You’ve just moved in to your dorm room and set up your desk just the way you like it. You’ve got brand-new school supplies, a stack of crisp unopened paper and a roommate who has been on the phone for the last half-hour. Studying in you dorm room is one of the least productive places to work. With your roommate going in and out, people blasting music next door and loud talking in the hallways, it can get difficult to concentrate. Here are a few alternate places on campus you can check out to get some work done.

Chemistry Library

While Grainger Engineering Library and the Undergraduate Library may be more popular places to study, the Chemistry Library is located right on the Main Quad inside the Noyes Laboratory. The space is on the smaller side but is quiet and close to where a lot of general education classes are held so you can study between classes.

Grainger Engineering Library

Open 24 hours, the engineering library is one of two options if you need to pull an all-nighter (the other being the Undergraduate Library). With four floors and a basement, there are plenty of study spaces to choose from. If you want a bit more privacy, or want to hold a study session with friends, you can rent one of the study rooms out for a couple hours. The first floor also has an Espresso Royale if you need a coffee to keep you going.

Residence Hall Lounges

If you don’t feel like traveling too far, most dorms will have either a study space or side lounge where you can get some work done. These might not be the quietest option if you need silence to work, but if the weather is ugly or you just don’t want to go out, the dorm lounges will make for a good alternative. Some floors will also have a smaller lounge if you want something with less people than the downstairs lobby.

Cafes and restaurants

While we tend to think of libraries when looking for a place to study, there are also places where you can study while getting a bite to eat. Places such as Espresso Royale, Starbucks, Caffé Bene and Panera Bread are all great options if you want to snack while studying or if you prefer a little background noise while you do your work. Keep in mind you don’t need to go all the way to Green Street to find one of these; there are cafes on every side of campus if Green Street isn’t the closest option.

Natalie is a sophomore in LAS.

[email protected]