It’s that dreaded time of the year: finals. With the semester wrapping up, you may find yourself saying, “Man, I should really go do my homework,” you’re going to need a place to do it. Your choice of study spot can say a lot about you as a human… personally, I enjoy sitting at my kitchen table in my underwear, but sometimes life isn’t that perfect. If you can’t find a table at Hale Library, or your roommates are partying too hard on a Tuesday because they’re already done with finals, look no further: this is your guide to the best study places in Manhattan.
One of the best places on campus is Hale Library, and I think most students would agree with that, whether or not they spend a lot of time there. It’s so beautiful and full of history and knowledge that make people want to be successful in college. Hale is open 24 hours every day during finals week.
“I like sitting at the booths on the second floor,” said Paige Humphrey, junior in biology, “They’re great for people-watching.”
My favorite place to study on campus is the Room 117 stacks, on the first floor of Hale. It’s the basement of old Farrell Library so there are old radiator heaters, plaster crown moldings on the ceiling, and hidden away tables at the edges of the room. Most people have no idea you can even go in there, let alone study.
If you like the atmosphere of Hale library—sitting in silence and surrounded by books—but can’t find a chair or table anywhere to rest your stressed-out head, there are four other libraries on campus: Weigel Architecture, Planning, and Design Library, Fiedler Engineering Library, the Math & Physics Library, or the Vet Med Library.
One of my favorite spots is Weigel Library in Seaton Hall because it’s small, kind of off the beaten path, and not many people know about it (whoops). Kuter Isaac, senior in geography, said his favorite thing about Weigel Library is how close it is to all his classes. The library is equipped with a computer lab with printing, and interesting material to check out if you’re purposely trying to distract yourself from the hundreds of pages you should be reading.
The K-State Union is the best late-night study place. It’s open 24 hours every day during dead and finals week, and people don’t even realize it.
“There’s so much more to the Union than just the dining area,” said Andrew Kjellin, junior in English, “There are different spaces for different needs, and it fits all kinds of group sizes.”
Hale can get so crowded that you can’t even find a seat, so instead of wandering around, looking aimlessly for a table you’re definitely not going to find, waltz over to the Union and lounge on a comfy couch in Salsarita’s, or set up shop next to the Wildcat 91.9 studio.
If you’re a coffee lover and need a quick caffeine fix, there are tons of coffee shops on and off-campus to choose from. On campus, Radina’s at Leadership Studies is open until 9 p.m. on weeknights, while Radina’s in the Ville is open until 11 p.m.
Arrow Coffee on Claflin is smaller, usually less busy than Radina’s, and open until midnight every day except Sunday. Bluestem Bistro—open until 11 p.m. every day—is a great choice if you’re wanting dinner and a study session, and an even better choice if you like a couple brews with your textbooks.
And if you’re wanting something so completely far off the beaten path that you can’t possibly see anyone you know there, the Hardback Café at Hasting’s Bookstore is the best choice for you.
So whether you need a cup of coffee to go with your studying or just need to be surrounded by books, there’s plenty of places to go to for finals week.
