As finals inch closer, many students are scrambling to find a place to study on campus. During this time of year, Hale Library suddenly turns into one of the most popular destination at K-State.
If you do choose to study at Hale, Sara Kearns, associate professor and head of undergraduate and community services department for K-State Libraries, said it would be important for students to understand the library’s study zones.
Kearns said the first and third floors (including the Harry Potter Room) are quiet study zones during finals. That means no conversations and any thing you are listening to on your headphones can’t be heard by anyone else. Because of this, the second and fourth floors – plus the 24-Hour study area by Einstein’s – are perfect for group studying.
Kearns also said if you need silent study, the Hemisphere Room on Hale’s fifth floor will be open Monday through Wednesday from 5 p.m. to midnight of finals week.
“Otherwise, it may be really helpful to get some earplugs or headphones to wear,” Kearns said. “We do walk-throughs to help maintain the quiet study zones, but with the number of people in the building, it’s impossible to maintain absolute silence.”
According to the New York Times, cognitive scientists suggest that alternating study spaces is a more effective way to retain information. These scientists also said the memory is colored by location, and changing your study locations increases the likelihood of remembering what you’ve learned.
Although Hale is a great place to study, sometimes it gets really busy – like during finals week.
“Every finals week is slightly different based upon when big exams are held (like Calculus or Chemistry 2),” Kearns said. “However, generally Hale is busiest on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, and then it starts to ease up Wednesday. During any given day for Finals, we’re pretty busy (from) 9:30 (a.m. to) 4 (p.m.).”
So, if you go to Hale between 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and cannot find a place to study, below is a list of places that are also available and hopefully won’t be as crowded.
It’s better for your memory to switch locations anyways.
Radina’s has one location on-campus and two locations fairly close to campus. The one in the Leadership Studies Building is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The one on the hill, located on Claflin Road, is open Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday through Sunday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The one available in Aggieville is open Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Radina’s in Aggieville also has free Wi-Fi.
“I like studying at Radina’s because it’s quiet, there is free Wi-Fi, it’s not crowded and I really, really like their Snicker mocha,” Angeline Ramirez, senior in clinical laboratory science, said. “The Snicker mocha is really delicious and it helps me stay awake. I need to stay awake because I plan on doing a lot of studying.”
Bluestem Bistro, located in Aggieville, is another good study location. The coffeehouse has free Wi-Fi too, and is open Monday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The Manhattan Public Library, located on Poyntz Avenue, is open Sunday at 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
“What I like about studying at the public library is that everyone doesn’t think of going there and it isn’t crowded like Hale during finals,” Monica Farfan, senior in animal sciences and industry, said. “Also there is a lot less noise to deal with. They also offer computers and conference rooms that you can use or reserve when you need to study.”
If studying off-campus is too far for you, Kearns said she recommends checking out the Hale branch libraries. The Fiedler Engineering Library, located in Fiedler Hall, is part of the Durland Hall engineering complex; the Math and Physics Library is located in Cardwell Hall; the Veterinary Medical Library is located in Trotter Hall and the Paul Weigel Library of Architecture, Planning and Design is located in Seaton Hall. All of these alternative libraries are good (and often overlooked) studying options.
“The (K-State Student) Union is open 24/7 for finals and the Alumni Center is open for extended hours for finals,“ Kearns said.
The on-campus locations may be more convenient but if they are crowded you can always try one of the off-campus locations. The off-campus locations have free wifi and a lot less people than on-campus. So whether you are studying alone or in a group, you should be aware of all of the places that you can study in Manhattan.
