While Main and Mudd Libraries offer plenty of quiet study spaces for students, sometimes the routine trudge to the library can start to feel a bit dismal. I knew I had spent too many consecutive days locked in during finals week when I tried using my credit card to scan in, instead of my Wildcard.
Cramped dorm rooms or loud common spaces are hardly better alternatives, and you can only afford so many obligatory lattes to accompany aesthetic coffee shop study sessions. So, as you fend off texts from your hometown friends about summer plans, here are five hidden gems for Northwestern students to get through finals:
- ‘The Nest’ in the basement of Shepard Hall
Affectionately referred to as “the egg chairs” by my friends and me, these hanging chairs hidden in the basement of Shepard Hall provide a quiet, comfortable place to work. The cushioned chairs muffle any extra noise coming from the basement and feel like they’re made to curl up in. While you run the risk of getting rocked to sleep, The Nest is overall a perfect place to squeeze in a nap or a study session.
- The SOURCE
Norris at noon is one of the most crowded spots on campus, but not everyone dares to venture to the third floor. The SOURCE room is down the hall and around the corner from the elevator, tucked away from wandering diners. It offers plenty of seating, outlets and a picturesque Lakefill view. While it occasionally fills up, you can usually find a spot at a high table or on the couches just outside.
- Kresge Media and Design Studio
An empty classroom in Kresge can provide the perfect space to practice a presentation or scrawl your notes on a whiteboard, but they’re typically occupied by classes and/or clubs. Instead, check out the Kresge Media and Design Studio located on the second floor. Grab a coffee from Backlot and head to this quiet room equipped with plenty of computers and large desk space for spreading out books and notes.
- Upper floors of Main Library
OK, Main itself is hardly a hidden gem, but how many people venture beyond CORE, Periodicals and Cafe Bergson? Get your steps in and take a few flights of stairs to the upper floors of the library These areas are ideal for the easily distracted: dead-silent rooms with one-person desks facing the wall. While they may not be everyone’s cup of tea, I’ve gotten plenty of work done — and watched plenty of Instagram reels — in the music library on the third floor.
- Evanston Public Library
If you can’t snag a seat at Colectivo, take your coffee down the street to the Evanston Public Library for a quiet study session. There are spots to work on each floor for library lovers who want a change of scenery from Mudd or Main. While you’re free to walk in, do your work and leave, Northwestern students living on campus are also eligible for a library card; just pull up your personal information on CAESAR to register. Don’t hesitate to browse the shelves during your study break!
