Room G-18 in the Brodie Building, one of the best places to study on campus. (Logan Praznik/The Quill)
The savants among us notwithstanding, what good is going to class if you don’t cement your knowledge with some good old-fashioned book-hitting action? Unfortunately, your home environment may be not so ideal to study in, whether that be from noisy roommates, the temptation of procrastination, or something else entirely. Where’s a student to turn, then? Here’s a list of some of the best places on Brandon University’s campus to study.
John E. Robbins Library: Likely the most well-known study spot on campus, the library has a wide array of computers, a quiet area with booths for individual study, tables for group study, and (of course) the convenience of being right next to the university’s collection of literature. However, its popularity is its downfall – availability of some resources, especially the tables right next to the window on the second floor, is scarce when activity picks up, and it tends to get noisy outside the quiet area. The adjoining music library may be quieter, however, and each computer has a keyboard (the musical kind), too!
Basement, Brodie Building: The Faculty of Science’s best-kept secret, in terms of study spaces. Multiple rooms, well-stocked with desks and computers, can be found here, and aside from the occasional first-year Computer Science lab, they are almost dead, in terms of activity. Students mainly based in outside faculties may find it a bit of a walk to get to the rooms, though.
Student Lounge, Queen Elizabeth II Music Building: Arguably the most luxurious place to study out of those listed, this room features such creature comforts as leather chairs, a large window providing plenty of natural sunlight, and a vending machine. It lacks any computers, however, so if you need to access the Internet for any extended period of time, it would be wise to pack a laptop (and an Ethernet cable, if you dislike the university’s WiFi – there’s a socket for that).
Your Club Room: If you’re in one of the many clubs, collectives, or other organizations on campus, and your club has its own space, you’ve hit the jackpot. Club rooms are often under-utilized, meaning they can be one of the quietest spots to study on campus, and because its only other users will probably be in the same organization as you, group study among like-minded people becomes easy. Inviting your friends from outside your club into the room may not go over so well, however.
An Empty Classroom: If you can find one, an empty classroom can provide something almost no other place on campus can: blackboards. The ability to jot down things in free-form without running through endless sheets of paper is almost magical, when studying. Just don’t take too long to pack up if another class starts.
Vacant Lot, 9th Street and Princess Avenue: With any luck, this will one day become a bustling hub of activity as it plays host to part of Brandon University’s downtown campus. For now, it’s just a vacant lot with a BU sign on it, but it offers many advantages to those desparate for a study spot, including a spacious grassy field, ample (though unaesthetic) parking, scenic views of Brandon’s downtown, free Wi-Fi (for an hour), and many amenities just a short walk away. Be vigilant, though, lest you get stabbed. Enjoy it while it lasts, too, as winter will soon come, and studying in a snow-covered vacant lot is best reserved for the hardiest of souls.