Boston University

12/09/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 12/10/2024 01:30

Best Places to Study for Finals at Boston University

Best Places to Study for Finals at Boston University

A guide to BU's best-known spots and hidden gems where you can prepare for exams

Where to Study

The Best Places to Study for Finals

A guide to BU's best-known spots and hidden gems where you can prepare for exams

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The winter holidays are oh so close, but students have a few exams to get through before that. The study period starts December 11, and finals begin on December 16.

If you are looking for a quiet place to study alone, somewhere to rehearse a presentation, or a lively spot for group work, we have you covered with a guide to the major study spots on campus.

Charles River Campus

Mugar Library
771 Commonwealth Ave.

Photo by Dana J. Quigley

Hours: Daily during finals, 24 hours. See other hours here.

Mugar is a second home for many BU students during finals. It will stay open 24 hours starting Wednesday, December 11, until Friday, December 20. The library has seven floors and the largest computer lounge on campus-and each floor gets quieter the higher you go. The ground floor makes for an ideal group study environment.

Kilachand Hall Study Lounge91 Bay State Rd., ninth floor

Hours: Daily, 24 hours

Students studying on the top floor of Kilachand Hall will find a study lounge with panoramic views of Boston, the Charles River, and Fenway Park. This study lounge, like those in other residence halls, is available only to students living on campus; after 2 am, it's available only to Kilachand residents.

Educational Resource Center
Center for Student Services
100 Bay State Rd., fifth floor

Photo by Alexandra Wimley (COM'17)

Hours: Monday to Thursday, 9 am to 9 pm; Friday, 9 am to 5 pm; Saturday and Sunday, noon to 8 pm

The Educational Resource Center (ERC) has open-concept study areas and private rooms available on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit the ERC's fifth-floor office to reserve a private space for two hours; see rules here. The ERC is open to all students with a valid BU ID.

Pickering Educational Resources Library
Wheelock College of Education & Human Development
2 Silber Way

Photo by Cydney Scott

Hours: Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm; closed Saturday and Sunday

The Pickering Library, in the basement of 2 Silber Way, is one of the smallest libraries on campus and offers a quiet place to study. Open to all students with a valid BU ID.

Science & Engineering Library
38 Cummington Mall

Photo by Alexandra Wimley (COM'17)

Hours: Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm; closed Saturday and Sunday

This library is convenient for anyone living on or near East Campus seeking a short commute. It has cubicles as well as communal tables for studying.

HoJo
575 Commonwealth Ave., eighth floor

Hours: Daily, 24 hours

This top-floor study lounge is for those who want a view while hitting the books. The hotel-turned-residence hall also has a first-floor multipurpose room with chairs, couches, and a pool table for when you need a break. The study lounge is open only to students living on campus; after 2 am, it's available only to HoJo residents.

Duan Family Center for Computing & Data Sciences
665 Commonwealth Ave.

Photo by Jackie Ricciardi

Hours: Open Monday to Friday, 7 am to 11 pm; weekend access is through BU Terrier card only

The 19-story Duan Family Center for Computing & Data Sciences is open for learning, lounging, and eating, and students can find many nooks to do some studying, too. The bottom two floors are your best bet for casual solo or group work (and be sure to grab a snack at the student-run cafe Saxbys). Or hunker down in a quiet study corner with whiteboards on many of the upper floors.

College of Arts & Sciences Think Tank
725 Commonwealth Ave., Room 105

Photo by Alexandra Wimley (COM'17)

Hours: Monday to Friday, 7 am to 9 pm

The Think Tank features individual study cubbies, communal tables, and team meeting rooms with whiteboards. The space can accommodate up to 134 students and is open to all BU students.

Stone Science Library
725 Commonwealth Ave., Room 440

Photo by Vernon Doucette

Hours: Open Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm

For a central and quiet stop between exams, students can tuck away in the Stone Science Library, a noncirculating research library focusing on archaeological and remote-sensing materials. Found on the fourth floor of the College of Arts & Sciences, the spot boasts large windows and plenty of plants.

School of Theology Library
745 Commonwealth Ave., second floor

Photo by Alexandra Wimley (COM'17)

Hours: Monday to Thursday, 8 am to 10 pm; Friday, 8 am to 5 pm; Saturday, noon to 5 pm; closed Sunday

The STH Library has carrels as well as communal tables for studying. There is also a conference room that can be booked for groups of students needing a place to gather. Reserve a group study room here. The library is open to all students with a valid BU ID.

Ziskind Lounge
George Sherman Union
775 Commonwealth Ave., second floor

Photo by Alexandra Wimley (COM'17)

Hours: Daily, 6 am to midnight

The Ziskind Lounge is a spacious area for study groups to congregate. You'll find communal tables as well as comfortable easy chairs throughout the lounge, which is open to all students with a valid BU ID. And it's easy to grab a coffee or meal downstairs in the GSU food court when you need a break.

Dean's Study Lounge
George Sherman Union
775 Commonwealth Ave., third floor

Photo by Alexandra Wimley (COM'17)

Hours: Daily, 6 am to midnight

This study lounge is one of the best-kept secrets at BU. It's quiet and seats about 60.

College of General Studies Lounges
871 Commonwealth Ave.

Photo by Kelly Davidson

Hours: Monday to Thursday, 9 am to 5 pm; Friday, 9 am to 4 pm

The College of General Studies has several study spots to choose from, notably the Katzenberg Center (Room 330), the Gilbane Lounge (Room 130), and the first-floor lobby, which has comfy armchairs and plenty of natural sunlight. The CGS Writing Center, housed in the Katzenberg Center, is for students needing help with papers (all appointments must be scheduled at the Writing Center reception desk).

Buick Street Market and Café10 Buick St.

Photo by Alexandra Wimley (COM'17)

Hours: Weekdays, 7 am to midnight; weekends, 8 am to midnight

This is a place for those who study best surrounded by food and a crowd. Choose from the market's ample selection of sandwiches, salads, and snacks. For those needing a caffeine boost or a donut, the Dunkin' inside Buick Street Market is open from 7 am to 5 pm weekdays and from 8 am to 3 pm weekends.

StuVi II Study Lounge
33 Harry Agganis Way, 26th floor

Photo by Alexandra Wimley (COM'17)

Hours: Daily, 24 hours

Many consider this to be BU's premier studying spot. The lounge offers sweeping views of Boston and Cambridge (a great distraction when you need a break) and is especially popular with students who live on West Campus. Open to all students who live in BU housing.

West Campus Study Spaces
273 Babcock St.

Photo by Chynna Benson (CGS'18, COM'20)

Hours: Daily, 24 hours

The West Campus dorms have plenty of spaces to study (like the StuVi II Study Lounge, the Rich Hall Cinema Room, and the Sleeper Hall second-floor lounge). Our pick is the Claflin Hall first-floor study room, next to the West Campus dining hall, since it's best suited for group work. Open to all students with a valid BU ID who live in BU housing.

Boston University Dining Services and Late Night Cafés

Photo by Michael D. Spencer

Hours:
Marciano Commons hours: Monday to Friday, 7 am to 9 pm; Saturday, 9 am to 9 pm; Sunday, 10 am to 9 pm. Weekend late night (Friday into Saturday and Saturday into Sunday): 9:30 pm to 1 am
Bay State Underground hours: Sunday to Wednesday, 9 pm to 1 am; Thursday to Saturday, 9 pm to 2 am
Warren Towers hours: Monday to Friday, 7 am to 10 pm; Saturday, 9 am to 9 pm; Sunday, 10 am to 9 pm. Weekend late night: 9:30 pm to 1 am
Late Night Cafe at Warren Towers hours: Monday to Thursday, 10:30 pm to 1 am; Friday to Sunday, 9:30 pm to 1 am
West Campus hours: Monday to Friday, 7 am to 9 pm; Saturday, 9 am to 9 pm; Sunday, 10 am to 9 pm. Weekend late night: 9:30 pm to 1 am
Late Night Cafe at West Campus hours: Monday to Thursday, 10:30 pm to 1 am; Friday to Sunday, 9:30 pm to 1 am

If you want to camp out for a long study session, one of BU's three main dining halls is the ideal place. With all the food and caffeine you could crave, plus a lively atmosphere, any of the three can accommodate a group or solo study session.

Medical Campus

BU Medical Campus Alumni Medical Library72 East Concord St., 12th and 13th floors

Photo by Cydney Scott

Hours: Weekdays, 7:30 am to 9 pm; weekends, 10 am to 6 pm

This Medical Campus spot has long communal tables, group rooms for quiet study, and computers. Reserve a study room here. The library is open to all students with a valid BU ID.

Have suggestions for other study spots on campus? Add them to the Comment section below.

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Comments & Discussion

Boston University moderates comments to facilitate an informed, substantive, civil conversation. Abusive, profane, self-promotional, misleading, incoherent or off-topic comments will be rejected. Moderators are staffed during regular business hours (EST) and can only accept comments written in English. Statistics or facts must include a citation or a link to the citation.

There are 11comments on Best Places to Study for Finals at Boston University

  1. Hanna

    It matters, because in Mugar for instance, it is so freaking cold, that it's really impossible to focus on studying!

  2. Natalie McKnight

    As I've commented before, we have several great study lounges at CGS that many students from across campus use: the lobby lounge, Katzenberg Center, Gilbane Lounge, and the 4th Floor lounge, recently renovated and with really cozy nook chairs. Check it out!

  3. Yesi Merino

    Thank you for sharing these tips!

  4. Mark Thompson SPC '75

    The Dugout!

  5. Kate Flewelling (Director, Alumni Medical Library)

    Thank you for suggesting Alumni Medical Library - we welcome all BU students. Small correction: we are the BU Medical Campus Alumni Medical Library (not BU Medical Center).

    1. BU Today writer Amy Laskowski

      Thanks for letting us know, Kate! We updated the story with the change.

  6. Rachel Edwards

    Starting in 2023, the African American & Black Diaspora Studies Program building will have study hours from 10 AM - 10 PM each day. Free bagels & free pizza will be provided thanks to a generous gift from the Dean's office. We're located at 138 Mountfort St in South Campus (on the Charles River Campus).

  7. Reggie Jean

    Thank you for reposting. Can BU Today do a similar article for the summer, including evening times and ones that have AC? The AC spaces in Warren are limited and there will only be one dining hall open.

  8. Dr. Elliot Ames, CAS '71

    Many of the listed study spaces in this article were not present during my years at BU. During finals, I studied at Mugar Library.

  9. Jim in New Orleans

    Not to be picayune, but in the Mugar suggestion, Friday the last day of finals is not the 21st; it is the 22nd. This may be due to a recycling of the article based on the dates of previous comments.

    Again, I'm sure folks will figure it out. I'm a retired English teacher for what it's worth, a career in Special Education at that. I tend to still observe behavior, perhaps a little too much at times.

    1. Doug Most

      We appreciate your eagle eyes, and fixed our error.

Comments are closed.

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