Another great thing about Wednesdays…

Beside Welcome Wednesdays, there is another reason to get jazzed about the middle of the week – $2.25 latte days at Espresso Royale Cafe (ERC). (They used to be only $2, but they bumped up the price by a quarter last year. 😦 ) Now, being a coffee-drinker (an excessive one at that!), studying and coffee go hand-in-hand for me. (For some people choose energy drinks or soda as caffeine source of choice, but if you’re a coffee drinker, you might want to read about this dangerously perfect study spot.)

Welcome Wednesday…Literally!

So many students know about a little activity that happens on Wednesdays: Welcome Wednesdays. Now, this isn’t just to say “hello” to hump day, but instead is a way of the Alumni Association to reach out to students, in the best way: through free food and coffee. If you have no idea what I’m referring to, you’re missing out. Wednesday mornings, if you’re over near the MLB, Power Center, Michigan League, etc., you should stop by the Alumni Association Building. From 8am – noon they hand out free bagels and coffee. (You have to swipe your M-Card, so don’t forget it! and please, one bagel per person.)

You’re probably wondering what this has to do with studying… Well, the Alumni Center really wants to encourage students to stop by throughout the week. They say you can study when you pick up your free bagel and coffee, but in reality, you should be able to stop there at any point during the week to study. The building is open from 9am – 5pm (usually) so keep that in mind. Now, I’ve never been there to study, because I’m rarely on central campus between those hours. I imagine it to be a great place though. Imagine a huge room with a bunch of tables/chairs and bean bags for students to use…and no incentive to go there (a.k.a. not Welcome Wednesday). There are some huge TVs in the room, so they may or may not be on – but if they are, you can probably turn down or mute the volume.

Oh right, the best thing about Alumni, they have money to give to poor college students. So remember to pick up some free blue books or see what kind of “career services” they offer!

Bottom Line: I cannot vouch for this location, but it is potentially a well-kept secret study spot on campus, right in the middle of the northern edge of central campus. Limited hours though….

Study? Why Study? and Why a New Study Spot?

So, this is probably something I should have addressed earlier…but oh, well. You get it now. So why should you study, and why should you be in the market for a new study spot? Well, if you’re set in your ways of either blowing off classes (which I’m sure happens…) or if you’re sticking to one spot forever and ever, this probably isn’t a blog for you. Now, don’t get me wrong, you are more the welcome to read it, but it might not mean much to you.

So why should you study? To get good grades? That’s obvious. But also, it can be a valuable socializing/networking/communicating thing to do.

Follow the Maze to the Findley Center

So sorry, but this post is a super specific study spot. Basically, if you’re not a Civil Engineer or Mechanical Engineer, you will never be able to find it (unless you follow behind one of them…but even then you might get lost). Welcome to the Findley Learning Center in G.G. Brown. Why will you never find this spot? Probably because G.G. Brown is the most confusing building on North Campus (and probably one of the most awful looking one…). But anyway, why would this study spot be of any interest?

Well, let’s see. This is a great place to get homework help – it is the office hours location for ME students after all. But, at night, this place is dead. There is a ton of table space, no one to bother you, and only people working diligently around. Like I said, you probably won’t find it on your own, but if you know one of these majors, recommend it to them. It’ll blow their mind how awesome it is at night. Wait. Maybe this secret shouldn’t be publicized…oh well, you won’t find it anyway………..

Bottom Line: Great spot for homework help or late night silence for ME and CEE majors!

Dude. Where’s My Lib?

If you’re an engineer, there is no reason you shouldn’t be familiar with this place: the Dude. If you’re not an engineer, odds are you haven’t made it to the Dude (unless of course, you have engineering friends that want a study buddy on some random day that all engineers are busy doing other things). Well, no matter who you are, you can probably find a study spot that suits your needs at the Dude.

So, first of all, if you’re looking for the Dude, you might also want to look for the Duderstadt. That’s the real name of the 24-hour library housed on north campus. It’s actually the art, architecture, and engineering library, and all those types of students use and abuse this place. In addition to the typical “library” atmosphere, there are a bunch of additional “features” this place has (video game room, 3D printing, interview/study rooms, super-duper large computer screens, etc.).

The Dude. Cool. What are the different study spots to appeal to your every need? Well, here’s the break-down.

Psych!

So no, this isn’t a fake post. It’s about the Psych Atrium in East Hall (you know that Math/Psychology building right off Church street). Some people never realized there is an atrium with chairs, lots of chairs in East Hall. And actually, there are two atriums in East Hall (there’s also one on the math side of the building).

So why on earth would someone want to study in the Psych Atrium?

Home Sweet Home

So, I know, not a public spot on campus, but most students do have a room in the campus area (whether that be in a dorm, an apartment, a house, etc.). For some people it is a safe haven – a place where they feel most comfortable; for others, it’s a great study space. A nice desk, organized just the way you want, with no one else to screw it up. Access to food and water when you need to get your energy level up (coffee to keep you awake…). A zone to just sit down and do your work.

I am not that kind of person.

Pierpont Cafe – Wait, Where’s That?

Pierpont Cafe. It’s an interesting place. Most people have no idea where this place is located. If you can locate Pierpont Commons (it’s a student union, fyi) you’re half way there. It’s basically the highest level in the building – about the 1.5th floor. I would try and explain how to get there, but it probably won’t mean much. If you go at lunchtime, just follow the noise and the smell…….

Study Spot Numero Uno: The UGLi, 2nd Floor

So Friday night, when many students like to go out and about I was one of those special individuals to hump it out to the library. Now I chose the 2nd floor of the UGLi on this particular night because of its reputation. The Shapiro Undergraduate Library, located directly in between West Hall and the Graduate Library, is known for being the “go to” spot for group work. Most of the floors are group friendly, but the higher the floor number, the quieter it gets. So, if you plan on having a dynamic brainstorming session or a heated debate, please, don’t wander up to the 4th floor, you WILL get some glares.

It’s almost nap time!

Before I get to studying today…I have to recharge my batteries (aka my eyes and my brain). Thus, I am going to take a nap. Right now though, I’m in class. Yes, in class, blogging. I swear, it’s a blogging class. It’s legit. Nap once I get back to my apartment – so at about 3:15 – then I have to be down by Yost at 5:30…so it’ll be a short nap. (It takes me FOREVER to fall asleep for a nap…) Then after 7:30, I’ll head out to the library for a glorious night of studying. I’ll probably hit up the UGLi. It’s a popular spot to study, and (most) undergrads are familiar with it. I mean, it is the UnderGraduate Library.