Innis College Rooftop

The rooftop lounge area of Innis College is one of the lesser known study spots in the college. It took me almost my entire first year to visit it and I wish I had gone sooner. Not many students go there, making it a nice, peaceful place to study. It has a lot of seats and tables, making it convenient for longer study sessions. It’s also surrounded by walls on three sides, which keeps it from getting too noisy. This, plus the added benefit of it being on the west side of the building, closer to the Innis Green than to St. George street, makes this spot perfect for people who need quiet to be able to focus. It’s a great alternative to studying in a library, as having fresh air while you study can help you focus better. This midterm season is the perfect time to use this space, while the weather is still nice enough to enjoyably study outside. 

Emmanuel College Student Lounge

This student lounge is located on the 3rd floor of Emmanuel College (75 Queen’s Park Crescent E.), just outside the library. This spot is nice because you are able to use your phone and eat, which is not allowed in most libraries. The student lounge in Emmanuel College has large, comfortable chairs, as well as a long table with plenty of seating. In my experience, this lounge is never crowded, which makes it a very peaceful place to study. Its design makes it feel very cosy, and it is easy to spend hours there getting work done without feeling like you are stuck in a library all day. The room also has easy-to-access outlets, which is great for those who require their laptops to study. Since it is right beside the Emmanuel College library, it also gives you easy access to a printer. 

Queen’s Park

Now that Queen’s Park is open again, it is a great place to get some studying done. With many benches throughout the park, this is a great change of scenery from studying in a library. This midterm season is one of the few chances during the academic year to be able to sit outside comfortably and study before it gets too cold. Queen’s Park is at the center of campus, making it a short walk from anywhere you need to go throughout the day. It is a great place to take a break from being inside and enjoy one of the more scenic spots on campus. Even if you don’t spend the whole day here, it’s important to give yourself a chance to be somewhere other than a stuffy library, and Queen’s Park is definitely a great place to do so. Take advantage of the fresh air and spend some time studying outside at Queen’s Park. 

The Bamboo Garden

Inside the Terrence Donnelly Centre (160 College Street) is a bamboo garden with plenty of space for studying. This spot is fairly hidden on campus, and many students don’t know that it is there. There are many benches in and around the bamboo trees, giving plenty of room to study. This garden is a beautiful place to visit for its own sake, but it also makes for a great study spot. I mean, who wouldn’t want to study in a garden that looks like this! This place is also a great alternative to studying outdoors, as you can go there regardless of what the weather is like while still feeling like you are outside. As opposed to libraries or other indoor study spots, the Bamboo Garden doesn’t make you feel like you are stuck inside, and the scenery makes this place somewhere where you would want to spend your time. If you have to study, why not do it somewhere as pretty as this?