Greta Lane
Contributing Writer
Studying is a central part of life as a college student, whether it is writing an essay, reading chapters of a textbook, making flashcards, or working out a stoichiometry problem. To adequately study, you need a specific set of ideal conditions that differ from person to person—keeping that in mind, which places have the best conditions to study? This is a loaded question because every place you could study at has pros and cons.
The Quad – With the weather starting to get slightly warmer day-by-day, many students are returning to The Quad to study. Ellie Daniels (C ‘27) says, “I like studying in the quad because it is easy to see my friends when they walk by.” The Quad is also a good choice for people who like to be outside – it’s a beautiful and calming place to get some work done, but only if the weather is good. In addition to the beautiful view, Ava Bowron (C ‘27) noted “it’s really nice to study in The Quad because you can hear the organ in the background sometimes.” Beautiful scenery, good ambiance, and easy socialization are all good reasons to spend time studying in The Quad. However, if it is raining, windy, cold, or the classic Sewanee Fog is present, you’d be better off studying somewhere inside a building.
The ATC – The ATC is located in the basement of the library and has a certain cozy appeal to it. Along with the coziness, there is also a printer, open carrels, and extra whiteboards to aid your studying practices. These are nice amenities, but the drawback to the ATC is that it is small and can get crowded or loud quite easily. It also has the added benefit of being open 24 hours a day, perfect for those late nights studying. If you can drown out a little bit of noise, then the ATC is a good choice for you.
Closed Carrels – There are over 100 closed carrels in various locations around the library that students can reserve at the beginning of each semester. The benefits of a carrel are numerous because you get your own space to study whenever you want to in the library where you can leave study materials. Many of them even have close outlets for charging electronic devices. The drawback to a closed carrel is that you don’t know who else will get a study carrel around yours. You might have the misfortune of getting a carrel next to someone noisy or inconsiderate, but that is wholly dependent on luck. I believe that carrels are going to be the most constant in terms of study atmosphere conditions.
Dorm room – Studying in your dorm room is probably the most common place to study, which is understandable as it is just so convenient. You don’t have to worry about weather conditions and it’s super comfortable.You can study in pajamas and slippers and you don’t even have to leave your bed if you don’t want to. The issue that happens with a lot of people studying in their dorm room is focus. If you are going to the library, you are going there specifically to study, so it is easy to get in that mindset. However, you do a lot of other things in your room, so it can sometimes be difficult to get into “study mode”. Additionally studying can be made more difficult if your roommate is loud or if you two don’t get along.
Spencer – The tables and chairs in Spencer provide many students with a place to sit down and get work done. Spencer is right next to the library, so some might ask, “why not just go to the library?” The issue that many people have with studying in the library is that the library might have people to socialize with, and therefore, hinder actual studying. Spencer does have the con of being an academic building, which means people are constantly moving in and out of classrooms, which can become disruptive. If you can keep your head down though, Spencer can provide a different atmosphere than the always crowded library.
Window seats in Clurg – “2 pm, window seat in Clurg, studying, it doesn’t get better than that,” said Jacob Franklin (C ’27). Studying in Clurg is a challenge for some due to the noise levels and the temptation to talk to friends who come in. The upside of Clurg though is that you can easily access snacks and drinks if you get hungry or thirsty. A benefit that is specific to the window seats is the view, thus combining the outdoor aspect of The Quad, the snacking aspect of Stirlings or Cup and Gown, and the social aspect of the first floor of the library.