Since arriving at Amherst, I have been on a side quest to discover the best study spaces around campus. This list is a culmination of my adventure so far, and it includes both my frequently used spots and recent discoveries I see myself using more often.
There are three things I look for in a study space: natural lighting, a view, and aesthetics. To provide the most authentic review, I am writing about each study spot at the study spot. Without further ado, the list!
9. Frost Library: First floor couches, third floor nook
Frost, the classic answer, therefore last by default. However, there are two noteworthy spots I find myself at when I do choose to study there. The first is the couches by the floor-to-ceiling windows on the first floor. It has a beautiful view of the first-year quad and is perfect for a relaxed study session with friends. The couches are also highly comfortable, excellent for a nap.
Next is a study nook on the third floor. It is quiet and secluded, with a floor lamp providing ambient lighting, making it an excellent environment for late-night studying (or procrastination). The armchairs are not too comfortable, but the two couches right outside are.
8. Keefe Campus Center
Keefe is a vibrant student space during lunchtime on weekdays. With tons of students going in and out and dining Grab-n-Go, the space gets rather noisy, and it does not have the aesthetics to be an ideal study area either. However, I habitually started studying on the couches after lunch last semester, mostly because I did not feel like moving and because it is a convenient place to socialize — I will see at least one friend passing by. I also love the ample natural light pouring down from above.
7. Chapin Hall: Pemberton Lounge
The Chapin Lounge is a true gem in an otherwise unassuming academic building. This lounge is one of the most aesthetic rooms on campus with its earth-toned furnishing, floor-to-ceiling bookcases, and thriving plants. The sole reason it is ranked low is because of my own failure to focus. The couches and the atmosphere provide a 10 out of 10 napping experience, which is where things go wrong.
6. Converse Hall: Main Lobby
Converse is not known as a study space, but I have spent a fair amount of time there as an economics major. The neoclassical aesthetic and the quiet echoing in the spacious lobby always inspire me to focus. There are some great couches and tables, and despite the cool-toned overhead lights and lack of natural lighting, the space has a soothing ambiance.
Bonus space: I recently discovered the Fitch Room from my research for this blog. Student Affairs accepts requests to use the room, so it is not an accessible study space, but I wanted to see it out of curiosity. I felt like I was transported back to the 1800s the moment I set foot in the room. Various administrative offices currently use this room for meetings, and the hope is that this room will be more available once the new student center is open.
5. Lyceum: History Lounge
My daily commute from my summer housing in Seligman to the Admission Office requires me to walk past the Lyceum, the newly built academic building. It is quite far from central campus since it is down the hill behind Johnson Chapel, but since I live close to it during the summer, I decided to explore it per a fellow intern’s recommendation. The History Lounge on the third floor is the ideal study room. It has a large whiteboard, a table for group work, and a couch for studying and napping. It is not the best sitting couch but an excellent napping couch, and the muted street noise is actually quite soothing.
4. Inn on Boltwood
Although it is not on campus, the inn is owned by the college, so I am including it on my list. I have only been there a handful of times, only once for studying. However, it made the list because of my infamous all-nighter there. The antique furnishing gives a homey ambiance, and along with the fireplace and warm lighting, it is an especially cozy place to be during the winter. The tall bookshelves are filled with interesting historical Amherst texts and gadgets, and the board games cleverly disguised as books are perfect for a study break.
3. Beneski Museum of Natural History: Reading Room
Museums are not the first places that come to mind when it comes to studying, but both museums at Amherst are exceptional places to study. This summer was the first time I ventured beyond the first floor of Beneski, and the reading room on the second floor is one of my greatest findings. This room has a perfect mix of views and aesthetics, with a sight of the Science Center and inside of the museum and the old-fashioned furnishing. There is just something special about studying a few steps away from Bebu the mammoth and the fascinating collection of dinosaur skeletons and minerals.
2. Mead Art Museum: Rotherwas Room
I have only been here once before a recent museum tour with the other interns, which led me to truly appreciate this space. The 17th-century English Jacobean room itself is an artwork with beautiful, detailed stained glass windows and a glitzy chandelier hanging from the patterned ceiling. The dark brown furniture completes the dark academia aesthetic. Since Mead sits on the edge of the hill, you only see the sky and the woods behind the Science Center when sitting down in one of the armchairs. As I write this, I fall more and more in love with this room; the spot has gradually reached the top of the list just over the last hour or so.
1. Science Center: Third floor, behind the chemistry labs
This spot has never failed me when I needed to focus, which is why it is at the top of my list. It is thunderstorming as I write this, which is what I consider the best time to be in the Science Center and this spot. Located at the back of the building, the study area faces the woods and the rolling hills, and it has a delightful spiral staircase that leads to another study area downstairs. There is another set of study areas on the other side of the building, but this one has a better view, in my opinion.
A bonus spot is the tall chairs and table in front of the labs, with a view of Mead and Keefe. The Science Center also scores extra points for being open 24/7, making it the most accessible study place on campus.
I am always looking for new places to explore, so reach out to me at xliu27@amherst.edu if you have any interesting spots for me to check out!