In college, you’ll spend at least 25% of your time studying, reading, or completing problem sets.
After three years on campus, I would like to consider myself a bit of authority on the best study spots. Luckily, Harvard’s campus is vast, which means you have a lot of options! But I have made a definitive list of the top five:
1. Lamont Library
This might be a controversial opinion, but hear me out: Lamont Library is unequivocally the best study spot on campus. Why? It’s open 24 hours (on weekdays), it has a café that doesn’t close until midnight, and the best part: the floors are organized by noise level. I prefer the third (the silent) floor. I’m not ashamed to say that I have had food delivered to Lamont before during a six-hour study session. I am a true Lamonster at heart.
A view from Henry Weston Farnsworth Room, located on the third floor of Lamont
2. The Divinity School Library
I'd like to just start by saying that Harvard Divinity School is easily the most underrated graduate school on campus. It's super chill, has a cool crest, and and has great views—what more could you want? The library is no exception. They also have a great (and affordable) café that gives Chipotle a run for their money.
Catching up on readings in the Divinity School Library, featuring one of their DIY bowls
3. Cabot Café
Not only is this a superior study spot, it's the best student-run café—though maybe I'm a bit biased. Cabot Café is in Cabot House (the best House), and it's open from 8pm to 1am Sunday through Thursday. The café has cake, ramen, matcha, tea, coffee, and more. There's also weekly trivia! It's one of the best places for me to pretend to "lock in" while scrolling on my phone. Follow the café on Insta at (@cabotcafe)!
My study set up in Cabot Café, featuring a cup of dining hall Lucky Charms
4. My Room
Studying in your room is peak. It's comfortable, you have everything you need at your desk, you've got snacks, you get to be in your own private space, and you can control the noise level. The reason why it comes in at number four? It's way too tempting to study by your bed. I can't tell you how many times I've fallen asleep while studying because I told myself that I would just "rest my eyes" for thirty minutes.
My desk, which is slightly cluttered at the moment
5. Lowell Dining Hall
Admittedly, the dining hall isn't the coziest place to study, but it makes my list because it's my sister house (the Quad houses are "paired" with River houses), and I'm always eating in Lowell anyways. Lowell's dining hall's place on the list is more a testament to its convenient location than the allure of the dining hall. Still, it has earned a spot on my list.
A picture of Lowell House's dining hall
Gathering together for their welcoming ceremony students prepare for the start of a new year.
Drawing can be a leisure activity or a great way to relax. A sketch book and pen often accompanied me at the park in my free moments.
Here I posed with my new team to celebrate our victory in my first game of flag football. I even taught the team how to sign "K" for Kirkland House in ASL
Picture of me and others at the Visitas Concentration Fair in 2024
Nearly 200 students across 20+ high schools attended Harvard's first High School Ethics Bowl (HCHSEB)
Harvard Yard
A sign welcoming new Quincy house residents on Housing Day!
The Barker Center, home to the Harvard College Writing Center
This is my junior year desk where I have my trusty monitor where I did most of my readings. But the TV served as a great medium to watch comfort movies and shows.
I pose with the sign for History and Science in front of Widener Library
One of Galileo's works in Houghton Library.
Quinn Ewanchyna '26 stands with platoon members during a training exercise in the Mojave Desert, 2020
Secquoia with her mom and sister at a family weekend event!
CS50 Hackathon IHOP Breakfas
Pfohomies Enjoying the Grill'n'Stein
A view with my food from my first year, eating in the famous Annenberg Hall.
My friends from my entryway and I pose for a picture together before we go kayaking!
Outfield seat view of a game at Fenway Park between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles
First-time snorkeling!
A selfie with six of my block mates, two of which performed in this dance show!
My friends and I celebrating our last first day of classes this semester.
Ana's Harvard (Friends)
Lizbeth pictured in the Boston Commons with five friends from her Emerging Scholars Program cohort.
View from the hotel in Sidi Bou Said, Tunis
Intermediate Filipino Class
Samia Afrose with friends at Luxor Cafe
A photo taken in my last class at Harvard with one of my closest friends my senior year.
A photo of myself looking at the Zanzibari waters
Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience Senior Thesis Writers
My blocking group and I after being dorm stormed
My room in the wonderful Stoughton Hall!
Pretty views in the heart of Harvard Square
My bookshelf in my dorm!
Seniors at the Harvard Islamic Society Send Off
A photo of my classmates, Prof. Habib and I
Dining with the Harvard Muslim community, my junior year
Seeing the Lotus Temple in Delhi, India was only one of the many great experiences I've had thanks to Harvard Model Congress
I passed through Cañar on my trip to my hometown, where I got to visit the Ingapirca Ruins!
Latinx Convocation is an important event that celebrates Latinx culture and welcomes first years to Harvard! Julia Casas president of Fuerza on the left and Gloria Maldonado president of Latinas Unidas on the right.
MEDLife volunteers posing for picture with MEDLife Logo
Display of butterflies at the Harvard Natural History Museum.
Food provided by Harvard University Dining Service Workers on Thanksgiving Day
Harvard's course search page allows you to browse the 3,500+ courses offered each semester
After weeks of preparation, my hard work paid off when I was elected as the queen of my tribal organization in the US, SarUSA (Saraguro Residents in the USA).
These are some of the books sitting on my shelf.
A chalkboard full of math in the Science Center
I officially declared Sociology as my concentration this fall!
I love catching the crisp morning breeze every Saturday morning!
My friends and I holding the Winthrop banner at our graduation!
Fall foliage
This is LS50.
The sunrise on the morning of Housing Day this year.
Ana's Blog Thumbnail
My first cookout at Harvard was successful!
My First Harvard Yale Game
An empty room? More like a clean canvas!
Where I love to study no matter what I’m concentrating in!
A picture of a white poster with "Adams House is the Best House" written on it.
Sitting in front of Widener with my first friends at Harvard in fall 2018. None of us could have predicted that we would end up taking a leave of absence together two years later.
hey, what's that--a liminal space?
My one of my Floridian roommates in the snow last year looking warm in a coat and jeans!
To relax after midterms, some friends and I enjoyed donuts for breakfast in Leverett Dining hall.
The front of Claverly Hall on Mt. Auburn Street.
This is our entryway ready for their convocation!
A snapshot of my room in the afternoon
These research materials and I have been attached all summer.
A picture of the Charles River overlooking Harvard's River Houses
Cake from Paris Baguette & my Thesis Title Page
A group of PAFs after an evening of games during orientation.
I got to take photos with my thesis (or at least the first 25 pages of it) on the steps of Widener Library!
Me and a teammate sailing the first double handed sail of the year.
Cherry Blossom outside Lowell
Here's Harpreet and I with our best friends back in high school!
Mt. Auburn Street Side of Harvard University Health Services/Smith Center
Here is a picture of my family, including my mom, brothers, grandma, uncle and aunt, and cousins.
The SEF is just one way for low-income students to receive extra support towards the cost of attendance at Harvard
trips into Boston are worth it!
Photo of side of Apley Court
I transformed my desk to a workstation to dissect the worms for my lab.
My blockmates and I at Winthrop House on our Housing Day!
Studying on a cold day with some coffee.
I have very specific playlists for every mood.
My family and I during my move in.
Here is the full cast (and some of our crew) for the Hyperion Shakespeare Company's production of Macbeth!
Walking to Class
Here's a collage of all the outfits I'll be featuring in this blog.
Harvard Yard, where many first-year students live.
A Zoom Picture from my FYRE Family!
I miss doing reading for my English and creative writing classes on my Winthrop House dorm room!
A list of just some of the possible concentrations offered at Harvard
Weld Hall, the first-year dorm where I am a PAF!
A snap of an empty Tercentenary theater as I worked on my homework
My friends and I love hanging out in the roof-top common room in Winthrop House!
I took this photo of my grandpa's cows on a film camera during one of my visits! The view was absolutely breathtaking.
I make the most of my Zoom-ed reality by taking calls outside!
Here I am teaching a government class from last summer!
The view of the Charles River from Leveret House, which is right next to Winthrop House!
My Harvard Journal Project notebook, with its (not so successful) attempt to color the Harvard logo on the front.
Selfie in the Seattle Airport.
Me giving out homemade awards to my MFP students!
Lowell IM Soccer after a big win the in the Semi Finals!
Lowellians ready to welcome first years to our home!
Snow falling outside Wigglesworth Hall, one of 17 first-year dorms.
A photo of me and friends in front of the Carpenter Center my freshman year
Veritaffle
Kirkland House Opening Days 2018
My field team in Bazil.
Here's a picture that includes members of my entryway community at Weld Hall!
My roommates and I in our Straus room
Dining in at By Chloe in Fenway
I spent A LOT of days in the archives
Watching a music video in class during a lecture about "Consuming Black Culture"
A photo of me and my classmates during a group presentation!
My friend Mathilde in our Osteoarchaeology class
My friend and I posing in the snow during Housing Day! We were ready to go storm first-year's dorms!
Test tubes in a laboratory
Interior design for days.
This is what my House at Harvard looks like. Dunster for life! (Credit: http://htlit.com/elements/DunsterHouse.jpg)
Going back to Weld at the end of the day is a great feeling.
