Best study spaces on campus

Welcome to Mercer freshmeat! I mean...freshmen! You’ve made a successful leap from high school bores to college adventures! Now while you’re making new friends, and settling into your new dorm, it’s important to explore campus and find potential study places. Trust me, you will get a boat-load of school work, you will realize quickly that your bed is NOT a good place for productivity and you will be searching for a new study spot.

No worries! Here you will find a list of study spaces that have certainly helped me. 1) The Co-op. I just call this the coop (like a chicken coop). I’m sure it’s already been pointed out to you, but just so you know, the coop is located in the Connell Student Center outside Bear Necessities (you have to go through the coop to get there). I love to study in the upstairs part of the coop on the wooden benches and tables. It’s very focus-friendly up there, and I can usually find a table to myself to spread out my laptop and books on. The coop is also very useful for studying in a group. Piece of advice: Be sure your laptop is fully charged before you go study here because unfortunately there are no power outlets (or just bring an extra long extension chord to plug in downstairs).

2) Study Rooms in Tarver Library. Study rooms are excellent places for concentrating on your work. They are quiet, brightly lit and there’s a dry erase board in each room. You can also choose which level of the library you want to study in based on whether you want background noise. I know I can’t focus on writing unless I’m listening to music. If you’re the type that needs absolute silence, than go to the third floor and you can practically hear your blood flowing.

3) Jittery Joe's. This is a fantastic place to study and get absorbed in a focus bubble. Grab a coffee, choose a table and hit the books! Usually you can find a table to work on your own or with a group of friends. However it can be difficult to study here sometimes because it’s a high traffic area for students. You’re bound to get caught up talking to some friends who stopped by for coffee. Just be careful you actually study while you’re there!

4) Engineering Building. Yes, even if you’re not an engineer, you can still take advantage of the empty classrooms available. The big dry erase boards and large rooms are perfect for studying in a group. It’s also quiet enough to study on your own.

5) University Center. The UC has plenty of cozy couches and tables to sit and study. I enjoy sitting on the couches overlooking the pool. It’s also very convenient for getting meals while you’re studying. Chick-Fil-A, Subway and Burger Studio provide a variety of food for you to choose from. The UC stays open until midnight every night so you can study late. So, now you have an idea of where to study and do work on campus. Time to flutter your wings little chickadees and explore all the great spots off campus in Macon! Flip to the local section for a guide on your off campus adventures. Have fun!