This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Akron chapter.
After spending a year avoiding Bierce Library like the plague and wasting more tanks of gas than I’d like to own up to, I’ve empirically evaluated and ranked the top places in and around Akron to study for your finals this week because sometimes you just need a change of scenery.
1. Howe Starbucks
- 371 Howe Ave. Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221
- Drive time: about 10 minutes
- Best time to get there: 4-10 pm
- Seating situation: two 4 person tables, 2 chairs, four individual tables, an outside patio with four small tables
- Better for individual study or studying in pairs
- What I Like to Work On:
- Essays
- Pros:
- Really close to several places to eat (Next door to a Chipotle)
- Feels homey without feeling cramped
- Good light during the day
- Close to campus
- Cons:
- Limited seating
- Gets really dark inside as soon as the sun sets
- Closes at 11
- Final Rating: 3/5
2. Nimisila Reservoir
- Drive time: 25 minutes
- Best time to go: any time during the day
- What I Like to Work On:
- This is by far the best place to read
- Reviewing notes
- Seating Situation
- Bring a blanket and plan to sit on the ground or one of the docks
- Good for individual and group study
- This is my favorite place for group study, I like to take people here to study and make a picnic out of it!
- Pros:
- Outside
- Quiet
- GREAT View
- Cons:
- No wifi, have to use phone as a hotspot
- Less shade than Munroe Falls
- Farthest from campus
- Final Rating: 3/5
3. Angel Falls Coffee
- 792 W Market St, Akron, OH 44303
- Drive time: about 10 minutes
- Pros:
- Good study environment
- Good background noise and music
- Good lighting
- Close to campus
- Cons:
- Limited space
- Closes at 10
- Final rating: 3/5
4. Compass Coffee
- 647 E Market St, Akron, OH 44304
- Drive time: about 5 minutes
- Best for group study
- Pros:
- Usually pretty quiet
- Plenty of spread out seating
- Closest to campus
- Cons:
- Really dark inside
- Closes at 9pm
- Final rating: 3/5
5. Munroe Falls Metro Park
- 521 S River Rd, Munroe Falls, OH 44262
- Drive time: 20 minutes
- Best time to go: any time during the day
- Seating situation: plenty of picnic tables in both sunny and shady areas
- What I Like to Work On:
- Reading
- Essays
- Taking notes
- Good for individual and group study
- Pros:
- Outside
- Quiet
- Lots of people walk their dogs here…
- Cons:
- No wifi, have to use phone as a hotspot
- Final Rating: 3.5/5
6. Portage Trail Starbucks
- 2071 Portage Trail Space 1000 Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44223
- Drive time: 15 minutes
- Best time to get there: early in the morning,from 5am-8am or around 2pm
- Seating situation:
- A long booth with 5 individual tables, one 4 person table, one 6 person table, 3 seats at the bar, four chairs, and an outside patio that has 8 small tables with umbrellas
- What I Like to Work On:
- Online homework
- Essays
- Study Guides
- Anything I can do completely off my laptop, there isn’t a lot of room to get out books or notebooks
- Best for individual studying
- Pros:
- Lots of natural light
- Easy place to focus
- Can study outside with wifi, and the umbrellas make it easier to work when it’s sunny out
- Close to campus
- Across the street from a Chipotle
- Cons:
- Usually pretty busy
- Closes at midnight
- Small tables and not a lot of space, can feel cramped
- Across the street from a Chipotle…
- Final Rating: 4/5
7. Fairlawn Starbucks
- 3899 Medina Road Akron, OH 44333
- Drive time: 20 minutes
- Best time to get there: from 9-noon on weekdays, 10 pm, after midnight
- Seating situation:
- Long booth with 5 individual tables, two 4 person tables, one 10 person table, 4 chairs and two 2 person couches, 4 seats by the bar, and an outside patio with 7 small tables
- What I Like to Work On
- Taking notes
- Writing essays
- Going over flashcards
- Reviewing notes
- Practice exams
- Anything and everything
- Great for individual AND group study, this is my absolute favorite place to get anything done
- Pros:
- Open late, the only 24 hour Starbucks close to Akron that has inside seating
- Good lighting
- Lots of space, plenty of room to lay out all of your study materials
- Usually less busy and seats are spread out, making it feel less cramped
- Cons:
- Can be hard to find parking if you go at a busy time
- Farther from campus
- Final Rating: 5/5