A Guide To Finding Optimum Spots Around Campus To Study for Exams

With the advent of midterm season upon students at Liberty, homework has increased and studying is now a vital part of many students’ daily routines. 

In the effort to ace exams, students make the daily decisions surrounding the act of studying: when to do it, how to get the most done and, maybe most importantly, where to go to actually study. 

A Liberty webpage filled with frequently asked questions states that there are over seven million square feet of building space on campus. Floors designated as quiet or deep quiet offer students who need silence to study a specific place to retreat and focus, while collaborative spaces and food courts provide background noise for those who prefer that setting. The options seem endless. 

Below is a list of both popular and underrated places on campus to study. Some of these places may be traditional in the sense that many people know about them and go there to work, and some are hidden gems, stored quietly in the nooks and crannies of the 177 buildings and structures that campus holds. 

1. The deep quiet floor of the library is the perfect getaway when students need utter silence to focus.

“Deep quiet on the third floor is nice because people can’t eat in there,” senior business major Lexi Bragg said.

She, like many others, focuses best when the atmosphere around her is serene and quiet.

“It’s hard to pay attention when I can hear other people’s conversations,” she said.

As an added bonus, the balcony on the deep quiet floor — the library’s highest story — offers a view of Liberty’s  sprawling campus. 

2. For some students, it is not so much about where they go to study but when. For junior business student Maggie Hicks, the coffee and tea shops on campus are best during the evening.

“[I prefer] Starbucks — at night; Argo [Tea] — at night,” she said. “The smells are just so nice.”

Compared to rush hours during the day, these areas are calmer and more relaxed in the evenings as well.

3. While the library is known and loved by many as the go-to place to study, other buildings deserve appreciation, too, such as the School of Business, the School of Music and the Center for Natural Sciences. The last place listed is where Delilah Hughes, a freshman studying environmental biology, likes to go.

“Second floor of the science building,” she said in response to an Instagram poll asking where students prefer  to study.

4. In terms of lesser-known buildings that are fit for getting work done, the School of Business offers an environment conducive to studying with plenty of natural light and comfortable seating.

“I love the School of Business student lounge and the study rooms,” said sophomore business student Riley Foster.

5. Another place that goes unnoticed is the School of Music.

“I love to study or do work in the music/worship building,” freshman musical theatre major Lauren Ansara said. “If you go at the right times, it’s not too busy. And sometimes, there is someone playing guitar or the piano, which is a really nice study atmosphere.”

 6. Many students can remember their first trip up the Freedom Tower, most likely all the way to the top of the open-air space wrapped in clear glass panels. However, one floor down, there are plush, wide benches and the same view of campus, only without the element of being outdoors, as the second-to-highest floor is an indoor space. While the floor sees a lot of traffic when people are using the elevators, it still offers a somewhat quiet place to go. When students need to “get away” from the hustle and bustle of campus, they can find a place to go — vertically away instead of horizontally.  

Smith is the A-section copy editor. Follow her on Twitter.