Study crawls are the newest way to make studying for exams enjoyable (or at least bearable).
This Monday marks the beginning of reading period at Brown, which means classes are over and final exams are just around the corner. This can be one of the toughest times at college because there are tons of huge assignments (often worth a big percentage of your grade) to balance. It can often be super overwhelming to even know where to start with everything. Having to complete a ton of huge assignments means that you have to spend hours everyday to get everything done.
It can be super tough to lock in for this long, especially if you’re staying in one spot.
Therefore, I would recommend going on a curated study crawl around Providence, which will allow you to periodically stretch your legs, grab a bite to eat, and mix up your study location. So grab your laptop, water bottle, and snacks and get ready for a finals study crawl!
9:30am: Start your day with a coffee and croissant from Brown Bee Coffee on Benefit St. Their croissants are the best in PVD!
10am: Walk ~10 minutes down Benefit St to the Providence Athenaeum, which is a beautiful public library in Providence. You may have better luck finding a seat there than the Brown libraries, which can get packed during finals.
Or you could visit the RISD Fleet Library which is only a walk across the Pedestrian Bridge from the Athenaeum. The Fleet Library was founded in 1878 and is one of the oldest independent art colleges in the country. The library is a stunning setting to sit for hours and focus on your work.
1pm: If you’re getting hungry, walk up the hill and grab a sandwich, salad, or coffee at Blue Room (my favorite dining option at Brown). From there, I would suggest looking for a seat in Leung Lounge (the quiet area above Blue Room), the Hay, or the Rock, depending on seating options and if you like completely quiet spaces. Personally, I love the reading room at the Hay, but the complete silence is definitely not for everyone.
4:30pm: After a few hours, I would recommend stretching your legs and taking a nice walk down to Wayland Square. Walk ~20 minutes to Madrid European Bakery and Patisserie and grab a coffee and a sweet treat. They have tons of seating and free wifi, so it’s a great place to continue the crawl.
7pm: When Madrid European Bakery and Patisserie closes, walk or Uber back to campus and grab some dinner at your dining hall or Thayer locale of choice. On a cold night, I love Heng Thai’s pad thai with crispy chicken, but take an hour or so to power off your computer, grab something good to eat, and spend some time hanging out with friends or relaxing. It is super important to make sure that you’re properly fueled and are taking breaks to make sure you don’t get burned out.
8:30pm: After a long day walking around Providence, I would finish my night with some more studying at Scili. It stays open later than the Rock and the Hay, and there are floors and spaces for every level of noise. However, it can be tough to find a seat during final season, so if you can’t find a seat, I would just head back to my room or dorm lounge to get some more work done.
If you are looking for other tips to prepare for finals season, check out this comprehensive finals playbook that will have you feeling confident and stress-free for exams.