Cram in total comfort

By Sarah Rejnert

You know the who, the what, the when, now all you’re focusing on is the where.

Where are the hot spots on- and off-campus to study for finals this year?

Of course, anywhere quiet and free of distraction, which includes an area large enough to spread books, notebooks and coffee is essential.

But where are all the cool kids going to cram a semester’s worth of material for the one infamous test?

One local hot spot is The House, 263 E. Lincoln Highway. Offering hours until midnight each night of the week and coffee beverages, as well as sandwiches, to aid in the studying, the atmosphere is ideal for the average study-goer.

“We have a very nice, relaxed atmosphere,” said Matthew Clark, an employee at The House. “It is very conducive to whatever you want to accomplish; drift away to daydream or drift away to study.”

Another study spot, which is new to the area, is Barnes & Noble, 2439 Sycamore Road. The bookstore and café offers a warm and welcoming environment to study in, store manager Richard Owens said.

The store is open from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day.

“We are absolutely hoping students study here,” Owens said. “We have plenty of studying space in our cafe. We have a large sitting area with about 20 to 25 tables and chairs.”

Across the street is Borders Books Music & Cafe, 2520 Sycamore Road, offering a “quiet, but not too quiet, study environment,” said Julie Morsch, interim general manager.

With hours until 11 p.m. every night except Sunday, when it is open until 9 p.m., Morsch encourages students to feel comfortable in the café to study.

“It is very conducive to study here,” Morsch said. “You can hear the sounds of the espresso machine, which is nice, and there are about 30 tables to study at.”

Another oldie, but goodie, location is the Founders Memorial Library, which has extended hours beginning Dec. 6. Monday through Friday the hours are 7:30 a.m. to 2 a.m., and the weekends are 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. On Dec. 13 and 14, the library will close at 10 p.m.

“We have a quiet environment and security to enforce the atmosphere conducive to studying,” said Stephen Wright, associate dean for public services. “We have big tables to spread all the students’ stuff on and good lighting. We have about 600 large tables, as well as smaller cubicles to study at.”

The library is the most common place to study.

“Use is very high during finals week,” Wright said.

Other places to study at is the Holmes Student Center, lobbies and studies in the residence halls, and even with a book propped on a stair master at the Office of Campus Recreation.