Nuna Agbodza

A Guide to Study Spots

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.