It’s the middle of February: officially too late to pretend it’s still winter break and too soon to pack a suitcase for Cancun. Stuck in this in-between phase of school, it’s hard for me to get excited about the long weekend this Presidents’ Day or the warming weather when something is weighing me down. I thought it was far away, but it suddenly leapt out from behind a corner to scare me: that sneaky, stressful surprise some people call midterms.
Whether it’s a harsh reminder that the book for that theology class has yet to be opened or a culmination of every hated problem set in physics, the midterm exam is one of the most despised events of the semester. Arguably worse than finals, midterms don’t finish over the course of a predetermined two-week period. Like that awkward girl in your friend group from high school, midterms silently linger, waiting around for weeks or even a month for acknowledgment.
Though February has great potential to evaporate students’ social lives and cut essential hours of sleep in half, I have found a way to greet the midterm monster with confidence and composure. You may still be in denial, but sooner or later you’re going to find yourself leaving your house a little earlier, coffee mug in hand and backpack loaded up for a long day of studying. You have no choice in the amount of work you have to do, but there are myriad choices available for students looking to spend a day studying.
For me, it’s all about the vibes. It’s nothing particularly scientific, but I’ve found in my last three years at Georgetown that where I choose to study can make a huge difference in both the quality and efficiency of my work. In an effort to go beyond the standard routine of Lau, I share with you my top four places to study, listed in increasing levels of intensity, to help you find the best scene to match your study vibe.
Baked and Wired is a relaxing study getaway. It will take about fifteen minutes to walk there, but the edgy ambiance is worth the trek. The ideal setting for paper writing, memorizing art history flashcards, or completing more casual course reading, B&W will be sure to inspire you with its display of local artwork, soft indie music and friendly hipster baristas. With one of their exotic chai teas, ridiculously delicious cupcakes, or the addictive “Hippie Crack” granola, I have been able to sit amidst families and young singles and pretending to be an artsy local with my laptop and books. No one had to know I was writing an eight-page philosophy essay.
Sellinger Lounge, meanwhile is productive yet social. When unsure about how serious I want to be during my study day, I make the quick walk over to Leavey to check out the scene. It may be hard to snag a table, but once achieved, Sellinger can offer a quiet but social study session with its convenient variety of couches, isolated chairs and group tables all in an open space with plenty of light. If hermitism is your key to productivity, avoid the Lounge as you will inevitably see someone you know who wants to stop and talk. If study snacks help you power through, then you’re at the right place. Between Hoya Court, Cosi, Grab ‘n Go and Vital Vittles, munchies will never be far away and could provide the right boost to get through all of those seemingly endless PowerPoint slides.
Davis Center Tables offer a secret hideout. A little-known study spot, the lobby of the Davis Center for Performing Arts is stocked with a few small tables in the entryway. It is the perfect scene for students who consider coffee shops too distracting, but still want a casual setting and open space. Quiet and remote, you can fully focus on studying without having to worry about running into friends or eating too much from a store nearby. The exposed brick walls and tall ceilings give the venue an artistic flair that could provide the necessary inspiration to write the perfect conclusion paragraph to a post-modern literature essay.
The Medical School Library represents extreme study domination. If you know that the only way to tackle the four midterms you have next week is to go into complete isolation mode, the Medical Library is the ideal place. You can try the lower level of Lau, but you might run the risk of receiving the “wanna grab coffee?” text and accidentally committing yourself to two hours chatting in Midnight Mug. To engage in full-force focus, take a seat at a cubicle, spacious table, or cushiony couch, and let the library’s stark silence suck away any distractions from studying. It may be a brutal immersion into work, but with limited cell phone service and the intensity of the medical school students thick in the air, it is impossible to not work hard. If you’re ready to go to the study extreme, make sure to pack a snack as there is no nourishment around. With the hike past Yates, you’ll be camping out there all day.
These spots are only four of the many available on and around the Georgetown campus. Of course, the most important decision for many is to study at all, and after that, everything else is a piece of Baked and Wired cake.
