Studying. Some of us embrace the act and take joy in enriching our minds with all sorts of knowledge. Adversely, there is a portion of students that treat this word like the PLAGUE. Here are some different places to study that might make it more enjoyable for those of you that would rather lounge around or play Frisbee to divert your attention from the impending doom of your study session!

1. Nestled next to the Northeast Residential area, the Integrated Science Building (ISB) is one of my personal favorites. Furthermore, ISB comes equipped with mountains of furniture, making it easy to find a place to study in the building. One of my favorite parts about ISB is the wall of windows that looks out upon the once-beautiful backyard of ISB, which make the lounges in ISB prime real estate on the sunniest of days.
2. Franklin Dining Commons is similar to ISB in that it has large windows that look out onto the rest of campus and The Valley. There is a key to success in studying in Franklin, however. The environment is at its best during off hours, like at about 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Franklin is located in the heart of the Central Residential area.
3. Rao’s Coffee is a fan favorite in terms of places to study off-campus. Rao’s has an arsenal of moderately priced coffee products along with various baked good. Rao’s also provides a nice work-oriented atmosphere, especially starting in the afternoon, on into the evening as well. For more detailed reviews from students and locals, Yelp is an excellent source: http://www.yelp.com/biz/raos-coffee-amherst
4. For those of you that live in the dorms still, we all know there are some days where going outside is less than appealing. Each residence hall on campus has a number of dorm lounges. This is generally a good choice when it’s monsooning outside or perhaps when you are feeling a little under the weather yourself.
5. Herter is one of the older buildings on campus, but the most comfortable couches are (usually) the ones with a couple of years under their cushions. These couches can be found in lounges scattered around the building.
6. Worcester Dining Commons is a second choice for study areas with plentiful food. During the day, the additional seating area is a perfect place for a quick study session and the tables are all fairly large, making it easier for group study parties.
7. The Isenberg School of Management (SOM) is another academic building that provides nicer places to study and do work. Two of the more popular choices in SOM are the atrium in the middle of it or in an empty classroom, which there is usually at least one of during the day. It’s also located near The Newman Center Café, an excellent source of caffeine and sustenance.
8. Under a tree: Unarguably, the great outdoors are perfect for relaxing and focusing, especially during nice weather! The Hill located in O-Hill is a good place to lay a blanket and a book for at least an hour or two.
9. The Quad in Northeast offers a setting similar to that of The Hill’s, in addition to its proximity to Worcester!
10. Finally, Amherst Commons is a good place for someone who likes background noise during their studies, not to mention a multitude of dining options.

Matt Herd can be reached at [email protected].