UMass Study Spots: A Definitive List

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All too often, I find myself leaving class on a Thursday afternoon, faced with three exams to study for, responses to discussion questions, research papers, job applications and every anxiety-inducing Canvas notification. I can’t go back to my dorm – my bed with its warm and welcoming glow calls upon me for an ill-advised nap. I can’t go to a dining hall because I will be paying attention to my eight shrimp rolls, not my assignments. 

So where do I go to relax and power through an evening of fun-filled homework? Here is my definitive, authoritative and unambiguously correct list of my favorite study spots.

John W. Olver Design Building

Inaugurated in 2017, the John W. Olver Design Building is a testament to the creativity of architects given free reign to design one of the most impressive structures on campus. Upon walking through the doors, you are welcomed by a remarkably open space, walls dotted with conceptual illustrations and classrooms filled with soon to be completed masterpieces. Walking down the long staircase brings you to Post & Bean Café, home to some of the best coffee on campus. Here you can find that afternoon pick me up that’ll motivate you to tackle that laundry list of assignments. On a nice afternoon, you can sit outside and watch students run to catch the PVTA Bus on North Pleasant Street. But hidden on the top floor is the roof garden, a small and quiet escape where you can enjoy that cup of coffee in peace or “enjoy” your assigned readings in peace.

14th floor of the W.E.B. Du Bois Library

The W.E.B Du Bois Library is one of the tallest libraries in the world. Blessed with such a large library, UMass students are endowed with so many different areas to study in just the library alone. The downstairs Learning Commons is a great place to rent out a study room for a group project. The library café is always filled with students looking for that jolt of java. There’s even a statue of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on the 21st floor of the library. 

But on floors 2, 5 ,8, 11, 14, 17 and 20, something special penetrates the atmosphere. These are the quiet study floors of the Du Bois Library. Each one holds thousands of books and are lined with little study cubbies that overlook the campus. What makes the 14th floor the best of them all? I have no idea. I have not been to all of them, only the top floors. I enjoy the view and it provides a welcome respite from my studies. But I always find myself drawn to the 14th floor. It has the view out the window like the other floors, is quiet like the other floors and I am productive just like the other floors. 

While taking a walk to unplug from the onslaught of assignments, I stumbled upon a section in the numerous aisles of books on the 14th floor. It was an aisle dedicated to historical records of cities and towns in Massachusetts. I combed through personally notable cities like Cambridge, my birthplace, Medford, where I lived for 12 years and Leominster, where I currently reside. As I walked back to my computer, I asked myself, how cool would it be to have my name written on one of these books? I am sure Leominster’s most famous son, Johnny Appleseed, did not think that I would read about his life on a random weekday while procrastinating. The floor is full of these stories and I hope to be etched onto a book so another UMass student can read about me while walking the aisles of the 14th floor.

Student Union

The recently completed Student Union may be one of the busiest buildings on campus. It hosts many large student organizations, campus events and other happenings. There is always something going on at the Student Union. Walking into the Student Union, you may be greeted by various student organizations having bake sales. As tempting as they may be, I have to avoid them for my waistline. I cannot afford new pants every month. To the right side of the Student Union facing Machmer Hall is a hidden gem. People’s Market is a student-run café with fresh bagels and coffee every morning. If I am in the mood, a blueberry bagel with French vanilla iced coffee is always a great way to start the day. Downstairs, Earthfoods Café is another student-run café that sells vegetarian and vegan dishes. Be careful though, before you know it you will be on your fourth cup of edible cookie dough.

Unlike the previously discussed quiet floors of the Du Bois Library, the Student Union is not a place to find quiet and solitude. Sometimes the silence of a quiet floor becomes deafening. All I hear are my thoughts and it feels like the books begin talking to me. The Student Union muffles out the background noise by having background noise. That’s what makes it a great place to study. With ample seating and a variety of study areas, the Student Union has an atmosphere that allows students to hone in on their assignments, regardless of any background noise.

South College

Located just steps away from Commonwealth Honors College Residential Community, South College is one of the oldest buildings on campus and home to the College of Humanities and Fine Arts. Walking in, you are greeted by an expansive atrium populated by students dug into their laptops. Oddly enough, this open space which may have originally been designed for groups of students to congregate, has become a very serene and hushed environment. It is almost an unspoken rule, but students seem to respect the atmosphere and the South College atrium is one of the most peaceful places to study on campus. On the third and fourth floors, you can find tucked away tables or open study halls to hunker down and get it done. You will also find classrooms in South College which have become unofficial group study spaces to many UMass students. South College can be considered the Swiss Army Knife of study spaces, there is something for everyone!

UMass Amherst is a campus filled with countless study spots, and these are just a few that have helped me stay on top of my homework. Whether you're looking for quiet solitude or a lively atmosphere, our campus has a place where you can settle in and get your assignments done. So next time you're unsure where to study, try one of these spots—you might just discover your new favorite study nook. Happy studying!