Six of the best study spaces

Noor Qaddour, freshman in LAS, Lina Al-Chaar, sophomore in LAS, Ahmad Hamdan, senior in Engineering, and Arsheen Aziz, senior in LAS, use the Media Commons in the Undergraduate Library for group research. The Media Commons was new to the UGL for spring 2013 and helps students utilize technology with their school work.  

By Alyssa Voltolina

On a campus this big, it’s not hard to find a cozy corner to study in. Check out these locations, but you will probably find your own favorites as the year goes on:

Caffe Paradiso

The place to be for hipsters everywhere, this Urbana coffee shop is perfect for those of us who live east of the Quad. This independent shop uses Intelligentsia coffee beans for their espresso and sells baked goods from Pekara, a caffeinated combination that ensures plenty of energy for studying. Caffe Paradiso has free WiFi, plenty of tables and enough outlets to keep all of your devices charged through a long day of studying.

Undergraduate Library

The UGL is a great spot for study groups. While the lowest floor is a designated quiet area, most people utilize the middle floor for both groups and low-key study sessions. There are tables in the main area with study rooms available with a reservation. With an Espresso Royale on site, a tunnel to the main library and the fact that the UGL is open 24 hours a day, there are few reasons to not study there. You’ll even get an arm workout trying to open the heavy doors!

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Grainger Engineering Library

For engineers, Grainger is the place to be. Located on the northside of the Bardeen Quad, Grainger boasts state-of-the-art technology and over 1000 seats in the Main Reading Gallery. Like the UGL, group study rooms are available. And for anyone who lives far away (or has work to do during a polar vortex), there’s plenty of parking available on Springfield Avenue.

Main Library

The best reason to study at the Main Library? It’s beautiful. The building is home to approximately 5 million books, all located in the main stacks, and is made up of over 20 subject libraries, making it the perfect place for both research and studying. The campus library system is one of the largest public academic collections in the world, so if there is a book you need, the library probably has it. Conveniently located by the Main Quad, there really isn’t a reason why you should pass this library up.

Espresso Royale

With four locations around the Main Quad, Espresso Royale is a great place to study if you’re looking to stay caffeinated on campus. Along with coffee and tea, Espresso has a variety of soups and sandwiches to help satiate your hunger in between classes. With locations all over Champaign and Urbana, Espresso Royale makes for a great coffee and study break in between classes.

Illini Union

The Union has a computer lab, an Espresso Royale, and a food court all in one building. There are three designated study lounges, and each is located on the main floor. The CLASS (Computer Lab And Study Space) Computer Lab has over 80 individual work stations and full-time technical support staff, for those of us who still have trouble with technology.

Alyssa is a senior in LAS. She can be reached at [email protected].