The Best Places on Campus to Study/Work/Collaborate

Living at IMSA means that academics will be incorporated into almost every part of your life, and learning to study/work/collaborate will be a lifesaver. But where on campus is best for studying? Keep reading for my ranking of  the best spots around campus to study/work/collaborate.

1.THE SSA

Topping this list of best places to study is the Science Study Area or the SSA. This lifesaver of an area has been my go-to for intense focus and studying, and for good reason. The large tables and ingenious arrangements make it easy to study alone or collaborate. The outlets are accessible to most tables, the whiteboard is perfect for doing math problems, and the sterile vibe of the area makes it easy to pop in headphones and focus. While these traits are shared with other wonderful areas, the SSA’s charm lies in its being off the beaten path. Being a far walk from most common places on campus, the SSA doesn’t make me want to leave the area once I’ve settled in, and I rarely run into people I know who can distract me. Its proximity to bathrooms and Lexington also makes it easy for me to stay there the entire day. Over the weekend, the SSA is open, which allows for even more time to use this space. Since everyone on campus knows that the SSA is the study spot, the SSA is mostly quiet and focused.

While the SSA is my favorite place to study, it does have minor drawbacks. First, its secluded location is a double-edged sword, as I find it annoying to walk back and forth from my room for things like check or a charger. Clubs on campus use the space for interviews and meetings, which can disrupt the serenity of the SSA. But, the biggest disadvantage of the SSA is its popularity. IMSA students LOVE the SSA, and the fact that the area only has 4 tables makes it unreliable for those looking for a consistent study area. Nonetheless, I stand by my opinion that the SSA is the best place to study on campus.

 2.IN2

Before coming to IMSA, we’ve all seen IMSA’s hallmark: IN2. This newly constructed space on campus has become a very popular spot for studying, and for good reason. Combining receiving the most natural light on campus with new furniture, a million outlets, and spaciousness, IN2 reminds us that IMSA has the potential to be great. While the common space of IN2 is great, the conference rooms are even better for a focused studying experience, offering quiet and whiteboards on top of great tables and chairs. IN2 booths are also amazing places to collaborate with others. The elevated features of IN2 make it a comfortable place to work and collaborate.

While great, IN2 suffers from many disadvantages like its peers. Its popularity means that IN2 is constantly overcrowded and loud, making it hard for me to focus sometimes. Classes, meetings, and events are often held in IN2 as well, which makes IN2 unreliable for those seeking a place to focus. Besides the tables, booths, and conference rooms, IN2’s chairs are quite impractical, offering very little table space. IN2 is also the least accessible, as it is only open during school hours, closes at 5pm, and requires students to take stairs to access the area. The space is closed on weekends and requires a chaperone at all times. It is also important to remember that IN2 doesn’t have a restroom for such a large space, and students have to travel out of IN2 to get to restrooms near security. 

3.THE IRC

Quirkily titled the “Information Resource Center” or IRC, IMSA’s library is a prime spot to get some work done in a traditional, academic setting. Unlike other places on this list that offer just tables and chairs, the IRC offers many useful resources. The study room makes it easy to collaborate with peers in an enclosed space, and the silent study room, although underutilized, is one of the best spots on campus to focus. The IRC also provides one of the two color printing centers on campus and several stationary supplies such as markers and scissors. Combining these features with a spacious room and tons of tables, the IRC stands as one of the best spots to study on campus.

However, the IRC isn’t without its drawbacks. Its popularity makes it a common place for friends to meet up, causing the common space to become loud and distracting. Although mostly open, the IRC is also bound by time restrictions, and the frequently shifting schedule forces the IRC to be an unreliable spot to study, not to mention the tedious reservation process required to enter the library during S&E. Finally, the IRC isn’t accessible to students who require an elevator after A-Wing closes at 6, further lowering its reliability.

4.THE LOFT

Outside of A-Wing’s second-floor classrooms is the Loft, a magical study spot popular with students as it is one of the only places on campus to receive a surplus of natural light. The Loft also provides some of the best essentials for a good study sesh–-outlets scattered throughout the floor, large, movable whiteboards, and several types of tables for group or individual work. When school is not in session, the Loft is often empty, making it easy to find a spot to sit down and work.

Unfortunately, the Loft has its disadvantages. Firstly, the Loft is less readily available than other spots, simply because A-Wing closes earlier than the rest of campus at 6. Its second-floor location can also make it difficult to access, but more so than the IRC, since it is open when the elevator is operational. At peak times such as S&E, the Loft often gets overcrowded and unsuitable for working. But the most annoying thing about the Loft is that there are no bathrooms nearby, and I must take a flight of stairs down to reach a bathroom.

5.MATH STUDY AREA

Weirdly enough, while the SSA has its own acronym, the Math Study Area doesn’t; perhaps that’s a testament to how unpopular the math counterpart of the SSA is. The math study area is a fantastic place to study if you want individual tables with accessible math support. Individual tables make it easy to rearrange the layout, and the 2 gargantuan whiteboards make math a breeze. Down one hallway is the math office and the math peer tutor fishbowl, which is perfect if I am looking for reliable math support.

Nevertheless, I don’t really like the math study area. Only a few people use this space during school, and absolutely no one uses it after school as the math study area closes when A-Wing closes. The tables, while individual, are rickety and unpleasant to work on. The lack of clear separation between classrooms and the study area puts it in an awkward position where distractions come and go. The math study area isn’t a bad place to study, but a plethora of better options exist that diminish its ranking as a study spot.

6.ROOM

As much as I hope to become constantly locked in, my room is a sanctuary for me and my subconscious refuses to allow me to work inside my room. My room should be a perfect place to study on paper. It is totally private, super comfortable, and has everything I need. My bathroom is right there, outlets are abundant, snacks are everywhere, and it’s peaceful and quiet. When check rolls around, I saunter myself down to the hall commons to get checked and catch up with friends. My chair is infinitely more comfortable than Main’s chairs, and my setup is a lot better with an external keyboard, mouse, and laptop stand.

Yet this comfort is the bane of my academic’s existence. Too often I end up lying in bed, falling asleep after a long day of school. Studying alone can also be saddening, and your room is a terrible place to collaborate due to IMSA’s policies on intervisitation. It is also difficult to get academic support, as you are so far away from the rest of campus. Although my setup is fantastic, I find that my desk can be too small for the work I do, especially if I need to lay out paperwork. Ultimately, your room is a small part of IMSA that separates your academics and personal life, and that distinction is not easily muddied, which makes working in your room a challenge for many.

7.OUTSIDE

To make studying bearable, I often try to romanticize it, and this is done by studying outside. When the weather is beautiful, IMSA’s greenery makes me feel comfortable and in touch with nature, something we all need at IMSA. Whether you’re working at the conveniently placed picnic tables or one of the slabs, there’s always space outside to get some work done while relaxing and breathing fresh air.

Not to anyone’s surprise, studying outside isn’t practical at all. Oftentimes, nature is the biggest enemy, and studying outside is highly inconsistent and unreliable. With Illinois’ temperamental weather, it can be too cold, too hot, too rainy, or too humid to study outside. Wind will blow all your papers away, while gnats constantly swarm your head, looking for a heat source, not to mention the sun’s glare will make it impossible to see your laptop screen. You may not even be able to use your laptop due to a lack of outlets and spotty wifi, but your paperwork won’t be happy with the holes in ¾ of the picnic tables. There are also no reliable bathrooms nearby, and people milling around is a huge distraction. Unfortunately, IMSA’s great outdoors should still be reserved for slab parties and picnics.

Now that our glorious summer has ended, we are faced with 10 months of cruel, harsh, work, which makes it ever more crucial that we find the right environments to do our work. Rounding off the best places to work on campus is the SSA, followed closely by IN2 and the IRC. With this list out of the way, I wish you all an exciting new year! Happy working!