ASU is a fairly large school, but can get quite crowded come exam time. Now, with the Science and Engineering Library closed for the rest of the academic year, more and more students are flooding into Hayden. With so many students on campus and a limited space for them to occupy, some of you may feel like there is nowhere you can get some peace and quiet when you need it. I'll admit that it is quite difficult to find an unoccupied, quiet space during those peak study hours, but if you gather your wits and put some effort into scouting out the perfect spot, you will find what you're looking for.
Unfortunately, nobody has time to go hunting for study space. Especially not a busy student such as you or me. Here is a list with plenty of off-the-beaten-path nooks and crannies on campus for you to exploit. Here are the 10 best spots to go if you are looking to get away to get some serious work done.
Hayden Library Locations
Yes, Hayden can get packed to the roof. But sometimes a few quiet places can be overlooked by the masses.
1.) Silent Study Rooms
With locations on the basement floor and on the third floor, these rooms provide a quiet oasis for students trying to study on their own. The no-talking rule helps keep the noise levels to a minimum, and they rarely meet their max occupancy. This unfortunately will not work for students looking to study with a partner(s).
2.) The Northeast Stairwell
This is a place I have gone to study multiple times. There is never a soul around and you have a nice view from the large windows occupying the second floor landing. If you aren't someone who needs to be sitting at a table to study, this could be the perfect place to get your focus on. It is also not the most straightforward place to get to. To find it, you must go to the second or third floor, then head all the way to the northwest corner of the building, and you should see a white door with a small window leading to the stairwell. The only problem with this area is the echo. If you want to talk to other people, you might want to go somewhere else.
3.) Outside the Basement
Since we have the privilege of enjoying year-round warmth here in Arizona, studying outside can often be just as comfortable as studying inside. You have all probably noticed the area below Hayden's main level as you walked down Hayden Mall or in front of the MU. If you take the stairs down, you will find a stone picnic table perched perfectly in the shade of an overhead walkway. This spot is great when weather permits and here you can be as loud of a studier as you want.
Memorial Union Locations
The MU does get extremely crowded during the day, but if you're looking to get some studying done later at night you'd be surprised by how much space there is to go around.
4.) The MU Porch
I'm sure everyone has sat outside the front of the MU at one point or another, so many of you are probably familiar with this spot. Have you ever tried studying there? If not you should. When there isn't live music perforating your eardrums, it can be nice place to sit and bang out a few assignments. Not to mention the fact that you've got food right inside.
5.) Just inside the MU
This is another spot that is less crowded as the night progresses. There are plenty of tables to use and plenty of space for you to spread out if you are looking to get some work done after the end of peak dinner hours.
6.) The MU Basement
There are lots of places to go study below the MU's main level. The room adjacent to the Subway with all those tables and chairs gets pretty quiet after hours. So quiet that you'll often find some students catching up on some sleep in the booths. The only problem with this space is that they sometimes leave the TV volume on. This can be a distraction, but if you're someone who likes to study with background noise then hey, all the better for you!
Miscellaneous locations
7.) Behind INTDSA & INTDSB
One spot that I feel is very underappreciated is the garden area between Interdisciplinary A&B and SSV. This area is very pretty with an abundance of foliage and plenty of tables for you to sit. This area is also somewhat enclosed, so even though you're outside, you probably won't run into as many distractions. Again this is an outdoor location, so weather is a factor.
8.) The Manzanita Basement
One spot that is constantly overlooked by most of the Manzanita residents is the basement area below the workout room. This location has booths for anyone to use, but more importantly, two private study rooms with a conference table and a television. There's no guarantee that one will be available, but they often are. They are more than perfect for group studying as well. The only problem is that non-Manzanita residents aren't supposed to be using these spaces, even though it happens all the time. You won't get in trouble for being down there, but you can't rent anything from the front desk.
9.) The Dining Halls
If you are someone that gets the munchies when they study then I would suggest going to one of ASU's three dining halls and using a meal swipe to get in. It's a nice spot because you have access to an unlimited supply of food and drinks. This also means unlimited coffee refills. The only problem here is that at a certain hour they will kick you out because they have to clean the place up, so don't plan on staying through midnight. I would suggest studying here if you're working on something, between meals, anytime from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
10.) Coor Hall
At Coor, students who want to study later in the evening can do so uninterrupted. There is plenty of space right off of Forest Mall and almost no people after the sun goes down. If you are looking for an even quieter spot at Coor, try going up the stairs to one of the higher floors in the building. Each landing opens up with a table and spectacular Arizona views. Also these landing areas are almost never occupied, even during the day. If you're lucky, you can catch a glimpse of the sun as it's setting over the mountains to the southwest.
Reach the writer at wjschliesmann@gmail.com.
