Academics and staying ahead in your classes represent some of the most important parts of your academic journey in college. Finding the perfect study spot is crucial to your academic success.
Lauinger Library
Open 24/7 during the week and from 8 a.m. to 3 a.m. on weekends, Lauinger Library, lovingly known as Lau, has something for everyone. The pinnacle study spot at Georgetown University, the building has five floors and offers options for quiet study, either in the private study rooms on Lau 2 or with spaces on Lau 3, 4 and 5. Though you’ll rarely need to search long and hard for a Lau table in the upstairs floors, Lau 2 and 3 are often crowded, especially during midterm and final exam seasons. With access to coffee at the student-run Midnight MUG on the second floor, Lau is ideal for late-night studiers — but please don’t pull an all-nighter to finish that paper you procrastinated.
Healey Family Student Center (HFSC)
One of the newer study spots on campus, the HFSC offers group study rooms, tables in the main room and chairs along the windows, with a porch overlooking the Potomac River to study on days with good weather. The HFSC has no quiet requirement but does have space for another student-run cafe, Hilltoss, which offers bagels, sandwiches, coffee and Spotify playlists, and the Hilltop Taproom, a bar and restaurant. If you don’t mind the noise, the HFSC is a great study spot — the combination of Hilltoss, the Taproom and others studying can become loud and distracting. But if you’re able to snag one of the HFSC’s 12 coveted study rooms, their increased privacy and quietude can ease this problem. The HFSC is generally open from 8 a.m. to midnight.
Bioethics Research Library
Arguably the most aesthetically pleasing library at Georgetown, Bioethics — on the first floor of Healy Hall — is a classic study spot on campus. With the stacks of books, dark wood furniture and views of Healy Lawn, Bioethics feels like the Hogwarts library, rather unlike the HFSC. Bioethics is excellent for solo students because of the strict silence within the library — any noise is at the minimum and talking is not allowed, meaning it probably isn’t the place for group work. Bioethics is excellent for those studying during the day, as its hours are generally either 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., depending on the day of the week.
Blommer Science Library
Perhaps one of the more underrated study spots on campus, Blommer Science Library on the third floor of the Reiss Science Building offers access to computers, quiet study spaces and group or individual study spaces. You can access the library by walking through a less-than-picturesque hallway of labs or taking the elevator up one floor from the main Reiss entrance across from Arrupe Hall. The space itself gets plenty of natural light with the windows that line the area. Blommer is out of sight and out of mind for many students, making the foot traffic low and the library a good place to hide away and study for hours. This library is excellent for students who want a quiet area, but further from snacks or coffee. Blommer is open from 9 a.m. or noon to 6 p.m. or 9 p.m., depending on the day of the week; during finals, it’s open until midnight.
Intercultural Center (ICC)
Whether in the airy Galleria or on a specific floor — most floors have study spots near the elevators — the ICC is ideal for students looking for a quick spot where the movement and work of other students, faculty and visitors doesn’t matter. Visitors and students leaving classes may be distracting to those who prefer a place without others. Outside of the Galleria — and its inhouse coffee shop, More Uncommon Grounds (MUG) — the ICC doesn’t offer a lot of seating, but it does have benches outside of classrooms and those aforementioned elevator tables. The ICC is a good spot for a quick review before class, but the area can become busy at popular class times, so it’s not the best place if you’re trying to find a longer-term focus.