By May Wang
This is it. The final stretch. No matter how much you wish you could turn back time, it’s not going to happen and Hermione will not lend you her magical time-turner. This is sweatpants time, study time, finals time, term project and essay time. While everyone else in the country is singing Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer, munching on gingerbread cookies and gift-wrapping presents, you’re stuck in the dusty red building across from Washington Square Park tearing your hair out. Sadly, this is your state now, and it probably isn’t going to change for the next three weeks. We’ve already suggested some places to (try to) study outside your Elmer Holmes, but if you’ve conceded to making Bobst your permanent residence for now, naturally you should also try to make the most of it. Do it right. Consult our study guide to the best places for cramming within Bobst.
Best Place To Study In General: Bobst LL2
Also Try: 4th Floor study room and 5th floor side rooms
Almost every Bobst aficionado I know agrees that LL2 is the best place to study in the library, and not without reason. What makes the second lower level floor a perennial favorite is its quiet, brightly lit study environment and convenient individual cubicles and tables equipped with outlets. There’s a computer lab nearby for the laptop-less, as well. Late-night studiers also congregate on this floor, as it is open 24 hours, making it perfect for late night bonding sessions with fellow sufferers. If LL2 gets too crowded, which it often does, the newly renovated 4th floor is a really great places to study too, and offer a lot of vacancies.
Best Place To Plug In Your Laptop: 5th Floor Side Rooms
Also Try: Avery Fisher Center, audio stations
Many of us like to have our computers with us while we “study,” so we can freely tweet and Facebook stalk at ten-minute or less study intervals. When you have your computer with you, finding a study station where you can plug into your computer becomes crucial. The newly renovated 5th floor, especially the rooms on the sides, are really great for this. Every desk pretty much has an outlet and there are a lot of vacancies. If you happen, however, to walk in at a bad time during finals week and every desk is full, try the audio stations at the Avery Fisher center on the second floor. There are usually much less people there and you can usually score free cubicle desks that have outlets and don’t have audio/ video equipment attached to them, so you won’t feel guilty about taking some poor media student’s spot.
Best Place For Group Study: Carpeted Hall On The Right Side Of The Lobby
Also Try: Reserving A Study Room, the recently opened 5th Floor South.
Since reserving a study room at Bobst recently became more popular than getting into heaven, if you’re not planning something like a semester in advance and prepared to engage in a online bidding war, chances are you probably won’t get one, especially during finals. But if you don’t have a study room and still need to call an emergency last minute group meeting, the large blue space directly right of the lobby is not a bad place to do it. There are no seats or desks here, just awkward square kind of sofa-seat things, but sitting on the carpet isn’t all that bad either, especially if you can score a coveted corner space. It’s not as loud or cold here as it is in the direct lobby, and you can talk freely and eat here. Also a great place to sit and catch up on reading in between classes.
Best Place To (Try To) Stay Warm: Bobst 6th Floor, Large Room On the North Side
Also Try: Bobst 8th Floor
With east coast winter weather finally upon us in full blast, keeping warm and avoiding pneumonia during finals period is crucial. Unfortunately, sometimes all of Bobst can feel like one big freezer (Maybe this is how NYU saves the bucks- by scrimping on Bobst heating.) There are, I have been informed, though, a few places in Bobst that are toastier than others. Head to the 6th Floor study room facing Washington Square Park when you want to warm up and actually not wear your coat in the library for once. The 8th floor, I have also heard, is very warm too, albeit there are less outlets for your computer.
Best Place To Study Break: Bobst Lobby
Also Try: Bobst LL1 Vending Machines
Socializing in the Lobby is the easiest way to take your mind off things. If you have to, try not to disturb other students by doing it in the lobby, which is actually not a bad place to socialize with its half-circle black couch formations and its always coming and going throng of students. When you’re sick of the lobby, move on to Bobst’s lower levels, which is a hot bed for meeting people you know, or kind of know, or don’t-really-know-but-still-have-to-awkwardly-say-hi-to. You can even share a romantic meal over one of the LL1 tables or hit up the vending machines.
Of course, if you do wind up getting sick of Bobst (how could you?), check out our list of best places to study outside Bobst. Happy studying!
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