Finals Again!? My Favorite Places to Study on Campus

After having just finished my spring semester finals, I have finals again?! Thankfully, I'll only be taking one exam for this round as opposed to five scattered around two weeks. (Two weeks that I ended up spending in my PJs and half asleep while attempting to study...)

One of the great things about the Homewood Campus is that there are so many places that you can study if you ever need a change of scenery. You definitely don't need to stay cooped up in your room or in a cubicle on D Level in MSE library. Here's a list of my favorite places.

Brody Learning Commons - Quiet Reading Room
The quiet reading room can be found on Q level of the BLC, straight ahead once you pass through the turnstiles by the Daily Grind. I really enjoy this space because it provides you with the silence of C or D level of the library while having an abundance of natural light, comfortable seating, and enough room to spread out a little. You never need to worry about your devices having no power because there are outlets built into every table. You can even go to the circulation desk in MSE to borrow charging cables if you've forgotten yours.

View of the Quiet Reading Room at the BLC, from JHU's Facebook albums

If you ever need to take a break from your work, you can check out "The Archaeology of Knowledge". This is a collection of Hopkins-related artifacts located in display cases and drawers which can be perused by anyone in Brody.

You'll definitely find some interesting things here.

Brody Learning Commons - Atrium Floor on B-Level
If you're one of those people who can't focus in dead silence, then B-Level in Brody is the perfect place to be. There's a lot of comfortable seating and places to work, including individual chairs with side desks and longer tables with stools for group work. The Atrium is a really nice space because of all the open space and natural lighting provided by a whole window wall. It's a great place to be if you just want to hear the chatter amongst all the students and feel like you're in what is very plausibly, the new central hub of the school. The Atrium is the perfect place to catch up with friends on a school night.

So yes, this happened. Harlem Shake, Hopkins edition
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TikJdWYwNCQ

Brody Learning Commons - Any Group Study Room
The group study rooms in Brody are one of my favorite features. If you and a group of friends ever want to get away from the hustle and bustle on B-Level, you can easily reserve a study room online with your JHED login. You can reserve a time slot for a specific room exactly 24 hours before your intended start time. The competition for a room is intense during the school year, luckily during the summer there are way fewer people to compete with. Check out this website to reserve a room. http://rooms.library.jhu.edu/

All you need to access the study room is your J-Card, swiping it at the reader on the door. Each room is complete with a projector and speakers, with plenty of space to work.

These rooms are dotted all around Brody and all of them have ample space to write. The white glossy walls are dry erase safe and most of the windows are too. You can get more markers from the information desk if you ever need more! A cool feature in the rooms is TeamSpot, which is what allows you to connect your laptop to the room, to project your screen to the group or easily exchange files. I've personally spent many a productive night in these study rooms (and maybe some not productive ones...those projectors are really great for watching movies with friends)

Gilman Hall - The Hut
The Hutzler Reading Room (aka The Hut) is a room located in the back of Gilman Hall. It is an extension of the Sheridan Libraries, having the same printing amenities and housing some of its collections. It has maintained its original integrity even after the renovation completed in 2010, and still uses the same stained glass windows. The Hut provides a quiet atmosphere and always has copies of the latest Hopkins undergraduate journals. Located in the Hut are the Learning Den (group tutoring) and the Writing Center.

The Hutzler Reading Room in Gilman Hall

Levering Hall - Lobby Area/Pura Vida Cafe and the Student Lounge
Levering Hall is like the quasi-Student Union on campus. It features spaces for large events like the Glass Pavilion or the Great Hall, and many other spaces like the food court and Arellano Theater.
The lobby of Levering Hall features comfortable seating with ample lighting, and is only a stone's throw away from Pura Vida, a cafe run by JHU Dining. It's the perfect place to stop by between classes to get a coffee, and sit down with some light work. However, there are some exciting changes. This week, Pura Vida will be closing at the end of the week for renovations. As a result of the new dining vendor on campus, the cafe will be reopening as the Chesapeake Bay Roasting Company on Monday, 7/8. There is also a student lounge that is located a little further into the building, to the left of the Great Hall.

Levering Hall Lobby

Hopefully all of you are excited to start your summer at Johns Hopkins. Of all these places, you're sure to find the perfect fit for your studying needs. In the meantime, I have to study for my final. Wish me luck! I hope to see you all at orientation on the new few Sundays!