern are great study spots. The Panera in the IT building has very large tables to study in a group or by yourself. It typically isn’t crowded during peak lunch hours too! The Panera in Kern is newly renovated and offers a lot of space for studying both inside and outside of Panera. It can typically be very busy during peak lunch hours so I would suggest going either in the early morning for a Panera breakfast or in the evening. Either way, this is a great option if you want to grab a bite or just study near food.

If you want to be in a more busy setting, the HUB is the place to study. On the main, bottom floor, there are food options where you can grab a bite and study at the same time. This floor can be a little busier than usual and loud but some people love studying in that kind of setting! The more floors you go up in the hub, the quieter and less busy it gets. There are plenty of comfortable seats spread throughout the levels as well as occasionally open rooms!

If you want complete and utter focus and silence, some of the buildings on campus are open during the weekend where you can grind out your work with little distractions or people. Willard and Thomas are almost always open and you can occasionally get lucky and find another building that is open. The trick to secure your own classroom for a few hours without reservations is to get there early and leave when it comes around dinner time. Sometimes, those classrooms are reserved for club meetings so you might not be lucky and have to be kicked out. Otherwise though, the classroom option is great and I highly recommend. My friends and I would always find an empty classroom in Willard during the weekend. During Finals week, they open even more buildings to allow students to use throughout the week. You almost never have to worry about being kicked out because no clubs are typically meeting! Just make sure to get to these places early to secure your spot!

If it's a beautiful day in Happy Valley and you want to study outside, you can bring a blanket or your hammock and set up your spot almost anywhere on campus. It’s all pretty on a nice day! The Business Building Lawn is a great area to study since it's so big and has a pretty view. North campus also has a lot of hidden benched areas with lookouts that you could go to if you don’t have a blanket. West campus has a lot of these private benched spots you could check out too. I always liked studying outside of McKee or on the lawn outside of Watts. All you need is your fully charged laptop and a blanket and you’re all set.


If you’re in the mood to explore new places to study at, you’ll easily find new spots all over campus. Every building has some type of study area, room, or tables where you can work. For example, Hammond has Kunkle Lounge which is a great place to go between classes since it typically isn’t too crowded and it’s close to classes! My first year, I set a goal to find as many new study spots as I could. For me, it made actually sitting down and doing work much more enjoyable because I needed the change in scenery. Who knows what you’ll find this year! Welcome to the WEP Community!

A list of study spots I have found in my years on campus: 

• Earth and Mineral Sciences Library
• Physical and Mathematics Library
• Architecture and Landscape Architecture Library
• Panera 
• IT Building
• Kern Graduate Building
• Resident Area Commons Rooms
• Kunkle
• Classrooms
• Willard
• Thomas
• Outside
• West Campus Lawns
• Business Building Lawns
• North Campus Tables/Benches
• Hub
• The Creamery

Emily Minor 

Team H Mentor