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It’s Finals Week! Where Art Thou Studying?

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Rubi Mancilla
Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Monica Pena
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UC Riverside chapter.

**Cue the Jaws music**
It’s Week 10. Finals are only days away. You have a quarter’s worth of readings to do in one weekend. Your roommate’s only have 2 finals and you unfortunately have 4. You walk into Orbach Science Library and spot her. Some random girl in a UCR sweater and messy bun is in your study spot. You’ve been sitting there all quarter long and she just waltzes in the week of finals. Yes, I do understand that specific cubicle doesn’t belong to me, but c’mon, I’ve practically molded into that chair. Before you go all crazy just keep on reading.
 
We’ve all seen this happen before. It’s that time of the quarter again, finals week !  And everyone and their moms decides to camp out in the campus library. I don’t have a problem with people wanting to study there, go for it!  But if I see one more person watching an episode of Mad Men or a guy hogging an entire study room, I might just have to say something. Instead of raising your blood pressure or making a dangerously loud passive aggressive comment, try one of these other study spots. They’re all on campus, and some of them even serve food nearby.
 
 

1. Highlander Union Building aka The HUB
I know what you’re thinking. It’s too loud, how will I ever concentrate with the extremely long line at Panda Express. And how will I ever find a table? But don’t fret! During finals week the HUB is pretty empty. I would recommend, the third floor of the HUB, it’s made up of conference rooms, that are left open as a space for students to come in and study. If you’d rather be outside, then try the tables on the first or second floor patio.
 

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2. Computer Labs in Watkins and Sproul
Trying to find an available computer in the libraries during finals week is like trying to find a bottle of Coca Cola on campus. Don’t fret, because there are multiple computer labs on campus that are open for your convenience. If you’ve read my very first article(if not go read it!), you would know that the computer labs in Watkins and Sproul offer thirty pages of free printing per quarter. So stop by either of these computer labs and print out your final paper for free!
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3.  Your Favorite Dining Area
I’m not a coffee person. Never had a cup, never plan to. With this info, you can probably guess I’ve never studied at Starbucks or Coffee Bean. If you have some control over your attention capabilities, why not try studying for finals at your favorite coffee shop or resturant? You can stay on campus and work near the picnic tables outside Physics 2000 near the new food truck, lounge on the comfy couches at Bytes, enjoy some fries at Latitude, or work on your tan outside the HUB. Working in places like these will keep you from feeling like you’re all cooped up with nowhere to go. But beware! Don’t get too distracted and forget to focus on your books!
 
 

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4.Outdoor Tables
With spring just around the corner, why not grab your books and  look for a outdoor table on campus. While you’re getting your reading done, you can get a tan! I mean who doesn’t want that? There are tables outside the campus bookstore, the HUB, and near Coffee Bean.
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5. Commuters Lounge
If you like the quiet atmosphere of the library, but not the constant traffic, try out the Commuters Lounge directly above Stacked. The Commuters Lounge has plenty of outlets to plug in your computer charger, comfy chairs, and small tables to place your study materials on. Going up the staircase, you’ll find more seats and tables outside on the third floor.
 
Other helpful tips to keep you from stressing out during finals weeks
?      Buy all you scantrons and blue books in one trip and avoid doing it right before the exam. The Exchange Store sells green scantrons and blue books, and never has an extremely long line!
?      If you’re tired of lugging around your laptop to campus and don’t want to work in the libraries or computer labs, stop by the HUB Help Desk to rent out a laptop free.
?      Snacks! They make everything better and keep you from getting cranky and stopping early because you just cant hold off eating anymore.
?      If you want to form a study group, I suggest you reserve a study room now. It will save you the trouble of looking for one and I doubt anyone is planning this far ahead in time.
 
 
 

Photographer: Tonye’ Doukpolagha 

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Rubi Mancilla

UC Riverside

Rubi Mancilla is a fourth year studying Psychology and Women's Studies at UC Riverside. She decided to double major because at the time it seemed like she was getting two degrees for the price of one, the ultimate sale! She writes about relationships, how to spend a Friday night at home, being a confused twenty-something and never having enough money in her bank account. Her column 'Midweek Study Break' is published every Wednesday but you can read more of her work in her new project, When Life Gives You Rubi. Until Disney decides to make a movie about how hard it is to be a recent (single) college graduate, we can try to figure out this whole being a grown up thing together.   
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Monica Pena is a sophmore at the University of California Riverside and is originally from the valley of San Fernando in the city of Los Angeles. Monica and her room mate Nicole Danille Matinez both enjoy writing and are now Co founders of the UC Riverside Her Campus Branch. Monica dreams of moving to New York and going to Law School. Aside from Law school, she is a fanatic of fashion and writing and also wants to pursue a career in journalism.