Pictures and Words by Soleil de Zwart
Third floor of Haggard Hall:
Everyone is here to work and get work done. You hear the rustle of pages. You smell the scent of old paper and books from the library shelves. Any speaking is done in hushed tones that are strangely soothing to the ear.
All of the desks on the outer rim are beside windows, giving you just enough sunlight throughout the day to make you feel like you haven’t actually been stuck inside a building studying for the better part of your day. These windows give you a beautiful view of the nature on our campus as well.
At the center of the third floor of Haggard is a large round desk that can seat about 25 people at once. This large desk makes it feel like you’re all working together, without the stress of an actual group project.
Old Main Lawn:
The perfect place for studying on warmer days, unless you want to build your own personal igloo study room during the winter. The lawn leaves you out in the open, keeping your productivity in check since anyone who walks past can see what you’re doing.
And let’s not forget about the delicious smells that waft over from vendors row and the inspiring architecture of Old Main itself. You’re outside breathing in some fresh air while digesting this week’s course materials.
Even on cloudy days, the Old Main lawn is a relaxing place to set down a blanket and get to studying. Does it even feel like studying?
The only downside is that any friend who passes by may distract you for up to an hour.
Underground Coffee House:
You don’t necessarily need to drink the coffee to intake the caffeine. The smell of coffee in the Underground Coffeehouse is subtle, but strong enough to remind your brain that the smell helps it study. Sitting in one of the overstuffed, mismatched sofas or armchairs is the perfect thing to get you motivated to dig into a dense textbook.
Any seats by the windows show Bellingham Bay. And, if you’re lucky, you’ll happen to be studying in the Underground Coffeehouse on a special music night (Wednesday) and you might just receive a stroke of inspiration.
Arntzen Hall Atrium:
There’s something quite calming in the combination of thick cement walls and long windows. The same feeling you get from listening to the hum of excited voices from people on break from their classes.
And there’s a microwave.
Maybe the ready and available food options surrounding you is too much of a temptation, but if you’re swamped with homework, you might need a quick break and small snack. Because you probably remembered to bring all of your textbooks and notebooks and study aids, but forgot to pack a granola bar.
In the Atrium, you don’t have to go far to get a quick bite to eat, then hurriedly return to studying.
Fourth floor of Academic West:
If you like windows, Academic West might be the study spot for you. Any time you feel stumped or confused, just look up and out of the windows. There isn’t a whisper policy on the fourth floor of AW, but everyone is just naturally quiet, minding their own business. Since it’s on the fourth floor and you might have lost some of your distance vision from being in school for so many years, the people walking outside look like small dots of color. It’s like watching a trail of ants make their way home, from their busy lives. They’re all going about their day, and if they’ve made it through, so can you.