Off-campus study spaces

As the sun begins to shine on the often-ominous winter term, final exams stand as the last hurdles to conquer in the race for summer vacation. Study space becomes a highly sought after necessity, and let’s face it, the options are less than abundant on campus. As a result, the remaining places for students to hunker down, become quickly overcrowded.

As a student with four years of experience in searching for the perfect place to study, I’ve come up with a top-five list of off-campus locations that will provide you with the atmosphere necessary to help finish the term strongly.

1. Huether Hotel’s Café 1842 (59 King St. North, Waterloo)
Located on the main floor of the Huether Hotel, the quiet café has all of the necessary features to foster productivity. In addition to calm lighting, comfortable seating, fresh coffee and an all day breakfast menu, Café 1842 has plenty of the necessary electrical outlets to recharge your dying laptops. Open from 7 a.m. – 1 a.m.

2. Waterloo Public Library (35 Albert St., Waterloo)
If the hunt for free space in the Laurier library is becoming too much to stand, head over to the Waterloo Public Library. Uncharted territory amongst many students, the public library offers plenty of space and a quiet, distraction-free environment to work. Nighthawks beware: the latest they are open is 9 p.m.

3. Princess Café (46 King St. North, Waterloo)
If Café 1842 isn’t for you, just walk across the street to the Princess Café. What this place lacks in size it makes up for in quality. Supplied with big tables, electrical outlets, and delicious Panini sandwiches, the Princess Café is a comfortable place to go if seats are available. Open until 10:30 p.m. daily.

4. Williams Coffee Pub (170 University Ave, Waterloo)
Located in University Plaza, Williams Coffee Pub is a student friendly location with plenty of space, caffeine and satisfying desserts and they are open until 1 a.m. daily. If hours of studying put your brain into overdrive, then treat yourself to a much-deserved beer. They’re called a ‘coffee pub’ for a reason!

5. Your House
The distractions of home coupled with annoying roommates can make staying in to study seem like an impossible option. Sometimes, however, the importance of finding the perfect place to study starts to outweigh the importance of actually studying. Give your place a shot. You’ve got electrical outlets, plenty of food, fresh coffee, unlimited hours of operation, and if you don’t want a crowd all you have to do is shut the door.