Make the Most Out of Your Breaks
The Pros and Cons of John Abbott’s Study Spaces
Some people work better indoors, some outdoors, some in crowded spaces, some in empty spaces. Here’s a list of popular study spaces around campus. If you are new to John Abbott, start checking them off your list! If you are a returning student, maybe you’ll find a new study space that suits your needs better.
The Library: 1st Floor
At the back of the library’s first floor, desks are grouped into an aisle as well as into smaller groups between magazine and newspaper shelves. This is a silent section of the library, making it perfect for individual work during small breaks. However, you may be distracted by people walking back and forth searching for books and magazines.
The Library: 2nd Floor
The second floor of the library, where the media center is found, is better suited for silent group work. The tables are larger, and the minimalist space is better suited for those who might be easily distracted. Does your group need to be a little louder? You can rent study rooms on this floor.
The Library: Basement
You can also rent rooms in the library basement. Although the windows are small and the aisles are narrow, the basement is quiet and snug in case you aren’t a fan of big spaces. If you need them, the Writing Centre and Academic Success Centre are found here.
The Oval Café
Located in the Herzberg basement across from many of the club rooms, the recently renovated Oval Café is a great spot to study with friends while grabbing a bite to eat. If you don’t feel like stepping off of campus while still feeling as though you are in a coffee shop, this is the place to be.
Science Study Rooms
On every floor of the Anne-Marie Edward Health and Science Building, you can find bright, clean rooms equipped with computers, outlets, and resources that are perfect for doing homework during breaks or after class hours. If you are not in a program related to the sciences, it is best to leave the rooms to those they were built for. However, if they are not too full and if you stay quiet, they are comfortable, well-lit places to work.
The Herzberg Oval
The round lawn in front of the main Herzberg entrance (and the lawn closer to the bus station) is perfect for completing readings, doing quick review for a test, or practicing a group presentation in the early autumn or the late spring! Relax, sunbathe, have a picnic, and get cracking on that work.
T.W.I.G.s
Moving off campus now, the cozy T.W.I.G.s café is located in Sainte-Annede- Bellevue, only a 10 minute walk away from the college. The staff is pleasant, the food is delicious, and there is plenty of room for students to work. The back of the café is a little dark, but if you are working on a laptop or a tablet you should have no problems.
Boardwalk
We are lucky to be near a bunch of little public parks scattered along the lakeshore. Studying by the lake is refreshing and peaceful, if you work best close to nature. Along the main street in Sainte-Anne, you can also sit on the benches and take in the picturesque little town while casually going over your notes. Sitting along the waterfront and watching the boats can provide a calming break from your work. Regardless of your program or what semester you are in, you will without a doubt receive some form of homework: readings, essays, exercises, studying, presentations…and you need somewhere to do it during your breaks. Hopefully this list will help you find the place where you will be the most comfortable and the most productive!
by Daina Sully