Last week, I decided to venture to North campus to try getting some work done in the Smeal College of Business’ Business Building. While I was pleased with the plethora of seating options, conveniently-located food and drink amenities, and the natural light in the space, one of the largest downsides I noticed were the relatively-high levels of ambient noise. This week, I decided to stay in North campus and try studying in the home of the College of Education, the Chambers Building. Last semester I had some classes in the Chambers Building, and I ran into some study spots with high-potential in the building throughout the semester. While I never got the chance to try them out in the Fall semester, I was glad to re-visit Chambers and try getting some work done.

My Study Spot of Choice

I reached my study spot at around 3pm on a Wednesday. The area where I eventually settled on for getting some work done was on the second floor of the building, in a “bridge-like” section of the building. It was a narrow hallway with a couple of booth seating arrangements. Being that classes were still going on at the time, I was surprised to see that this seating area was relatively-empty, meaning that there were seating options to choose from. One of the first things that I noticed after getting settled in the area was the low amounts of ambient noise. Since the seating area was in an isolated hallway, I found that there was extremely little noise in the area, even when classes were changing. In fact, the noise levels were comparable to those in the pin-drop silence environment of the Biobehavioral Health Building.

In terms of comfort, I found the seating arrangements to be great, allowing for me to work for long periods of time. In addition, with each of the seating arrangements containing desk space, getting all types of work done is extremely convenient. One consideration, however, is the small nature of the space. While I was able to find a booth to work in, there are only 4-5 booths available, meaning that the space could be filled very easily. Despite the size of the area, this study space is filled with natural light, making it a huge positive point for me.

In terms of food and drink amenities, the Chambers Building doesn’t have any Starbucks, Paneras, or even Saxby’s. However, if you are looking for a spot nearby to find mid-study refreshments, the Starbucks in the library is always a great option. Another drawback, similar to buildings like Westgate and the Business Building, is the Chambers Building’s location. Living in South, I found myself having to walk a considerable amount to get to and from my study spot.

Overall, I would consider my experience studying in the Chambers Building to be positive! While the location and the lack of food and drink amenities in the building were some of the main drawbacks of the space, I really appreciated the natural light and the seating arrangements in the space. If you’re in the area and want a different study spot from the library, I would definitely recommend trying out the Chambers Building!