Midterms have come to a close, but the workload has yet to dwindle down. As finals loom on the horizon and Halloweekend threatens to swallow all that hard-earned progress you've made to catch up, we decided to compile this list of study spots where you can hit the books and get back on track.
Fair Trade Cafe
Animated GIFMany students walk by Fair Trade Cafe every day without realizing the studious haven within the A.E. England Building on the Downtown campus. It's a comfy place to get stuff done with its numerous couches and plush chairs. Plus, it’s quiet, but not unsettlingly so, they always have chill songs playing softly in the background. To top it all off, the coffee cake is the best, and will get you through that painful paper. — Desiree Pharias, opinion editor
Student Services Courtyard
CardAs the semester progresses, it starts to cool off and Hayden starts to smell like sweat and desperation. That’s why I like to take my 2,400 word assignment outside. The student services courtyard makes me feel like I’m at an “elite” “East Coast” “institution” for the price of ASU! Real talk, though, this serene campus selection replenishes me after seeing exclusively basketball shorts on my way to campus. Just make sure to bring a wet nap or something, as the tables in the courtyard get a little dusty sometimes. — Peter Northfelt, managing editor
Tempe newsroom
Animated GIFTwo jobs and a lot of classes kill my chances of studying, but sometimes I sneak in a few minutes to study for statistics or editing when I’m at work. Usually my computer shuts off randomly while I’m slumped over at my desk and racking my brain about how to calculate margins of error (Don’t judge my math skills!). Either that or I get hungry or the sky starts falling, and I just give up. I promise myself I’ll study when I get home, but we all know that’s a lie. — Shelby Slade, editor-in-chief
Jobot Coffee and Dining
CardThere’s always a time in the evening between 9 and 10 p.m. when the baristas are chill, there’s no trap music playing and the comfy couch is empty. That’s prime time for some much needed production. I order some biscuits and gravy, plop down on the plush couch and try to bust out a paper I procrastinated for three weeks. — Kelcie Grega, news editor
Intercampus shuttles
Imgur GIFMy work schedule is hellish enough that I rarely have the time or presence of mind to actually sit down and work on school things, so most of my “studying” takes place in a panic on the 7:30 a.m. shuttle on my way downtown for my 9 a.m. classes. I even have a routine worked out: I get on the bus, open my laptop, decide I need to sleep instead, and crank out the rest of my essay in a desperate, caffeinated rush at the nearest coffee shop after disembarking. — Ben Moffat, photo editor
Cartel Coffee Lab
Animated GIFAlthough I spend a lot of time in downtown Phoenix, I live in Tempe and need a public place to ensure I don’t cry over my writing skills. Cartel Coffee Lab is often my go-to hub for its convenience. Not only is it only 0.2 miles from campus, but it also serves the best hibiscus herbal tea on the entire damn planet. Cartel maintains a continuously studious environment as well: Everyone here is either reading, writing or desperately avoiding both by scrolling through social media. What’s not to love? — Aimee Plante, assistant news editor
Cronkite Edit Bays
CardThere’s something so freeing about being one of the only people remaining in a building usually buzzing with students. Late nights in the Cronkite sixth floor edit bays, assuming you have adequate provisions for your all-nighter, offer that creative escape. Just don’t study there the night before a videography project is due, unless you enjoy teaching your peers how to color correct a blue interview in Adobe Premiere. — Ben Margiott, executive editor
Tempe Library
Animated GIFLibraries are near and dear to my heart, and the Tempe library is extra special because it's the one I grew up going to. If you walk in, take a right, pass the magazines and take another right just before the books start, you can walk down the hall to find this serene quiet room. You have your pick between cushioned seats and roomy work tables, and I've never experienced over-crowding in here. Sometimes it's nice to get away from the college scene, and the large window allows the perfect combination of air conditioning and sunlight. Though you can't eat in here, there is a cafe in the library on the same floor where you can snack or grab a drink — meaning I never have to leave the library at all! Unfortunately, this room has the same hours as the library, so I do get kicked out more often than I'd like. — Jojo Huckeba, assistant photo editor
College Avenue Commons
Animated GIFThe Del E. Webb School of Construction inside College Avenue Commons is an architectural paradise and a quiet place to study with great views from every angle. It's the best kept secret on campus, and I'm surprised there aren't more people there – ergonomic chairs, reliable Wi-Fi, and an array of dining options across the street for when you're ready to take a break from poring over accounting textbooks. (Just don't steal my spot while I'm gone!) — Stefan Modrich, sports editor
Hayden Library Courtyard
Animated GIFIt takes a special appreciation to see the beauty in a metal, malformed, vertically challenged fake palm tree. Given the fact that Arizona’s climate is entirely conducive to growing the real thing, I applaud ASU for thinking outside the box by eschewing organic beings and instead lining these strange, spiky structures in the courtyard of our largest library. Now that the weather is nice, I can enjoy studying outside in the breeze of this artificial arboretum. — Ben Murphy, assistant arts editor
First Amendment Forum in Cronkite
Animated GIFI spend nearly half of my time in the Cronkite building. Most of my classes are here and it’s close to my apartment. Studying here is a calming experience, especially as a journalism major. Simply plug your preferred charger into one of the several outlets scattered around the forum floor and start working. If you need a break, glance up at the projection screen that only shows CNN. Voices in the forum never climb above a soft murmur. — Andrew Nicla, Online Editor
El Toro Jam Room
Animated GIFWhen I need to study, I usually don’t want to study. So what better way to keep the brain fresh then jam out in the comfort of my own band’s personal practice space. Educating myself on the ways an A minor progression can emotionally affect the soul is much more liberating than learning what a value proposition means. — Jacob Goldstein, arts and entertainment editor
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