Upperclassmen share their favorite study areas on campus, advice for securing a spot

With a large student body and varying study needs from student to student on Pitt’s campus, it can be difficult to find the optimal study environment and even harder to guarantee that it will be available when it’s time to hit the books. With a new school year approaching, upperclassmen shared their study preferences and gave advice on how to secure a spot.

Colin Torres, a sophomore biology and economics double major, said he enjoys studying at the second floor of the Hillman Library due to its abundance of space and charging stations. 

“It is very spacious and it has desks that have computer chargers in it so I don’t have to leave before I’m finished with my work [or] studying,” Torres said. “I find that Hillman can be more crowded than other places, especially during finals or midterm weeks.”

Torres said he recommends incoming first-years look for a study spot where they can “focus on their work [with] minimal distractions.”

While students like Torres prefer the functionality of popular locations like the Hillman Library, others gravitate toward the gothic charm of Cathedral of Learning, which features a common room with a four-story-high ceiling and a nearly half-acre floor area. Many students use the space for catching up on work or preparing for an upcoming class. The Cathedral of Learning is also home to thirty-one historic nationality rooms that each resemble a different country or culture. 

Edwin Stover, a junior accounting major, prefers studying in the Cathedral due to its accessibility and beauty. 

“I love the captivating visuals of the first floor and the calming ambiance,” Stover said. “Also, the wooden benches make me feel like [I am] in Harry Potter.”

When it comes to reserving a study room in the Hillman library, Stover recommends “being proactive.”
“The signups open a month in advance, and I recommend you book them as soon as they open,” Stover said. “As for finding a spot during midterm and finals weeks, I would recommend getting to the library early [or] booking a study room.”

Stover said booking a study room in advance is the best way to ensure access to a library study space during exam periods. 

“I typically find that study rooms in the library are the hardest spots to access if not booked in advance,” Stover said. “Study spots in the library can also be very hard to find during midterm and finals weeks.”

Isabel Corica, a junior film and media studies major, also enjoys utilizing the study spaces in the Cathedral, as the Hillman Library can become crowded and make it difficult to focus. 

“It’s very peaceful and I always love looking at all the details within the building,” Corica said. “It’s also been a great place to study [and] do group work.”

Corica said she recommends incoming first-year students study with a group when possible, as it can help them meet others.

“It is also a great way to meet new people, whether it [is] inside [the Cathedral], the lawn outside the Cathedral, the Hillman library or at their dorm,” Corica said.