| Written by Kayleigh M. |
When it comes to college, studying and finishing school work can be difficult. Between hanging out with friends, binge watching Netflix series, or attending the never-ending campus events, it can seem almost impossible to find a place to totally seclude yourself from distractions and ways to procrastinate. This is why, during your first weeks at Rutgers-Camden, it is crucial to find your perfect study spot so you know where to go when the workload hits hard. During the past two years, my friends and I have found the best study spots around campus for every studying situation. Below is a list of the best study spots on campus, their descriptions, and ratings based on whether or not they are quiet, crowded, and spacious. These three factors are based on a scale of 0 to 10, 0 being the least and 10 being the most.
Library
Study rooms
If you have ever been on the second floor of the Paul Robeson Library, you are aware that study rooms are one of the most popular group work/study spots on campus. There are about 16 study rooms in total; it is crucial to reserve your room a few hours or even a day or two before you plan to use it.
In each study room there are TVs, white boards, and a video web camera. On the TVs, you can stream the library’s computer monitor or hook up your own personal laptops. This is perfect for working with a PowerPoint or on online group projects. The white boards are ideal for a general brainstorm, establishing a timeline, or working on equations, formulas, and diagrams. The video web cameras are located on top of the TVs and can be used to record yourself. Most students record themselves if they are preparing for a presentation, and some assignments require that students create podcasts or webinars. You can claim a copy of the video from the library’s front desk. To read about library study room policy or reserve a room, click here.
Quiet: 8 Crowded: 0 Spacious: 10
Library Basement
The basement of the Paul Robeson Library is home to the thousands of books Rutgers–Camden stores for their students. Most assume that the basement is only useful for storing books and other resources; however, after spending so much time down there, I realized it was the perfect place to study. Around the basement are spaced out tables that are either great for group work or independent studying. Not many people actually go down to the basement, so finding an open table is always easy and there’s relatively no noise.
Although it is considered a basement, the Wi-Fi connection is as strong as it would be if you were sitting upstairs and there are accessible outlets next to the majority of the tables. In my opinion, I have found this spot most useful for locking it down to make up for some serious procrastination or studying for a major test. It’s a great area to be alone with your thoughts and school work.
Quiet: 10 Crowded: 1 Spacious: 5
Campus Center
Tables outside of Starbucks
If you’re able to study in an upbeat environment without getting distracted, the tables outside of Starbucks could be the spot for you. These tables are in a prime location; you are next to Starbucks (for a coffee break), the dining hall (for a snack break), the stairs (for printing at the downstairs computers), and surrounded by other students (for someone to talk to/rant about school work or ask for help).
These tables only sit two people so this spot is mostly for individual studying or one-on-one discussion.
Quiet: 3 Crowded: 5 Spacious: 4 + Food
Downstairs Campus Center
Although the upstairs of the Campus Center is often busy, the bottom floor is much quieter. Two person tables, computers, bean bag chairs, and couches are dispersed on this floor. The computers located on this floor are short-term use computers that only allow you to log onto for 15 minutes at a time. They come in handy for last-minute printing or fact-checking. The bean bags and couches are a nice option for group discussion and comfortable to sprawl out and get some reading done.
My friends and I often hit this spot for long study periods. Also, once again, you are just a flight of stairs away from Starbucks and the Dining Hall (which is perfect for that much-needed study snack)!
Quiet: 6 Crowded: 3 Spacious: 7 + Food
Other Popular Spots
Outside
My friends and I have all learned to love studying outside. Between spending all day in class, cooped up in the library, or hidden in your room catching up on TV shows, you learn to appreciate getting some fresh air. There are picnic tables located in the quad and next to the law building that usually sit four to six people at a time. These tables are in the shade, which is ideal for a warm spring or fall day. Although there are students all over walking to class or holding events outside, it is normally pretty quiet and peaceful. The only downfall of studying outside would be the poorer Wi-Fi connection, so this study spot is more for reviewing notes or catching up on reading a text book!
Depending on the time of year, there are often big red lawn chairs set up outside of the Admissions building and the Campus Center that you can use as well!
Quiet: 8 Crowded: 5 Spacious: 7
Empty classrooms
At Rutgers–Camden, students have access to every classroom as long as the building is open and there isn’t a class happening. Having access to every classroom means there are seemingly endless possibilities of rooms to study in. An entire room to yourself allows seclusion, quietness, and absolutely no distractions.
All this available space also allows for you to have a much larger study group or even multiple study groups getting together. Many students head over to the Law building to study inside of their lecture halls at night, due to the minimal classes that are held there in the evenings.
Quiet: 10 Crowded: 0 Spacious: 10
I highly advise you check out all of these study spots to see which ones you like the best and you find most helpful when it comes to accomplishing all of your tasks! You may even find a new spot or two that could eventually be added to this list.