Study spots on and off campus!

Hello studious Hoosiers! Tired of studying in your room or in your floor lounge? In this post I will share some of the popular study spots on campus and in Bloomington. Let’s get started!

I call it the floating bricks in the sky...the most obvious study spot on campus, the largest of 19 libraries on campus and remodeled in 2014. The first floor of both East and West Towers have been fitted with desktop computers and glass collaboration rooms for group work. West Tower is chattier and more social and collaborative while East Tower is reserved for more quiet, individual study. Upper floors are a combination of group work floors and the silent stacks. All of Wells is open late, but certain floors of the West Tower are open 24/7 so this is a great place to pull all-nighters if you need to.

Also referred to as SPEA Library or sometimes just SPEA. This is located inside the School of Public and Environmental Affairs on 10th Street next to Hodge Hall, but it's open to all students. FYI the place is overrun with Kelley kids, I think there’s usually more of us in there than SPEA majors. There’s lots of desk cubicles as well as larger desks for studying with friends. There are rooms that you can reserve for group work. There’s also a glass encased room dedicated to silent work. I still get lost every time I go to SPEA because the building is so confusing, but just ask someone and they’ll point you in the right direction.

Kelley kids will sometimes pull all-nighters or work on group projects in an empty lecture hall or classrooms that were completely remodeled in 2014! Students can also sit (or sleep) on the Hodge lobby couches and use the tables fitted with electric outlets.  Hodge is accessible to everyone, but only Kelley admits have 24/7 access.

You've probably passed at least one of the couch rooms in the Union when you visited IU. There’s fireplaces to keep the place toasty and the couches are comfy and convenient for studying (or power napping) when you have an hour of downtime in between classes at Ballantine. There’s also Starbucks and the Union food courts for nourishment!

My personal favorite on this list (lol surprise it’s not Kelley).The Pourhouse is a great coffee shop on Kirkwood across the street from the Monroe County Library. It’s just a little past the intersection of Kirkwood and Dunn if you’re walking down Kirkwood toward the square. Great coffee and tea, a little expensive, but I think it’s worth it. It’s a funky, awesome business that gives back. One time I bought a coffee and sat down for eight hours to crank out my final sales presentation for C104 the day before it was due #oops. But definitely check The Pourhouse out, if not for a study spot, it’s a great hangout spot.

Located at College Mall, it’s much farther from campus than The Pourhouse, but that means fewer people come here which leads to fewer potential distractions. And of course there’s nothing like a piping bowl of Panera mac and cheese to help fuel your brain!

I also love to study outside when I can and when the weather permits! With campus-wide wifi, the Arboretum (the grassy area in the picture of Wells) is a popular spot, but there’s also tables scattered all around. Find your favorite place on or off campus to grind out work and rock freshman year and on!