Final exams are at our door steps, and the number one thing on many residents’ minds is “Where can I find a good location to study?” The libraries are packed with people. There’s constant chatter in the residential commons areas. Distractions are constantly by your side. In this article, I am going to present a few lesser known areas that I’ve found to be really great for focusing on studies during the exam period. They are close to the residence, but far enough so that you don’t run into too many distractions.
My personal favorite is SWING. Located just up the hill from Marine Drive, it offers multiple levels of free, open classrooms where you can study individually or with a group of friends. There are lots of spaces. The area is well maintained, well lit, well equipped with study tools such as white boards and presentation screens. The best part is that it is open 24hours a day, and 7 days a week. You don’t want to miss out on this building.
Closer to home would be the Forestry Sciences Centre. While the computer labs are restricted, the commons area offers a quiet, elegant study space. There is a Tim Horton’s right in the building if you need a quick cup of coffee. In addition, there are also classroom spaces right on the first floor if the commons area is filled (it is a fairly busy place). Interesting, not many people use the classrooms. There are chalk boards in the rooms for drawing diagrams. As expected of an environmentally friendly faculty, the lights in the classrooms are automatic. Lights switch off after 15 minutes if no motions are detected. The only down side is that this building only opens during week days until about 7pm, not weekends.
MacMillan Building sports a more down to earth feel. It is the Land and Foods Systems building, and it is located right across from Forestry. There are many classrooms available for use on the second floor, and the third floor has a large study centre space. There are tutors available for 1st and 2nd year science courses in the area on weekdays. MacMillan opens 24hours on week days. It is not very well known, but it certainly is a great space to get work done.
These are just a few examples of alternative spaces which can be utilized for study purposes when classes are not in session. Next time you walk around buildings related to your faculty, take note of what resources are available and what spaces are free to use. You will find your very own top study spots.
Zhihao (James) Xu