Sadly, we have reached the point of the semester where the outdoors must be avoided at all costs. We’ve gone from searching for an empty bench to having to scramble to get a seat inside during our time between classes. It is a sad and unfortunate reality, but alas! Here “We Are.”
Luckily, VALLEY has narrowed it down to our own top five coziest study spots on campus. Each spot is rated based on availability throughout the day, comfort, proximity to central campus and aesthetic — because why not! Here are VALLEY’s top study spots for this spring semester.
The Stacks
We’ll start off with one of the most controversial places on campus. The Stacks are a place that students either really love or really hate. There’s no in-between. Most Penn State students have heard about the unsolved murder that took place in the stacks and are afraid to go for that very reason. This (possibly haunted) area on campus does include individual desks and chairs, but is a little creepy and falls flat on the aesthetic. We can’t completely write off the stacks, however, because of its central location on campus. Its proximity to coffee and the fact that you can almost always find a seat factor into VALLEY giving the Penn State stacks a six out of ten.
Willard Media Center
To put it simply, the new Willard Media Center is beautiful. This sleek, shiny, new wing to the Willard Building is one of the most aesthetic spots on campus. Unfortunately, there is not much seating available, so your chances of finding a seat are low. We will say that the seats that are provided are very new and very comfortable. This is a bit out of the way, so we give it a six out of ten.
The HUB Couches
The couches in the HUB are arguably one of the most comfortable spots on campus. All you need is to grab your laptop, and suddenly it’s like you never left your apartment. If you do manage to grab a seat on the second floor, you can overlook the iconic “high school musical stairs” while also being away from the chaos below. Sadly, these seats are almost always unavailable. This spot is never a guarantee, which is unfortunate because of it’s location and proximity to Starbucks. VALLEY gives the HUB couches an eight out of ten.
The Pattee Library (Second Floor)
The second floor of the Pattee library is a magical place. Nicknamed the Harry Potter room by students, this section of the library has it all. This is where you can go to get that study, coffee or aesthetic photo of your Instagram dreams. The layout of this spot is not great. You will almost always be fighting for a seat or be on top of the person next to you. But it is conveniently located in the library, which also means coffee is just steps away! VALLEY gives the Harry Potter room an eight out of ten.
Esber Recital Hall
The last spot on this list is a bit out of the way in terms of location. Located just behind the Forum building, this little hole-in-the-wall is brilliant for killing time between classes. The high-top tables and window seating located in this new building make it one of the best places on campus. It’s conveniently located near Panera which makes finding coffee no problem at all. There are very few tables, but they are almost always empty. If you are looking for a quiet place to work, this is the place for you. VALLEY gives this spot a ten out of ten.
Tag us on Instagram, @VALLEYmag, with pictures of your favorite study spots on campus!
