Going somewhere new, especially a place as sprawling and expansive as a college campus, can be intimidating. It often takes weeks or months to truly settle in, adopt a routine and develop a sense of familiarity. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t get some help along the way. Below is a guide to some of the Daily’s Features section staff’s favorite on-campus spots to study, relax and hang out with friends — perfect for anyone who has just arrived on campus or is simply looking to explore somewhere new.
Collaborative Learning and Innovation Complex
The Collaborative Learning and Innovation Complex, more commonly known as ‘574,’ as indicated by its address 574 Boston Ave, is a personal favorite of mine on campus. Serving as the hub for community health, physics, occupational therapy and other science and technology specialties, the building offers a modern and expansive spin on the typical comfortable, nostalgic feeling of most Tufts buildings. 574 is known for its robotics labs, exposed metal pipes lining the ceilings, abundant windows, colorful patterns on a green backdrop and many tables with rolling chairs to study — an ideal study environment for me. It’s quite out of the way from the rest of campus, providing a peaceful 10-minute walk everyday — and that doesn’t include when I walk along the beautiful New England streets that line my route there! The building is also rather quiet despite the occasional rumbling of the Green Line, and there’s so much to see on each floor. I strongly recommend this as a place to study and just generally explore!
Contribution by Maia Goldman, Assistant Features Editor
Joyce Cummings Center
If you take the Joyce Cummings Center elevator to the fourth floor and turn right after exiting the elevator corridor, you’ll find yourself with a view of Boston and a few of the Tufts sports fields. The JCC is full of amazing study spots with huge windows that look out over the Green Line, campus and beyond. It’s my personal favorite building to study in because of the endless people-watching opportunities to distract me from my work, the relatively quiet atmosphere and the abundance of natural light. Despite visiting the JCC often, I still find myself taking pictures of the gorgeous view and pink sky at sunset every time. Additionally, the building feels just far away enough from the rest of campus to be an ‘outing’ of sorts. I specifically enjoy being on the fourth floor — home to the computer science department — and eavesdropping on computer science majors as they grapple with their difficult programming. It makes me feel content to work on my comparatively more enjoyable social science essays — plus, I now hold the deepest respect for CS majors. If you’re looking to switch up your studying routine, the JCC is the perfect building to explore — just make sure you get a good view!
Contribution by Katie Galligan, Deputy Features Editor
There is nowhere on campus like the top floor of the JCC as the sun sets into dusk. I remember going up there with a friend during my first week at Tufts and, as the sun disappeared over the sports fields, I felt like Tufts was my home for the first time. Never mind the fact that this was made even more vibrant by the deep purple that melted over the horizon into a burnt orange immediately after. Besides being a really fantastic place for being productive, I also appreciate that it doesn’t feel as stuffy and rigid as the lower floors of Tisch Library (which is a close second, given I have probably spent the majority of my year down there). Instead, looking over Somerville, it’s really easy to take everything in and remain present while looking through the floor-to-ceiling windows. I don’t even study computer science or entrepreneurship, but I really look forward to all the times I get to spend there. Even though the JCC is kind of far from where I live, the view makes up for it!
Contribution by Jaden Gardiola, Features Editor
Lilly Music Library
When I seriously need to get some work done, but don’t feel up to weaving through Tisch Library’s intimidating cluster of group study tables, the Lilly Music Library is my go-to spot. Located on the basement floor of the Granoff Music Center, it’s conveniently situated right across the street from my dorm, and is truly one of the most peaceful and good-vibes places on campus. The ambience is immaculate: pots of bright green plants are scattered alongside the shelves and the windowsills, and the windows allow for natural light to stream in even on the cloudiest of days (which I can’t quite say the same of for the Tisch basement). Perhaps my favorite part about Lilly is the CD and record players stationed along many of the work stations. And at the back of the library, through the glass double doors, are shelves filled with classical records and music literature that I could easily get lost in. When I decide I need a break from studying, I’m able to amble over to the music practice rooms right down the hall. Despite having never touched a piano in my life, when I started living across the street from Lilly, I committed myself to learning, and I now know two-and-a-half songs (thanks YouTube!). In the midst of the endless hustle and bustle on campus, the Lilly Music Library offers the perfect reprieve.
Contribution by Olivia Bye, Executive Features Editor
Mayer Campus Center
Situated in the heart of the campus (as the name suggests), the Campus Center is a thriving spot at Tufts that acts as a perfect ‘third place’ for Jumbos. Named after Elizabeth Van Huysen Mayer (not former Tufts President Jean Mayer, but his wife), in honor of her community involvement at Tufts, the Campus Center lives up to its namesake by offering a hub for club meetings and events, as well as a fun place to hang out. This is my favorite spot on campus because of all I can do there. If I want to study, I can sit at one of the several tables or reserve a room at the information booth. At the booth, you can borrow a range of items from chargers to ping-pong rackets, and even get discounted tickets to the AMC. Often, different organizations can be seen tabling in the lobby, so be sure to check those out! If I want a quick bite, I can head to Commons Marketplace (which occasionally accepts meal swipes during Late Nights events) or Pax et Lox, the Kosher deli just outside the Campus Center. I also love getting coffee from Hotung Café and the student-run cafe, The Sink.
Contribution by Annicka Sen, Contributing Writer
President’s Lawn
President’s Lawn, or Prez Lawn, is the epitome of Tufts. It gets its name from its location, right behind the house of the Tufts President. The lawn is a place where everyone in the Tufts community comes together. Every Saturday, community members also gather on Prez Lawn with their dogs. The dogs get to run and play, while college students get to hold them close and talk to their owners about how much they miss their own pets back at home. The Illumination Ceremony, a celebration that takes place during first-year orientation, happens on Prez. In the fall, Prez Lawn is a site of beautiful foliage for both Tufts students and community members. Students are often seen studying and picnicking in the sun, playing yard games, making leaf garlands and taking photos of the changing colors. In the winter, it is a place of snow sports. People gather at all hours of the day to sled, ski and snowboard down the hill. In the spring, people come out of hiding and flock to Prez Lawn. The sun always brings students back to their roots — playing, eating, napping and studying under the budding trees on Prez Lawn. In nearly every way, Prez Lawn is a snapshot of student experiences at Tufts.
Contribution by Abilene Adelman, Assistant Features Editor
The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
If you’re a fan of gazing longingly outside through large, rustic arched windows in the moments between taking notes, cramming for an exam, grinding out a research paper or getting lost in a book, then the upstairs space of The Fletcher School is for you. This quiet sanctuary of focus is nestled above the Fletcher Edwin Ginn Library’s reading room, serving as an intellectual bridge between undergraduate and graduate students. Perhaps you crave that sense of dark academia that is so distinct to many New England schools, but still want a safe and cozy abode to lock in at without the fervor of grand, echoey reading rooms. Or maybe you’ve just finished a language class in Olin and are looking to get work done in between classes. In any case, you’re bound to leave the third floor of Fletcher with a fulfilling addition to your day. This gem is my personal favorite study spot — I can really focus, feeling warm and safe in my surroundings. I’ve spent countless late nights here, and each time I feel like everyone else around me is in the same, wired state of mind, which I thrive off of when it comes to meeting a deadline or getting a lot of work done to enjoy the weekend ahead of me. I highly recommend checking it out!
Contribution by Sanya Bandekar, Assistant Features Editor
Good luck, fearless student! We’ve imparted you with the wisdom, now go out into the wild and explore!
