Hey! I'm Nuna and I'm a '28 from Accra, Ghana. I plan on studying Biology at Dartmouth but I'm definitely on the lookout for any other interesting areas of study. When I'm not in class (and not catching up on sleep), I'm reading, cooking or winning card games with my friends (especially Uno and Hearts!). I plan on getting involved with a lot of organizations on campus, so come along and join me for the ride!
As finals approach and the fun turns to frenzied studying, I wanted to share some of my favorite study spots. Everyone has learning areas that work for them. Personally, my criteria for a good study spot are temperature, noise level and ambience. I love warm study spots, especially when I can curl up on a couch! I prefer minimal noise when I'm learning but not necessarily dead silence—some background chatter is appreciated. Ambience is quite subjective but I think you'll recognize my tastes by the end of this post. Let's get started!
1. Tower Room: This is probably the place I go to the most. The Tower Room, located on the second floor of the Baker library, is the quintessential Dartmouth study spot: it's quiet, you can either sit on a couch or in an actual chair, and it has views of the beautiful outdoors through its huge windows. I love to come here to get work done, and it's only about a ten minute walk from my room. One of the best things about it is that it's open until midnight during the week, and until 2 am on weekends, so I can be here practically as long as I want without interruption.
Tower Room in the fall, with the perfect ambience for getting work done.
2. Irving: The Irving Institute for Energy & Society building is open to all for most hours of the day, and you can often find me there, especially with my study groups. One of the main reasons I love Irving is because it is close to my dorm, French Hall. This makes it easier for me to stay out and study late into the night if I need to because I'm just a stone's throw from my room. The chairs are comfy, it's always warm here, and there's just enough noise so that you can hold a quiet conversation without disturbing anyone else. Perfect for a group study session! Also, I just love the general color and aesthetic of the interior.
The ground floor of the Irving building.
3. Still North Bookstore: While not necessarily a campus building, the Still North Books and Bar, located just down Allen Street in Hanover, is home to many Dartmouth students, especially during finals week. . With a little coffee shop in the quaint building, nothing is better than getting work done with the smell of new books and coffee in the air. There's also a more relaxed atmosphere as it's not a part of campus. You're just a regular customer, not necessarily a student. The setting also allows me to romanticize my learning. I would definitely recommend it!
The serene and stimulating setting of Still North Books and Bar.
4. Cafe at Baker: Last, but definitely not least, Cafe at Baker is a spot I come to not only to study, but also to satisfy my constant need for boba. Also located in the Baker library, it's a small, cozy spot to hang out with friends or get a bit of work done. In terms of noise, since it's not necessarily advertised as a learning space, it can be a bit loud, but you get used to it. The boba is also amazing, so it's a win for me either way!
My usual spot in Cafe at Baker.
There's a thousand and one different places you can find to study or get work done at Dartmouth. You can book study rooms or even use empty classrooms. I know this list of study spaces will expand a lot as my time at Dartmouth continues.
If you're like I was—staring at your closet wondering what "essentials" actually means—here is what I packed, what I'm grateful I brought, and what I now know you can leave behind.
