Where to Study on Drexel’s University City Campus
The Main 220 Lounge in Main Building offers roomy study space with free coffee.
Finals are here, but you don’t have to hole up in your room to get your studying done. Obviously, there are myriad spaces to get some peace and quiet when you need to hit the books, but don’t forget that studying with other people can be helpful, too.
Around campus, you can tap into Coffee & Community, run by University Community Partnerships (UCP), the Lindy Center for Civic Engagement, the Dornsife Center for Neighborhood Partnerships and Writers Room. Though not specifically for studying, these four-hour blocks of time on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays offer students a cozy spot near campus to connect with others or with their assignments — plus get a boost of caffeine.
For an atmosphere exclusively geared towards studying, check out Study Hours at the Patrick McGonigal Academic Resource Center (ARC) with the Center for Learning and Student Success (CLASS). Monday through Thursday from 1–3 p.m., students can drop in for a study session with plenty of white board space, timers, study tools and handouts or quick consultation with a professional academic coach. Talking with an academic coach can help improve study habits, rather than spot-checking certain subjects. During finals week, Study Hours won’t be held, but the room will still be available for a quiet study space.
“Study Hours can be used as a form of body doubling — a strategy that helps individuals to stay focused and productive as they work alongside other people who are also being focused and productive,” said Executive Director of University Academic Success Rebecca Signore. “Different from a study group, where the individuals are working collaboratively on shared materials, studying with body doubles does not require participants to be working on the same courses or materials. Rather, each student sets their own goals based on their priorities and needs.”
If you’re looking for a spot to study alone or with friends or classmates, there’s a nook around every corner at Drexel, from quiet spaces at the W.W. Hagerty Library to larger study rooms, like the Main 220 Lounge, which also has free coffee and a conference space.
The DrexelOne app offers a tab of study spaces, complete with a map.
The DrexelOne app is a great resource when you need to refresh where you find focus. In its list of study spaces, you can sort places by distance from where you are, so you can jump right into studying. The tab breaks the spaces down into where they are in the building, such as “Academic Building 2nd Floor” or “Creese Student Center Lower Level Conference Rooms,” and you can also see the hours the space is open and if a DragonCard is required for entry.
If you’re looking for the best spot to study, take tips from a few Dragons themselves.
Xochitl Cruz-Hernandez, finance ’27 from the Bennett S. LeBow College of Business
My favorite study spot on campus is either the Lebow Lounge (in Gerri C. LeBow Hall) or the individual booths overlooking the Hagerty Library on the second floor. I get the best studying done during the morning.
My best tips for finals are to delete the distracting apps, put your phone on Do Not Disturb and try to focus on the task at hand. As someone who is always busy, the last one is the hardest for me. I think about all the things that I have to do and get distracted super easily.
Lorelei Booth, biomedical engineering ’26 from the College of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
My favorite study spot on campus is the upstairs of Hagerty Library. I like to sit in the cubbies near the books. It's really quiet up there and sitting within the books helps me feel studious.
My favorite time of day to get studying done is after dinner. Normally I'll take a break after class and either go to the gym or read a book. Then I'll get dinner and go to the library to study. I always feel super refreshed and ready to tackle the night.
During finals, go to bed early and start your day! Some exams are early, and the more in the habit you are of waking up to study, the more rested you will feel come the day of the final. The more you take care of yourself throughout the week like eating well, getting a good night's rest, and finding ways to destress, will overall help with test and project “scaries.”
Rina Notani, biological sciences ’28 from the College of Arts and Sciences
On campus, I would say my favorite spot would be the fourth floor of PISB (Papadakis Integrated Sciences Building). I'm kind of a night owl, so my studying habits usually (during the week) are 8 p.m. to midnight, but over weekends and finals, 2 p.m. to midnight become my hours of choice.
I will shout from the rooftops that sleep is the most important thing you can give yourself during finals week. I learned that the hard way, and the best way to ensure great sleep is to start studying about two weeks in advance for your finals! Never be afraid to take a break when you're running on empty!
Sofia Arastu, BS economics and data science ’28 from the LeBow College
My favorite study spot is in MacAlister on the sixth floor in the City View Lounge, or the undergrad lounge on the third floor in (Gerri C.) LeBow Hall. I study in the morning before or lunch or about two hours after dinner. I study alone (sometimes I need to work something out on my own) AND with friends depending on what I am studying for. But this quarter I prefer studying in a group since it encourages me to discuss the concepts and keeps me accountable.
A good tip for finals is start studying an outline of the concepts BEFORE finals week. Cramming things will just make you feel stressed. Make sure to ask questions before week 10 is over, because your TAs and professors will be a great resource for you.
Also, reward yourself with small breaks in between concepts. Once you finish a concept, take a break, get a treat, then start the next concept with absolute focus. Rinse and repeat.