The end is near and along with that comes the greatest enemy we all fear: finals. Finals are both the best and worst thing. They represent the end of classes for a month, but they also represent hours of study time and preparation that many of us aren’t looking forward to.

Studying is accomplished in many ways. There’s last minute studying, weeks-of-preparation studying, no studying, and/or paper finals. Where does the studying happen, though?

There are plenty of places on campus to conduct the preparation for those finals. Each location has its pros and cons, yet it the best place to prepare really depends on preference.

One of the more common spaces to study is Murphy Library. With a quiet space in the basement and on the second floor, there is some great opportunity to study in peace, or there is the first floor of the library where the many conversations going on might just be the key to preparation success.

“I like studying in Murphy’s Mug because of the atmosphere,” says UWL Senior Emmie Infante. “That sound of coffee being made and people casually working on homework is a great white noise to help me be productive.”

Not feeling the on-campus environment? There are some off-campus locations that offer productive environments as well, including The Root Note, Cool Beans Coffee Shop, Moka, La Crosse Public Library, etc.

For UWL Sophomore Sara Seymour, off-campus is the preferred study location: “I go to Cool Beans Coffee Shop to study,” Seymour states. “It’s a good location, has good vibes, and has good coffee. Basically, everything I need to get some productive studying done.”

Going too far away from the room can be an issue sometimes, however. Getting to your study spot and realizing that an important piece was left behind can be a hassle. UWL Sophomore Leslie Zelinski comments, “I like the basement of my hall for ease of access to my room just in case I happen to forget something.”

There are plenty of other areas to study as well. From the basement all the way up to the second floor, the Student Union serves as a great location to pop a squat and get some studying done. Centennial is another spot that may not be widely known. Monday through Friday until 10 pm, Centennial is open for any student to utilize, even the classrooms. There are also study rooms located on the second and third floor that are available for use.

If none of these locations sound appealing and the bedroom is working out, then keep doing what works for you. Just know that using the same location gets old and the levels of productivity aren’t consistent, then there are plenty of other places to go.

For finals this semester, try something new. Get out there and see what is comfortable and what isn’t. Many of us still have another semester to come back to after our month-long break so now is a good time to explore and see what is out there waiting to be utilized.