Student study spots

From the bustling, noisy Starbucks in the Indiana Memorial Union to a quiet nook in the library, student study spots are as diverse as the majors the University offers. With almost 30,000 undergraduates, the University has countless options for people searching for the perfect place to finish their schoolwork.

Starbucks
While most consider a quiet atmosphere conducive to learning, sophomore Grace Green enjoys the hustle and bustle of the Starbucks in the IMU Gallery. The milling crowds and background music keep her focused on her homework while the coffee and desserts keep her nourished as she works.

“I like to study at Starbucks because it’s not too quiet and it’s not too loud,” Green said. “In my (dorm) room I get too distracted, and the library is too quiet. It seems kind of tense in the library. But in Starbucks, there are people moving around and talking, but they are not necessarily people you know who you’re going to talk to.”

Unlike some of her classmates, Green said she enjoys background noise and isn’t easily distracted by the sounds of coffee being made, the chatter of the students and music. She said the atmosphere relaxes her and allows her to concentrate on her work without being anxious or stressed.

“Some people need absolute silence to study, but I don’t really need that,” Green said.

Campus libraries
Just as Green needs noise to loosen her up as she does her homework, junior Robert Barnell prefers the solitary space and quiet ambiance of libraries, and chooses to study mainly in the Herman B Wells and School of Public and Environmental Affairs libraries. Barnell stops in several times a day between and after classes, and values convenience and absolute silence when he is working, he said.

“Between classes, I’ll go to whatever library is nearest,” Barnell said. “A lot of people seem to not go (to the SPEA library), so it’s not super crowded. I like how they have windows, and it’s an interesting building.”

While Barnell enjoys the SPEA library, he switches locations if he is working on a larger assignment.

“I go to SPEA just for day-to-day things,” Barnell said. “When I have a really big paper, I’ll go to Wells to the second floor of the West Tower.”

Dorm rooms
While some students prefer to leave the distracting space of their own dorm rooms, other students favor the convenience and companionship of studying with friends.

Sophomore Leah Myhre said she dislikes areas with constant noise, such as the Starbucks in the IMU, and the quiet atmosphere of the library. Rating convenience as a main priority, she said she stays in her dorm to study in the company of friends.

“If it’s something small that has to be completed for the next day and doesn’t require a lot of focused attention, then I like to study with friends,” Myhre said. “I think it creates a fun, energetic atmosphere that keeps me awake to do my homework.”

However, if she has an upcoming paper or project that requires more consideration than her daily work, then Myhre said she leaves her dorm to visit the library.

“If I have to work on a paper or do a huge project, then I like to do it alone or maybe with one other person who’s doing the same work in the library so I’m more focused and concentrating,” she said.

Around campus
Junior Carmen Cronin said she varies her study setting depending on her location and her assignments. She said she also enjoys mixing studying and socializing with friends.

“If I’m on campus, I generally study in Collins or in the Starbucks,” Cronin said.
“They’re sort of quiet places, but they’re also places where I can get some food or a drink. There are people passing by so it’s nice to have a little bit of light noise in the background.”

Like Myhre, Cronin heads to the library if her homework requires more time than usual. Generally, she said she prefers to avoid the library unless absolutely necessary.

“Sometimes I’ll go up to the library in the stacks if I have to get a lot of work done,” Cronin said. “It’s also kind of nice to be in Collins or in the Union because I can do easier homework and usually I can socialize at the same time. It’s not intense studying; for that I’ll go to the library.”

After her day ends, Cronin said she takes pleasure in doing homework with friends back at her dorm.

“In the dorm, I study in the lounge a lot,” Cronin said. “Sometimes in my room, but mostly studying is also a time when I can socialize with others.”