Brooke Skiba
Features Editor
Is anyone else starting to find studying on campus monotonous and often stressful? Sometimes the only cure to “campus fever” is getting away for off-campus study sessions. If you have access to a car or are willing to take the shuttle, then the following places should definitely be on your list of study stops.
Wooster County Public Library
While our campus library does offer a productive study environment, sometimes it’s nice to get away from all the stressed out, homework-focused students to an off-campus space that has the potential to be just as productivity-inducing. The Wayne County Public Library in downtown Wooster offers exactly this study spot. The library is beautifully constructed with unique brick architecture and large windows that let in a great deal of natural light. The staff is always tremendously helpful and friendly – making it very easy to get a library card and to check out books as needed. The library also offers free Wi-Fi, which is easy to access. Julia Hart ’14 suggests working in one of the armchairs on the second floor, where it is quiet but not too isolated. The atmosphere in general is quiet, creating a place to work that allows students to connect to the community and get away from the hectic college environment. Hart concludes, “I would certainly recommend visiting the library to anyone looking for a pleasant space to work away from some of the distractions on campus.” 220 W. Liberty St.
Woo’s Brews
“If you like a private space with background noise, awesome fairly-priced coffee drinks, personable employees and comfy chairs,” then, according to Scott McLellan ’15, employee of the downtown coffee shop, Woo’s Brews is your study spot. Woo’s Brews is located in a quiet part of downtown, so the café does not receive large amounts of distracting traffic. It does, however, offer the intermittent background sounds — the coffee bean grinder, espresso machine, blender, etc. — that allow the focused studier to avoid going stir-crazy from absolute silence. Woo’s Brews provides a very relaxed environment with free Wi-Fi and free refills on regular coffee drinks. Another great perk of Woo’s Brews is that you are able to order custom coffee drinks. McLellan even described a time when he made a customer an “iced cappuccino,” which, as anyone familiar with making coffee knows, is not really a thing. McLellan claims that the place, while relaxing and private, is also “hoppin’”; professors and students often choose Woo’s Brews as their work location, particularly on the weekends. While the café is not currently open on Sundays, this may be changing in the near future. 131 Market Street.
Panera Bread
Similar to Woo’s Brews, but with a slightly different environment, Panera Bread could be the study spot for you. If you’re looking for a location that is slightly more social for a group project, or a place for an all-day study session, Panera will fulfill your needs. The best part of studying at Panera (besides the great food and coffee) is that the restaurant is set up in a way that offers flexibility. If you’re looking to seclude yourself but are still a fan of background noise and people watching, you can find a corner booth or table in the restaurant to do just that. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a space to meet with a group, Panera doubles as a social space; the large tables and comfy booths offer the ideal space to work through a stressful group project. Not to mention that Panera, with its free Wi-Fi and coffee refills, also has a large number of outlets. Anyone who has studied at a McDonald’s for a long period of time knows that this is not a benefit to be taken lightly. The advantages of having Panera food on hand would be another article entirely, but I definitely recommend the establishment to anyone looking to get off campus to study and still be around other people. 3934 Burbank Rd.
Spangler Park
If you’re looking to be inspired while working on a creative writing piece or just want a relaxing place to read, Wooster Memorial (“Spangler”) Park is the place for you. While all of Wooster’s parks offer a similarly peaceful outdoorsy atmosphere, I have found that Spangler presents a unique study experience that has helped me to be both productive and creatively influenced. Spangler Park is a vast forest that contains several walking/hiking trails and overlooks. Generally, hiking and homework do not mix, but in the case of Spangler, they create a unique hybrid study/exercise experience. When I go to Spangler Park to study, I generally walk to the first bench, write or read until a specific point in my work, and then move on to the next bench to do the same. The endorphins help keep my mind active and fresh while the breathtaking scenery — a beautiful ravine, creeks and a variety of woodland vegetation – inspires me to keep working and keep a positive, stress-free attitude. I definitely recommend a trip to Spangler Park for any student who needs an escape into nature to get work done and return to campus rejuvenated. Township Highway 4.