Spring blooms more study spot options for Eagles

by MEAGHAN VAN DYKE

Staff Writer

The daffodils outside of Combs Hall are finally in full bloom, the weather is above 60 degrees and your next class starts in five minutes.

For UMW students, springtime presents this unique new problem of balancing the beginning of the nice spring weather and the demands of a busy semester. 

For many Eagles, choosing where to study outside can be tough, especially as construction creeps its way across campus and closes off study areas. To determine the best outdoor study areas on campus, I visited five popular spots and ranked them based on their access to WiFi, sunlight, seating variety and availability, noise level and surrounding scenery.

#5. Ball Circle

While maintaining its reputation as the most popular outdoor study spot on campus, Ball Circle is not without its flaws. Although the grassy patch has earned its place as the unofficial campus center of springtime social life, the poor WiFi connection and unobstructed sunlight make it incompatible with laptops. 

With the dozens of lawn chairs scattered around the area, Ball can accommodate many students at once. Still, the chairs tend to be dirty and lack the room needed to fit computers, books, backpacks and any other study materials students may need during their homework time. 

Although a beloved part of campus life, Ball Circle is perhaps better suited for a nice day off with a picnic blanket than an actual study session.

#4. Lee Hall Patio

The Lee Hall Patio, or Lee’s front porch, is similar to Ball Circle in how close it is to the center of campus life. While only a few feet away from Ball, Lee offers the same level of social scenery and landscaping as Ball, but with more room for multitasking students and more access to shade in the middle of the day. 

However, Lee Hall remains one of the busiest buildings on campus, with constant foot traffic from bookstore customers, prospective students and tour groups, often making it feel like a fishbowl with the constant influx of people. Like its close counterpart, Ball Circle, the WiFi on Lee Patio can be harder to connect and stay connected to for long periods. 

#3. Melcher’s Hall Balcony

Similar to the Seacobeck porch, the Melcher’s balcony provides a unique study experience for students hoping to spend their homework time outdoors. The unique furniture and color scheme, paired with the nearly panoramic views of the campus and strong WiFi connection, make it the perfect opportunity for people watching away from the noise of campus.

The downside to the balcony, however, comes at the detriment of the building it’s attached to. Melcher’s can be confusing to navigate, especially when it comes to finding the second-floor balcony, which closely resembles the fire exits and studio doors that neighbor the entrance to the balcony. 

#2. Seacobeck Hall Porch

The Seacobeck porch boasts one of the most underrated and often unnoticed study spots on campus. The porch, littered with lawn chairs outside of Seacobeck’s campus walk entrance, is secluded enough from the busy campus traffic to make the environment quiet enough for studying, with a strong WiFi connection from the attached academic building. 

The porch’s surrounding scenery and architecture provide a beautiful background. It also offers enough unique small elements, like the birds nesting in the columns, that are healthier and more captivating for a study brain break than TikTok. 

However, the fully covered porch’s lack of sunlight makes the outdoor seating area feel more removed from the outdoors. The little space from the narrow walkway and lack of chairs also make the study spot unreliable as an open study spot for students. 

For sophomore communication and digital studies and studio art double major Riley Munford, the porch is a go-to for outdoor homework sessions. 

“I love watching the trees and the campus life walk by, listening to the faint flow of the fountain, and at the right time of day, there is a perfect combination of sun and shade,” Munford said. “If I could change anything, I wish there was some sort of table there so I could more easily set up my study stuff, but my lap has been working fine so far.”

#1. Kalnen Plaza

Located conveniently outside Woodard Hall and the Nest, Kalnen Plaza comes in first for its easy access to the Nest for study snacks, beautiful surroundings and a balanced mix of sunlight and shade. Although access to Wi-Fi can be tricky, the abundance of space for students to spread their work out with a big or small study group comfortably, with the available tables, chairs and benches, makes the spot ideal for a long-term homework binge. 

Kalnen Plaza is a popular spot amongst students, especially sophomore psychology major Kaci Miedema. 

“I just really like that it’s surrounded by the trees and flowers in that area, but also you have students walking by in that area, so you have that social atmosphere with you,” Miedema said. 

Sophomore English major Hannah Holstrom shares the same appreciation for the plaza’s natural landscaping.

“I like how that area is close to the stream because you can sometimes hear the water running through, and the path has a lot of nature. I feel like it’s a good mix between natural and then having an actual area to sit,” Holstrom said. 

However, one of the only major drawbacks of the Kalnen Plaza is the bugs. While its sunken features make it the ideal people-watching spot surrounded by natural landscaping (specifically UMW’s No Mow Zone), the bugs it attracts can be overwhelming, especially while trying to concentrate.

As the weather continues to get warmer and more outdoor spaces on campus begin to open up, studying outside can be a good way to eliminate stress while staying on top of your coursework. No matter where your go-to outdoor spot for homework is, our campus offers a variety of beautiful places to explore.