UC Berkeley’s beautiful campus offers a variety of really great study spots if you know where to look. Whether you’re a person who wants to find one great study spot and stick with it, or you’re a person who enjoys studying at a variety of places, Cal has a lot to offer. I’m going to tell you my top five favorite spots to study at on Cal’s campus.
#1- The East Asian Library
If you’re someone who appreciates peace and quiet while you are studying, the East Asian Library is the place for you. The East Asian Library is a gorgeous library that perfectly incorporates different aspects of East Asian architecture along with the neoclassic architecture found on much of Cal’s campus. It’s clean and aesthetic and offers many tables and desks to study at throughout the library’s four floors. The East Asian Library is my favorite place to study on campus and is definitely a place worth checking out if you’re looking for a quiet, serene place to study.
#2- Moffit Library
Moffit is one of Berkeley’s busiest, most popular libraries on campus. I tend to think of Moffit as the chill, social library because most of the floors in Moffit allow you to talk to your friends, and they also allow food and drinks. Moffit is a great library to study at if you don’t mind, or even prefer a bit of noise in the background while you study. It’s also an awesome place to study if you’re looking to meet up with classmates to hold study sessions or work on group projects. The library is also connected to the Free Speech Movement cafe, so it’s a great place to be if you’re ever looking to grab coffee or a bite to eat.
#3- The Music Library
The Music Library is another great place to study on campus. This library is great for people who like to study in quiet spaces. The library is beautiful and has a lot of natural lighting, which is a big plus. In my experience, this library doesn’t tend to get super busy, so if you’re ever struggling to find a seat at one of the school’s more popular libraries, this is an awesome place to look!
#4- Martin Luther King Building
MLK is a great place to study if you like the vibes of coffee shops, without actually having to buy a coffee. MLK tends to be a bit more noisy, with music regularly playing in the background. MLK has a very social atmosphere and is a place where many people like to chat and hang out with friends. The building also has several places where you can buy food if you’re ever hungry.
#5- Doe Library
Doe is, of course, UC Berkeley’s main library and is what people tend to imagine when they think of Cal’s campus. Doe’s an absolutely beautiful library and offers students a quiet place to study and enjoy. This is a great place to study at any point in the semester, but it’s an especially great place to study when you’re working on a paper or studying for a midterm. I’ve heard many students say that studying at Doe makes them feel especially inspired and very studious.
UC Berkeley is an amazing school that’s home to some of the brightest, most ambitious students, and thankfully, the school has not fallen short on making sure that its students have great places to study.