Quincy University has a multitude of places on campus that do not get utilized by students. Some of these places are formal settings for academic studying, while others are informal spaces for general use. But while some of the following places are well known among the student body some of their perks are not. 

The Library

The library is located above the Student Success Center on Quincy University’s main campus. The library is supposed to maintain a quiet environment to promote studying. This makes the location not ideal for group projects or gatherings. But for students who study by themselves on a consistent basis, there is a perk to this setting.

“If you want to reserve a study space we will give you a number and you can set it on the table that you choose. You can have it for a semester, a week, a weekend, whatever you would like. We have a little other sign that says no one gets to use that space for as long as you need it,” Susan Grant, education technology specialist, said. 

Students can reserve any of the seats on the library’s first or second floors. There are currently only a few students utilizing having their own reserved spot. But this means this space still has plenty of available seating for reservations. 

“My favorite place to study individually is the library. And then the place I like to study in groups is downstairs in the SSC,” Kayla Roszkiewicz said. 

The SSC

This tends to be a favorite location for studying among students who enjoy group work. The classrooms are equipped with walls you can write on and TV’s or smart boards to display presentations. This makes the SSC location easy to use when presenting to a group or going over multiple units of information. 

The SSC also has a computer lab that is sometimes open for printing. But the services are what really makes this the ideal place for students to not only study but receive help. There is a writing lab, tutoring services, and the student success coaches all based out of this location. 

However, the SSC does have a limited number of rooms and seats. Meaning if students wish to use this space they have to think ahead to have a room secured. 

“I’m a commuter at Quincy University and I would say my studying experiences have been overall positive. I like that there is a lot of individual rooms here in the SSC that we can study in. I wish they could have a little bit more expo markers once in a while. But that’s an easy fix… and then kind of the same thing at North campus as well,” Blake Peter said. 

North Campus 

There are many places to study at North Campus that go unutilized. There are various nooks between classes that have desks and seating like on the second floor. There is also a bigger formal study space at the front entrance of North Campus (across from the marketplace). 

The second floor that overlooks the Connie Niemann Center also has seating and a close-by bathroom. Using this space could be advantageous because it would be more easily accessible through Lot L. Which often has a lot more spaces available than the most used Lot K. 

Under the Cafeteria

The cafeteria itself has a lot of seating and would be conducive to studying outside of the meal time periods. However, under the cafeteria there is not only seating but also a TV that has the same access to cable as those in the cafeteria. This space would face some foot traffic because it is next to the bookstore. But that could also be a positive to using this space, as the bookstore now serves beverages.

Friars’ Hall

The second floor of this residential building is equipped with a computer lab that can be accessed by all students. This computer lab also has a printer that can be used through student accounts. But this room’s long table with chairs is what would make this an excellent secluded place for group studying. 

The second floor of Friars’ Hall is connected to Francis Hall through a hallway, so students would not have to walk outside if wanting to use the space after class.

However, the entrance is hard to find unless shown. The only way to access the hallway is from Francis Hall’s first floor and then up a stairwell. 

Francis Hall

Besides Francis Hall’s various computer labs and empty classrooms that can sometimes be used to study, there is also a student lounge.

The student lounge has plenty of space for larger groups, as well as having more private rooms connected to the space. This tends to be one of the most overlooked student designated spaces on campus. As many do not know its location, which is on the second floor in room 238. 

These are only some spaces on campus that can be used by students. The residential buildings also have their own spaces for studying. 

The overall disconnect between the main and north campus has left many spaces undiscovered by students. But social distancing and having to convert online can also be to blame for students staying in their rooms to study. However, socialization is a large part of the college experience and staying in a dorm room isn’t conducive to meeting new people.