It’s 2 p.m. on a Thursday and you’re walking around campus looking for a good place to study. It seems like every table and chair is taken up by someone trying to quickly type that two-page response paper one hour before class. If you’re struggling to find a place to study on campus, I have you covered. From when you need some alone time to study to when you need to anxiously cram for that midterm, studying on campus can be a great way to keep in the studious state of mind while also giving you the freedom to not be cramped up at a desk while you’re studying.
One of the best places to study on campus would be the Campus Center. Because of how big it is and how many options you have, the Campus Center is great for both the casual student and the intense STEM major looking to memorize terms. Depending on the time of day, the Campus Center can be hustling with students or quiet and mellow. There are several major places to study in the Campus Center and I will highlight two of them. First, on the upper-level right when you enter the building, you will be greeted with the Campus Center atrium. The atrium is one of the most popular places on campus to hang out, study and relax. During peak times on campus, you might find the atrium full of students with not a single empty seat. With plenty of outlets, the atrium is the perfect atmosphere for students who might need a crowded place to study.
The other great place to study in the Campus Center is the cafeteria. Although the cafeteria is open a limited number of hours compared to the atrium and the rest of the Campus Center, the cafeteria is always full of students looking to eat or just grind out that last assignment before spring break. With its great food options as well as a well-lit seating area, the cafeteria provides another great place to study.
Another great place to study on campus is University Hall. Like the Campus Center, UHall is another one of UMass Boston’s newest buildings. Right when you walk into UHall you will be greeted with a large glass wall just in front of a seating area. This seating area is great for studying and is much less crowded than many parts of the Campus Center.
One notable omission from this article has to be Healey Library. At many universities, the library serves as the main hub for those looking to study. However, with the current state of construction on campus, access to Healey Library is extremely inconvenient, and getting in and out of the library is extremely time-consuming. It is for that reason that I do not recommend studying at the library unless you need to borrow books, use the computers there, need a quiet only floor or receive tutoring.
Other than Campus Center and UHall, I should mention the Integrated Science Complex as a great option for a study building. The ISC serves as a great option for STEM majors who might have lab classes there. Additionally, the shuttle stop right in front of the ISC definitely increases its convenience.
Overall, UMass Boston has many options for those looking to study on campus. My recommendation would be to find an area on campus, try to form a tight-knit study group and try out different locations within the university to study. Trying out different areas will keep it interesting and ensure that you are never bored. It’s also important to note that different colleges within the university, as well as different tutoring programs, provide specific study locations near where their department is located. Be sure to ask your major or minor department, or any special tutoring programs, if they have any program-specific study locations and resources. Good luck this semester Beacons!