The best places to study on campus

Torie Buerger studies outside of the William T. Young Library on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022, at University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky. Photo by Morgan Simmons | Kentucky Kernel Staff.

With the spring season in full bloom, many college students are venturing out of the library to embrace the warmer weather.

It’s a well-known fact that the warmth and the days getting longer helps improve one’s mood and decreases the impacts of seasonal affective disorder. Various news outlets such as Healthline and Science Daily report that sunlight boosts one’s energy as well as focus, with the light signaling the brain to wake up.

Being a full-time student during the winter months is no simple feat. The cold months are hard to push through with deadlines and assignments, all while maintaining a positive mood.

Many individuals on campus are taking the opportunity to be outdoors. There are many places on and around the University of Kentucky’s campus where students can bask in the sun while still being productive. Almost every corner of campus has a space to curl up and work.

“I really like the areas outside of Willy T. [William T. Young Library], like the balconies or outside the Starbucks,” said Kalyann Meece, a UK sophomore who claims to be an avid explorer of study spaces.

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Meece talked in detail about her methods of searching. She said she walks into different buildings around campus, seeing if there are any spaces inside to make her own.

“The North Agriculture building has a really pretty garden-like area with tables and everything,” she said.

Ricky Martinez, a senior at Bluegrass Community and Technical College, whose campus borders UK’s, said he spends a lot of time studying on and around UK’s campus.

“I’ve spent seven consecutive hours at coffee shops before,” he said.

He talked about High on Art and Coffee, a coffee shop close to campus with exclusively outdoor seating. The building has a good number of tables and chairs surrounding it, with a lot of greenery to bring in that summer, outdoorsy feel.

“The owner is the nicest lady. I go there so much, she knows me by name and always remembers my order,” Martinez said.

Other notable places at UK include the Arboretum and “The Bowl” outside William T. Young Library.

The Arboretum is the UK-owned and operated Kentucky state botanical garden, just on the outskirts of campus. It’s a beautiful space to go if you’re looking for a spot to put down a blanket and have a calming picnic-study date or if need to get in your steps through a walk.

“The Bowl” is outside William T. Young Library and has become a notorious spot for sledding in winter. But in the warmer months, it’s filled with students on blankets and in chairs working on assignments or reading books. The space offers a central spot for connectivity on campus.

Spring is the time of year to hone in on one’s academic goals and end the academic year on a strong note. Getting outside is a great way to stay productive while feeding your mind, body and soul. The University of Kentucky is filled with a plethora of spaces to foster that positive, warm energy one needs to push through.