Study Spot Countdown!
I love to have a variety of places in mind when I really want to focus on getting work done, switching between them for a nice change of scenery! There’s more places on campus to work and study than I could even count, so I’ll go through 10 of my favorite spots I’ve found in my time at Tufts!
10. Mayer Campus Center
As the hub of much of student life, the Campus Center can also be a good study spot if you enjoy a little bit of background noise to help you focus. Three cafés can provide some studying snacks and the student lounge is a nice spot to have some fun when you need a break, and I’ve always found it a great place to hang out and get a bunch of smaller tasks out of the way.
9. Collaborative Learning and Innovation Complex
Located a couple minute walk down Boston Avenue, the CLIC is home to the departments of Community Health and Child Study & Human Development, among others. The building has a really fun and unique layout, with plenty of smaller study spots tucked away beside larger spaces that have many whiteboards which are great for collaborative work.
8. Hodgdon Food-on-the-Run
There may not be a ton of seats outside Hodgdon, but there’s no better place to take your grab-and-go meals! It may be a little busier than most of these other spots, but if you’re the kind of person that wants background noise while doing casual work it’s perfect! Being outside is also an automatic boost to any study spot in my opinion, there’s something inexplicably relaxing about studying in the open air.
7. Campus Center Patio
You could argue that this should count as the same spot as the larger campus center, but I love working outside with the string lights above so much that I had to put it a little higher! Easy access to the Campus Center resources while also having a breeze is nice, and it gets plenty of sun on a nice day!
6. Joyce Cummings Center
You’ll never run out of places to sit here! The JCC is one of the largest and newest buildings on campus, housing almost a dozen departments and seven floors of classrooms, offices, and study areas. The chairs here are super comfortable, and no matter where you sit there’s always a great view just outside the window, whether it’s of the baseball field, Boston skyline, or MBTA trains coming in and out.
5. Academic Quad
Another outdoor spot, this one has wide open spaces offering tons of room to get comfortable and do some reading. Having Jumbo nearby to watch over the place certainly gives it a lot of points too.
4. Miner Hall Bridge
Take a left in Miner Hall and head out the door and you’ll find yourself on this bridge overlooking the Memorial Steps and the School of Engineering. It may be a small space with only a few tables and chairs, but on a hot day the wind coming through here is amazing. You’re also over a central walking area, so it’s easy to spot friends below and call them to come join you!
3. Eaton Hall
One of the newest buildings on campus also makes for one of the newest study spots. The common areas of Eaton Hall are great at encouraging focus and and quiet work, while still giving the opportunity for collaboration in its various meeting rooms. The view of the Academic Quad is also nice, and the building feels really distinctly modern in a way that I personally really enjoy.
2. Tisch Library
Where else could the library be but right near the top? This is your classic, tried and true study spot, with tons of collaborative spaces on the main floor and silent, individual areas on the lower levels. Tisch also houses printers, the Digital Design Studio makerspace, and even the Tower Café if you need a quick bite while working! Tisch has always been old reliable for me, as its atmosphere encourages a lot of productivity.
1. President’s Lawn
It’s a student favorite for a reason! Nothing beats a chill day of work on a sunny, beautiful day outside. With its wide open space for chairs and picnic blankets, areas of sun and shade in a cool breeze, and location right in the heart of campus, Prez Lawn makes for (in my opinion) the most relaxing spot at Tufts to get your work done!