My Absolute Favorite Study Spots in Clemson

If you're a nerd like me, you know how fun it is to find new and cool places to study and do homework. Plus, I feel like everyone (whether you like school or not) has that one place where they like to get stuff done. In high school, I would always do work at my desk in my bedroom, but surprisingly in college that changed. I really thought that I would be doing most of my studying in my dorm, but it was always hard because the desk was too small for me to spread out all of my stuff. Not only that, but I quickly realized that I preferred to get out of my dorm and study in a more open space where I wasn't distracted by things in my room.

That being said, there are many different places both on and off campus that I turn to for my study and homework needs, which you should definitely check out.

On-Campus

Thomas Cooper Library (aka Cooper or "The Lib")

The Lib is a classic. During finals week, you'll often find that it's hard to get a seat because of how packed it is. I often spend a lot of time in The Lib and have studied on about every single floor. What floor you're on really does dictate how much work you may get done, at least for me. So here's the breakdown:

• First Floor: If you need to grind and need ABSOLUTE SILENCE, this is the floor for you. There are some private rooms that you can rent or sneak into like I do when no one is using them. When I was taking public speaking, I would go into these rooms to practice or I would just use them to talk about my notes to myself. But beware: if you go down here and make any kind of noise (talking, snacking, etc.) you may get some angry looks.

• Second Floor: If you need to grind, need some quiet, but also don't want to feel like you have to be completely still and silent, hit up the second floor. Second floor was my go-to whenever I had any type of chemistry test. I would go down there and do problems in one of the comfy booths or desks with the swivel chairs. Plus, there's both color and black & white printers, which is great if you need to run and print off some notes. Not only that, but CCIT is on this floor, so if your computer crashes (which will hopefully never happen to you) they got your back.

• Third Floor: Honestly, third floor is a MOOD. There's such a variety of seating that you have the option to study by yourself or study with friends. It's personally one of my favorite floors because I always see all of my friends there and you don't feel the pressure to be extremely quiet. But at the same time, it's also not too loud.

• Fourth Floor: Fourth floor is great if you need a big white board, larger table, or some printers. Most of the printers are on this floor, which is really convenient if you need to print notes or papers on the way to class. You can just pop in and pop out real quick. Not only that, but the POD is on this floor so you have a great source of snacks and treats. I highly recommend the f'real machine -- you can pick a flavor and make your own milkshake!! Talk about a perfect pick-me-up from a long day of studying and school.

• Fifth Floor: Fifth floor is the best if you need a caffeine surge. Yes, you guessed it...Starbucks :) I will say though, around 10 AM, the line gets extremely long, so I highly recommend using GrubHub to order ahead if you're trying to pick it up before or on the way to your next class. There's also great tables to sit at around and above Starbucks, which gives me a little coffee shop feel. There's a lot of cubbies and computers on this floor as well as big tables on the left side. If you happen to get a seat by the stairs, you'll have a great view of Reflection Pond.

• Sixth Floor: If you don't want to worry about being quiet, this floor is for you. The sixth floor has lots of long tables and high tops where you can study with friends or work on group projects. Sometimes I like to switch it up and I'll put in my headphones and grind on the sixth floor. It really just depends on my mood for the day.

Core Starbucks :)

Core Starbucks ahhh. The dream. Core Starbucks is one of my favorite spots to study on campus. I really love how open it feels, how Starbucks is just within a few feet of where you're sitting, and how the dining hall and Raising Cane's is right next door. I have spent tons of hours sitting in Core Starbucks grinding for tests and projects. However, if you're the type of person that needs absolute silence and no one around you, I would not recommend coming here. You will always see at least one person you know in Core Starbucks, it's just inevitable.That's what I love most about it. It's such a friendly atmosphere and honestly they play the best music that I Shazam all the time. Not only that, but it's the best place to sit outside on a beautiful day and just enjoy the sunshine and amazing Clemson weather. Nothing compares to Core Starbucks.

Watt

The Watt Center is another wide-open and spacious place located behind the library and across from the ASC. I personally love the huge glass windows, the different types of tables (high tops, long, square, etc.), and just the overall feel of the building. Watt is just such a cool building and has classrooms and study rooms with glass walls that extend off the second floor. You can rent these study rooms and write on the walls and even on the tables (depending if a whiteboard table is in there). They even have a small cafe on the first floor where you can grab some coffee or a quick snack.

The Academic Success Center (ASC)

The ASC is honestly a new study spot for me that I recently discovered this past semester. If you need a really quiet area with not a lot of people, the ASC is a great place to go. There are three floors, but the first and third floors are my favorite. The bottom first floor has tons of tables and white boards that you can use and lots of times there are drop-in tutors for different classes that you can go to for help. Plus there's also a printer down there which is a big bonus. The third floor is my home for grind time before my 7 o'clock exams. And it's just great if you don't want anyone to bother you. There are a couple of booths up there, but I really like the tables with the swivel chairs by the windows where you can look outside towards Watt. This past semester, the 3rd floor of the ASC was the perfect spot for me to prep for my day after my early morning class in Poole, too.

Hendrix

Hendrix is great if you live on the east side of campus (aka in the Horseshoe). Even if you don't live on that side of campus, it's a great place to study and get coffee and/or a bagel from Einstein's. The second floor has an area with tables, couches, and a bar style table as well as tables around Einstein's. Downstairs, there's the East Side Food Court, which has Subway & Panda Express and Peppino's (this may be changing because Wendy's is being changed to Peppino's RIP :(, so you have options if you ever need a meal or a snack. I really like the tables around Einstein's because it's a little secluded from the rest of the study area. I will admit that depending on where you sit, Hendrix can be a little noisy from the TV's that play in the main study area, but there are also other areas where it's quieter.

The Lobby of Your Dorm

The lobby of your dorm is the perfect place to study late at night when you don't feel like leaving your dorm, but you need to study outside of your own room. I cannot even begin to tell you how many nights I spent studying downstairs both freshman and sophomore year. What's great is that if you get hungry, either Schlitter or Core (depending on where you live) is close enough that you can run and go get food and come back to study. It's also great if you're not comfortable walking back from the library at night by yourself :)

Brackett 4th Floor Corner Window

In Brackett Hall, if you walk towards the corner of the building closet to the side that faces the library, you will find small little tables and chairs where you can sit and get stuff done. I personally love it up here because not only is it very quiet and peaceful, but it also comes with a great view of campus. Plus, if you have a class in Brackett or any buildings close to it like Daniel or Kinard, it's a great place to spend some time in between or before class.

Douthit Starbucks

Douthit Starbucks gives off a regular Starbucks coffee shop kind of vibe. There's a lot of different seating options: bar table, one person booth, long table, and square tables. It also connects with the Village Market, which is right next to Freshen's (my absolute favorite place ever) and there are a couple of tables to sit at there as well. As the name implies, it is by Douthit, so if you live in there or in the Horseshoe, this is a great place to study outside of your dorm. Not only that, but it's right next to the gym, so if you like to exercise like me, you can study and then take a workout break. Fair warning, it closes at 9, so if you want to study longer you'll have to go somewhere else.

Off-Campus

All In Coffee Shop :)

1. All In is by far my absolute FAVORITE place to study and do homework. It's the cutest coffee shop downtown right across the street from Campus View and Insomnia Cookies. They have the BEST coffee and food, but I'm a huge fan of their cinnamon rolls and their breakfast sandwiches. The vibe is just a COFFEE SHOP VIBE and I absolutely love it. It just feels so homey. Seriously GO HERE! PS: my favorite thing to get at All In is an iced sugar-free vanilla latte with a breakfast sandwich or a bagel :)

I mean just look at how good this is !!

Spill The Beans

This is my go-to when All In is packed and I can't find anywhere to sit, but I still love this place. Not only do they have the best ice cream, but they also have coffee and muffins and plenty of space to sit and do homework. It's also super quiet, so if you ever find yourself struggling to find some quiet place off campus, Spill The Beans is the place for you.

Comment which spots are your favorite and if you've tried any new places that you love!

With all my Clemson love,

Kathryn