Bleadorn is a junior marketing major and can be contacted at nathan.bleadorn@drake.edu
With finals season fast approaching, students will be hitting the books harder than they have all semester. The projects, papers, assignments and tests coming up demand long hours and lots of study groups. This creates one major problem on campus — there is no place to study. Finding some personal space to lay out all your materials can be challenging, especially during the busiest time of the year. But if students think outside the box, there may be more places available than they think. Read on to find out about some great study areas for Drake students.
COWLES LIBRARY
This is pretty obvious, but it still makes a great study area. Come early to stake out an area for yourself, as open tables and desks are scarce. The library is typically bustling with group meetings and a fairly social study environment.
OLMSTED
Olmsted is full of spaces that are great for studying. Beyond the traditional spaces like Pomerantz Stage and the coffee shop, consider the big red chairs in the basement near Underground Fitness or the Mezzanine (aka “Upper, Upper Olmsted”).
Mars Café
Mars is a hopping spot year-round in Dogtown, and finals season is no different. Grab yourself a hot drink (maybe with an extra shot of espresso), a table and get to work. Mars is a nice escape from the campus atmosphere and is within walking distance.
IHOP
Thinking about pulling an all-nighter? Why not grab some late-night breakfast while you’re at it? IHOP (near Merle Hay Mall) is open 24 hours and has Wi-Fi. This is a great option for some after-hours work supplemented with some delicious food.
Des Moines Public Library
If you really want to mix things up, head downtown to the Western Gateway to the Des Moines Public Library (near the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park). There are lots of study spaces, and it is quiet. To open up the library resources, take five minutes to sign up for a library card, which can be used at all Des Moines library locations.
One of these study areas should work out great for you. There are a couple other study tips that will alleviate some of the finals stress.
Bring a power strip
Not only will this give you an extra couple of feet to reach the outlet on the wall across the room, but you will also make new friends when you turn two coveted outlets into six.
Lighten your load
Your accounting group probably doesn’t all need to bring the 800-page textbook for your study session. Communicate in advance to decide who will bring books, notes and cases so you aren’t lugging around extra weight.
Charge your phone
Wherever you go to study, throw in your phone charger. Plug it into your power strip and keep that thing charged late into the night as you study. Nothing is worse than having a dead battery when you are trying to play “Temple Run” during your study break.
HYDRATE
Three Red Bulls and a 5-Hour Energy may seem like a good idea for one all-nighter, but if you really want to stay energized all week drink your weight in water. Not only will H20 help you concentrate, but it will also help curb your Mug Night hangover.
