Category: Gabrielle (CAS’24)

The Five Best Places to Study at BU

By Gabrielle Gewirtz CAS ‘24

As a new semester is getting underway, it’s time to revisit the best study spots on BU campus. BU is well known as a big campus, which can seem intimidating, but with this list, you are sure to find new places to help you crank out that paper that’s especially hard to write or just do some last-minute readings.

Questrom Starbucks

In my opinion, the Starbucks located in Questrom is the best Starbucks on campus. The coffee is great, and there’s usually good music playing. The booths are particularly comfortable to sit and camp out in, and it’s even more fun when you’re studying there with friends.

3rd Floor of Mugar Library

The first floor of Mugar is also a great study area but is usually incredibly crowded. The third floor, however, is usually less crowded and is a just as good, if not better, study spot. The rows of desks give you a bit of privacy while also being able to talk to the person next to you if you are with friends. Studying within the bookshelves also, at least for me, makes me feel more studious and gets me in the mood to do work.

1st Floor of CGS

This might seem like a weird spot, but the comfortable couches are too hard to ignore. I also really like the atmosphere; most people are also doing work, and everyone is usually doing something different, so this is a great space if you are working alone on an assignment.

CAS Think Tank

This is for all the people that need a quiet study space. The Think Tank is usually silent, and so this is a great place for people studying alone. There are a lot of outlets to charge any devices you have, and there are different seating arrangements (desks, chairs, couches) so that you can choose the spot that makes you the most comfortable.

Kilachand Common Room

This is not a quiet space, so if you need to be in absolute silence to do work, this is not the place for you. However, it’s always nice to go downstairs (especially if you are living in Kilachand) and study while also getting into conversation with whoever else is in the common room at the time. The close proximity to the kitchen is also really nice for eating snacks while studying.

I hope this list has helped you find new places to study, or even just new places to hang out. Good luck to everyone this semester!

That Moment When You Know a College is Right for You: The 9th Floor of Kilachand Hall

Gabrielle Gewirtz (CAS’24)

There’s a moment everyone talks about during the college decision making process; when you know that there’s one college that makes you feel at home and overall just feels right. Making this decision during COVID, when I could not visit any schools, was very difficult. I chose BU because it checked all of my boxes—big school, research university, in a city, close to home, but not too close—but I didn’t know if, when I got to campus, I would have that feeling of rightness.

I moved into Kilachand Hall in late August with an anxious feeling: would I fit in here? Pushing those anxious thoughts aside, I started unpacking my boxes and suitcases. After moving in and meeting my roommates, we decided to start checking out places to get more comfortable with BU campus and our dorm. Since it was already pretty late, and we wanted to stay in our building, we decided to check out the 9th floor of Kilachand Hall to see the views of the city.

We took the elevator up to the 9th floor, and as soon as we got off, I was hit with that feeling. Around us, people were either doing work at tables or playing card games and talking to friends. Everyone looked at ease, and some people were even wearing pajamas. I immediately liked the feel of the 9th floor; you could go there to get work done, or even to be unproductive, and no one would care.

My roommates and I went to one of the big windows to look at the view, and again I was hit with the same feeling. I’ve always loved the nighttime, but Boston at night is especially gorgeous with its bright lights and zooming cars. I could easily picture myself up there on another night, playing games with friends or working on a late night project. At that point, looking out the window into the city, I knew I had chosen the right school.

Since coming to BU, I have gone up to the 9th floor more times than I could count. I’ve been to game nights with friends and have worked on group projects with people also in the honors college. Going to the 9th floor has been a great way to meet up with friends, and even meet new people. It’s also a place that has given many people, including myself, that indescribable feeling of rightness; that you know you chose the right place to be.

Image © Gabrielle Gewirtz 2022