What's Your Ideal Concordia Study Spot?

College students spend a lot of time studying, and for many of them, finding the ideal study spot can make a long study session extra-productive. At Concordia University, Nebraska, students have many different options to find that “perfect” location, so which one is right for you? 

Janzow Top, or “J-Top”  

“J-Top” is a go-to area for many students, whether they’re doing homework, catching up with friends, or spending some dining dollars on coffee at 10:31. With students coming in and out of the top level of the Janzow Campus Center at all hours of the day, it can get busy – and noisy. If you work well around lots of other people and need a little background noise to get your work done, then J-Top might be a great spot for you. You can choose to sit at a high-top table, by the fireplace when it’s cold outside, or even in one of many comfortable cushioned chairs. J-Top has also hosted a hot chocolate bar, a caramel apple making station and even paper flower folding – with all these options, it’s no surprise that it is a popular location for Concordia students! 

Link Library 

For students who want a quieter, cozy study environment or prefer the company of books to that of other people, Link Library is another fantastic study location with a variety of options in environment. The library’s basement usually offers complete silence, especially inside the private “green room” and “blue room.” It’s also an ideal spot for students conducting research, as most of the library’s nonfiction books are in the basement.  

The first level of the library offers students the opportunity to work in small groups while still remaining fairly quiet. Large windows make the space bright and inviting, and the tables full of board games offer a fun study break activity. The upper level of the library is also quiet and even has two conference rooms for small groups or students who want a more private study space. Music students and education students love the upper level as well – it’s where most of the library’s education and music-related materials are! 

Thom 

During class times, the Thom Leadership Education Center is an open and relaxing place to study. Lined with tables, cushioned chairs and couches, and private desks, Thom’s first-level “main street” is available for any student to use throughout the day. It is a wonderful choice for students who have several classes in Thom or want to study in between two classes without having to trek across campus to an alternate study location. While the “main street” does become temporarily busy during class transition times, it is often one of the quieter places on campus.  

Dunklau 

Concordia’s students in various STEM majors spend much of their time in the Dunklau Center for Science, Math, and Business, but Dunklau also offers any Concordia student the opportunity to work or review in any of its multiple unique study locations. Glassed-in study rooms with full-wall whiteboards are ideal for blocking outside sounds without missing out on the people-watching opportunities. Common study areas in Dunklau’s science wing look out over the north end of Concordia’s campus and allow students a view of the brand-new Borland Center for Music and Theatre. These areas also contain floor-to-ceiling whiteboards, which are perfect for students who like to study by writing things down or drawing diagrams. Finally, the Dunklau Borland Family Collaboration Center, or the Collab, or even the “Dunk Tank,” is essentially a large version of Dunklau’s other glass-enclosed study spaces. The Collab center can host large groups of students, small study groups, or even students who want to study in a unique space.  

The Music Building 

The Borland Center for Music and Theatre is a relatively new addition to Concordia’s campus but is already a popular destination for students. For music students, sometimes “studying” really means practicing – and for them, the Borland Center is the place to do it! With Steinway grand pianos, a three-manual, 38-rank Casavant organ and several practice organs, as well as more than twenty practice rooms and several practice studios, Concordia’s newest facility is fully equipped for the study of music. It even has study areas located at both ends of the upper level where students can relax, work on homework, and socialize with friends!  

Your dorm 

Although some students find it hard to focus on work once they return to their dorm – whether in the evening or at a time during the school day –, others love to spend time studying and doing homework where they are most comfortable. Using their dorm room as a study spot is ideal for students who work best in pajamas and slippers. Dorm rooms can also be a perfect meeting place for group projects, a place to study with one’s roommates, and a place where students have access to the books and school supplies that they cannot carry around in their backpack all day.  

Dorm Lounges 

Whether you live in David or Obed, Jonathan or Timothy, all of Concordia’s dorms have common lounges where students can spend time at all – or most – hours of the day. These lounges are equipped with a variety of couches, tables, and chairs that make them a “happy medium” study spot for students who don’t want to leave their dorm building but find it hard to study in their dorm room. Plus, outside of quiet hours, dorm lounges allow for groups to have louder conversations, whether about a group project or a topic unrelated to schoolwork.  

Jesse (honorable mention) 

For students in Concordia’s Luke Scholars program, one of campus’s oldest buildings, Jesse Hall, serves as another on-campus study spot. The Luke Scholars library, on the first floor, is a large room with tables, chairs, desks, bookshelves, and couches allocated specifically for Luke Scholars program participants. Here, program members can enjoy privacy and quiet or a place to work with fellow members on projects specific to unique Luke Scholars courses. Alternately, even if you are not part of the Luke Scholars program, Jesse Hall is a fantastic place to take a study break and explore the Marxhausen Gallery of Art, located on the first floor.  

Off-Campus (honorable mention) 

Although this article is all about Concordia’s many on-campus study spots, it would be inadequate not to mention the variety of unique study spots that are available to students throughout the town of Seward, Nebraska. Despite its small size, Seward is a community that is ready to support its college students’ needs. If you prefer to study off-campus with a bit of background noise (and coffee), Bagels and Joe or Neutral Grounds are both local coffee shops with lots of tables available for students who need to study. If you’re not interested in coffee or need some off-campus quiet time, the Seward Memorial Library can be an ideal study spot.  

Studying can be challenging if you can’t find a spot that is conducive to your personal productivity. If you are a Concordia student who needs to find that “perfect” on-campus study spot, look no further than these options listed above. Chances are that you will find somewhere on campus that will provide you with an environment that will help you learn, remember, and excel.  

Want to explore Concordia’s campus? Schedule a visit here.