The best places on and off campus to study for finals

By Sarah Sternhagen, Editor-in-Chief

It’s the final slump before the semester is over with the finals period starting next Wednesday. Between projects, sit-down finals, and being forced to stay for that one-last exam, it seems the entire campus has its head down studying, and suddenly you realize you need to do the same. 

“It’s just really important for students to get out of their dorm rooms,“ Learning Specialist Janae Carter said. “You need to go someplace else where you can kind of have that mindset of, I’m here to work.”

Here are some of the best places on and off campus to prepare for finals.

On-Campus

Cook Library

All floors open 24/7 by OneCard access Sunday May 4 to Tuesday May 20

The second through fifth floors of the Cook Library are the go-to spots for study spaces on campus. Carter calls it positive peer pressure, if you’re surrounded by other people who are working, you’re more likely to hunker down and study yourself.

At the library, noise levels decrease as you go higher and each floor offers different amenities. The second floor has individual desks, but also lots of study rooms that operate on both a reservation and first-come-first-serve basis. The graduate student reading room, accessible only to grad students, is on the second floor and is for silent study. The third floor has many computers to use and study cubbies tucked in the back for secluded cramming. The fourth floor is almost exclusively individual desks with computers. Finally, the fifth floor, and the quietist, has individual desks next to windows overlooking Chapman Quad.

Chapman Quad

All Day

For a designated outdoor space to study, the quad next to Cook Library has the most ample seating and sunlight. There are picnic tables available and yard chairs that can be moved around into the sun or shade, whichever students prefer. 

“It’s kind of funny,” Associate Dean for Academic Achievement Bria Sinnot said. “There are a few spots in the library where you can see people studying inside and outside in the same view.”

University Union – Second and Third floors

Mon – Thurs: 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Fri – Sat: 7 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., Sunday: 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

For quieter study spaces go to the third floor of the student union. The seating is more spread out encouraging less noise, and some of the chairs are softer plush couches. If background noise helps; dozens of desks, high-tops, and single chair study cubbies are sprinkled throughout the second floor by the restaurants and in front of the Career Center.

Family Study Room – Cook Library

Open during Cook Library Hours (Mon-Thurs: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Fri: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sat: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sun: 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.)

To reach Cook Library’s Family Study room, go to the second floor, take a left by the vending machines and walk back down a hallway to room CK203. This space is designed for caregivers to stay with their children while they use the desks and PC’s to work. A semi-private lactation station and a desk with an attached crib are also available. Toys and a play area can keep kids distracted with help from student workers, though the space is not drop-off daycare.

Liberal Arts Building – Fifth Floor Overlook

Open Mon-Thurs: 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday 6 a.m. -to 6 p.m. Closed Saturday and Sunday.

Very few classes are held on the fifth floor of the Liberal Arts Building due to its reduced number of classrooms compared to the other floors. However, that makes the large glass endcap to the hallway all the more useful. Noise does filter up from the bottom floors it looks out over, but there are dozens of tables and plush chairs to pick from.

Off Campus

Towson Public Library

Hours Mon-Thurs 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Fri-Sat 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sun 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

320 York Road, Towson

The Towson Public Library is just off campus, and might be an easier walk than the university library for some students living off-campus. There’s free Wi-Fi, study rooms, quiet areas, and a collection  of books to browse in-between study breaks. 

Aveley Farms Coffee Roasters

Mon-Fri: 7 a.m. – 4 p.m., Sat-Sun 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

42 W. Chesapeake Ave. Towson

If you require coffee for your study session, local coffee shop Aveley’s Coffee Roasters is less than a 10-minute walk into Uptown. It has outdoor and indoor seating, free Wi-Fi, and a menu of coffees, teas, baked goods and breakfast foods for purchase.

Roggenart Cafe

Everyday 7 a.m. – 5 p.m.

28 Allegheny Ave. Suite A, Towson

A bit further up York Road sits this cozy bakery-cafe with tons of plush sofa chairs, hightops, and two top tables for studying. It has a menu of sandwiches, breakfast foods, pastries and coffee and tea options to stay for a long time. It has free Wi-Fi and is good for students who like a bit of background noise for a study session.