Off-Campus Getaways

Chill at the Downtown Library

Located just off the Commons in downtown Ithaca, Tompkins Country Public Library is a great alternative to IC’s library. During midterms and finals, campus study spots can get crowded and stressful. The local library offers free Internet use and research materials to the public, plus it’s a good excuse to get off campus.

• Tompkins County Public Library

Gimme! Coffee on State Street

Get Your Caffeine Fix

Nestled between Tops and Wegmans, Barnes and Noble is a great place to get motivated. On one side of the store, you’ll find a Starbucks café with small tables occupied by locals and students from Ithaca College and Cornell University -- the perfect place for a boost of caffeine and a little stimulation. Behind the café is a group of large wooden tables, which are useful for laying out study supplies or meeting for a group project.

Another great local place to study and get your java fix is Gimme! Coffee. Choose one of two downtown Gimme! locations or, for a change of pace, check out Gimme! at the Ithaca Farmers' Market and choose a study spot from the many benches and rocks overlooking the inlet there.

• Barnes and Noble Booksellers -- Ithaca
• Gimme! Coffee

Check Out an Organic Café

If you don’t mind driving a little farther down Route 13, stop by Smart Monkey Café. Located next to Friendly’s, this refreshing shop is a great place to grab some study snacks and coffee. Decorated in natural woods and landscape murals, the atmosphere brings the outdoors in. Smart Monkey has free Internet access, large wooden tables, a couch, and, on occasion, live music.

• Smart Monkey Café

A group of IC students take a study break on the Commons.

Grab a Seat in the Center of It All

The downtown Commons is a great spot to meet up with friends to work on homework or a group project. And if you like a little distraction, it’s also a great place to people watch and listen to live music.

• The Ithaca Commons

Studying at Ithaca Falls

Immerse Yourself

The state parks and gorges provide relaxing and beautiful locations to put you truly at ease. These locations throughout the Finger Lakes allow you to leave the college atmosphere without going too far off the beaten path. They’re the perfect spots to help you gather your thoughts for a productive study session.

• New York State Parks: Finger Lakes Region

Meet You at the Library

• Ithaca College Library

So your roommate is having a Grey’s Anatomy party, and your floormates are in the lounge working on a group project. Need some space to study or somewhere to write that paper? Fuse has the perfect spot for you.

INDOOR HIDEOUTS

The Classic Library
Open weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 a.m., the College library is the perfect retreat. Some of the best study sessions take place on the main floor, but there are a few prime spots that offer the silence required for cramming.

Health policy studies alumnus Jeffrey Penoyer ’08 says, “The fifth floor of the library was my favorite place to focus because no one’s there and it’s dead quiet.” The walls are lined with individual work spaces featuring cubby-like desks, perfect for those seeking a little peace and quiet. And if you want to meet with a group more privately, a few closed rooms are available on the same floor.

 A student studies on the fifth floor of the library.

Campus Center Convenience
A happening hub in the Campus Center, IC Square is a popular place for students to grab a coffee in the morning, meet a friend for lunch, and sneak in a few hours of homework. A little louder and a bit more crowded than other spots, it’s an excellent space for Ithacans who like some background noise. "I loved to do homework there,” says psychology alumna Jenna McElroy ’08, “because I liked the social stimulation, and I'd get more distracted when it was dead silent.

You’ll find plenty of tables and outlets for plugging in your computer (wireless Internet access is available for students). A lesser known spot in IC Square called the fishbowl is a good place to be in the action and still get a little privacy.

Lobby with a View
A haven of comfort and space, the outer lobby of Emerson Suites is underrated for studying. Outside the large room used for campus events you’ll find a row of couches lining the windows.

Curling up with a coffee, art history major Kristina O’Connor ’10 says, “The couches along the windows in Emerson Suites are the best place to study. It’s quiet here and not a lot of people are going through.” It also boasts a great view of the Park School with Cayuga Lake in the distance.

A quiet spot in the Emerson Suites provides an opportunity to sit and read.

Class at Night
If you’re looking for a place to turn off your cell phone and remain unreachable, try meandering into Williams Hall or the Center for Health Sciences (CHS) and finding an empty classroom at night. No one will ever find you, and chances are you won’t be interrupted.

“I liked studying in empty classrooms at night because no one was around. No noise, no distractions,” says exercise science alumna Molly Friel ’08. “You could also get a dry erase marker and write on the white boards to go over notes and class material. Everything you needed was in one place.”

Other Indoor Nooks and Crannies
There are plenty of other quiet corners on campus that can be great for getting work done. Physical therapy major Mark McAuliffe ’09 likes the physical therapy learning lab in CHS. “It has access to the resources I need, and I always see people from my classes,” he explains.

Computer labs are located in several buildings, as well as on the first floor of the West Tower (which also has a laundry room that makes for a good study area). Clark, Klingenstein, and McDonald Lounges in the Campus Center are comfy spaces to study when they’re not in use.

And one last secret space is McHenry Lobby on the fourth floor of the music building. Non-music majors are always welcome to sit and study awhile.

Little-known McHenry Lobby is a study spot with a fabulous view.

OUTDOOR HOT SPOTS

Spiritual Retreat
Behind Muller Chapel is an outdoor sanctuary with a few open picnic tables. A seat by the pond amid the scenery is a great place to write or collect your thoughts. Or bring a blanket and a book and sit on the grass with a friend to get some peace of mind and catch up on those chapters you’ve been putting off.

One of the prettiest study spots on campus is also a great place to study.

Enjoy The Scenery
On top of Textor Hall, by the huge Textor ball, is another great place to crack your books. Grab your lunch and settle in to read and to take in an amazing view of Cayuga Lake.

Students often study outside on top of Textor Hall.