With finals looming in our very near future, many of us are looking for a calm and quiet place to be productive. Georgia State has a massive student body, and its location can prove to be a difficult spot to find solitude. But there are still a few chill areas on campus where students can kick their feet up and prepare for finals, relax or just grab a bite to eat.
The Gallery Lounge:
Located on the third floor of the Student Center, the Gallery Lounge is one of the few place on campus that will be quiet and peaceful no matter what time you go.
“It’s always quiet in here. Nobody’s ever talking on their phones and I can kick my feet up,” said Tierra Thomas, a sophomore marketing major.
The gallery displays art by Georgia State students, faculty and staff on the walls. Sofa chairs are set up adjacently so that you can prop your feet up. It is an oasis of calmness during frantic finals week, making it the perfect place to catch a nap, do some last-minute cramming or mentally prepare for the next final.
Courtyard between Urban Life and the Sports Arena:
The courtyard is an exposed area nestled between the Urban Life Building and the Sports Arena.
“I come here because I can talk on my phone and Skype while I study. I’m also a smoker, so I can smoke out here without bothering anyone,” said Ramika Gourdine, a third-year law student.
The courtyard has a great open-air atmosphere and the seating is spread apart, so you don’t have to worry about other students breathing down your neck or side-eyeing you if you’re too loud. There are multiple benches and large open tables with seating. It’s a great place for students who just want somewhere to sit and reflect between finals or for multitaskers who want to study without interrupting others around them.
Panthers Corner Café:
Hidden in the bottom of Kell Hall, Panthers Corner Café is a perfect little gem for those students who are not disturbed by a little chatter. Booth, stool and open-table seating are available, and the café serves Starbucks coffee, assorted pastries and sandwiches.
“I come here because of the vending machines and the microwave. They also serve coffee here and I definitely need that to wake me up sometimes,” said Celina Tovar, a junior applied linguistics major.
This is a great spot for studying when you want to snack or eat; it’s not completely silent, but not loud enough to distract you from studying. The seating area is extremely open, so it’s a great atmosphere for meeting with groups to finalize projects or for group study sessions.
The café closes after lunchtime, but the seating area stays open until Kell Hall closes.
Abandoned classrooms:
Some students need total isolation in order to concentrate, but rooms at home or in dorms can prove to have too many distractions. The majority of classrooms and student event venues will not be in use during finals and are the next-best thing.
Using an abandoned room to study can be great for students who need to concentrate but don’t want to deal with the tense environment that comes along with an enclosed space containing two or more people. These open rooms will also give students the freedom to create their own atmosphere while the classroom layout encourages staying on task.
Finding a chill place on campus is all about assessing what type of environment will make you the most successful during finals week. Whether you need a place to buckle down and concentrate or are just looking for place to de-stress, there are many little places sprinkled throughout campus to find solace.
