Several Seriously Spectacular Study Spots

by Sherry Cao, CAPS Marketing Assistant

In addition to all the alliteration, this blog will be awesome for two reasons. First, I’m seriously going to discuss my favorite places on (and off!) campus to get some of my dense Sosc/Hum reading done. Second, for this blog post, at least, you don't have to hear about daunting subjects like getting a job and the future because with midterms and essays upon us, I figure we all have enough to worry about. Plus, it does relate to the general theme of this CAPS blog because studying = good grades = graduation + job. Obviously.

1. My first spot is the Reg, kind of. On the side facing Bartlett Quad, there are these cozy little niches underneath the Reg’s giant dripping gray concrete exterior. I understand that it’s outside and that it’s getting quite cold now (or trying to, anyway) but since the area is composed of large metal grates atop some component of the Reg's heating system, warm air actually blows up onto you, making for a very cozy, very unique studying experience.


2. If you’re a snack-while-you-study kind of kid, I’d suggest going to Bartlett or your preferred dining hall. I guess this only works at non-peak hours, but the several times I’ve found myself hungry and with an hour or so of free time between classes and work, I’ve gone to Bartlett and parked myself at a smallish table toward the back. The din of Motown and dishwashing provides nice background noise, and when no one else is there, it’s a great, spacious, well-lit area to study. I’ve also been thinking about going up to the second floor of Bartlett (where students used to run laps back in the day when Bartlett was a gym) and parking myself up there. I’ll do that soon. Facebook me if you want to know how it goes.


3. At the risk of sounding completely cliché, I’m going to say Harper. Cue the Harry Potter comments, the “I fell in love with UChicago when I saw this library” squeal, and cue the fact that admissions uses its picture every time a prospie receives a postcard. The fact is, Harper really isn’t an accurate representation of ALL of UChicago, but it definitely is beautiful. And well-lit, studious and quiet. I know those who go to Harper often say that the Harper reading room is where it’s at, but I’d like to rep the Stuart reading room, which is around the corner from the Common Knowledge Café. I like Stuart during the day because there are always people napping on the super comfy chairs, and when there are sleeping students, you know it’s going to be good and quiet.

So, there you have some of my favorite places to study. What are yours? Leave a comment, and I’ll spread the word!

Note: “Studying” is what you make it to be. These areas also work well for napping, cuddling, eating ice cream and generally spacing out.