Need somewhere to study on campus? Tips, tips!

Yes it is finally here! It's Friday! Hello everyone my name is Raphael and I am the fifth member of this PULSE blog team here in UTSC. Get HYPE! Do you guys realize that this is the first ever official team of bloggers here in UTSC? Yes, you can tell I am really excited about it, it's a start of a new generation!

Ok, before I start my blog let me introduce myself a little bit first. Yes, my name is Raphael, no-- not the ninja turtle, or the Archangel, or the famous painter (but if it helps, you can think of me as all three!). I am currently in 3rd year doing a double major in Economics and English, and I am very passionate about a lot of things - one of those things is blogging.

Ok, let's just get right into it, I know it's Friday and you all are ready to relax for the weekend, but I just have to address this issue that we have in our school- lack of study space. So let me ask this, how many times have you wanted to study at the library but couldn't find study space? Isn't that so frustrating? I know as a student I shouldn't have to think about "Where can I find a place to study?" But the fact of the matter is, we have too many students, at the same place and, at the same time. So my duty for this week was to find so called "Secret Spaces" where I would be able to give you guys - the readers, study spots that you may not really know about.

I embarked on this adventure, a quest to find the holy grail. It is upsetting for me to say but I have came up empty handed. The thing is there are no "secret spaces" here at UTSC, just underused buildings and classrooms. Let me give you an example - If I asked you where the Management wing is where would you point? If you are a first year student- most likely you will point to the new IC building. That is partially right, but the building I was talking about was the old Management wing- the building that is the complete opposite side of the IC.

This often overlooked building still offers a decent amount of space to study. When the library is full (and it usually is), come and check out the old Management wing and grab a study room with a group of friends. More often than not, it is empty, the only downside to studying here is it is the furthest away from food and civilization (just joking). But this building is great if you can snag a spot as it is fairly quiet (compared to our library) and pretty far away from other buildings which makes it great for studying (with minimal distractions).

Here is another great study space that you guys may not know about. Do you know where this is?  It is BV498, a computer lab in the Bladen Wing. If all the computers in the library are full, just come to the fourth floor of the Bladen Wing! Chances are you will be able to find a computer to read up on lecture notes (or watch your favourite TV show). Just remember to check the Class schedule before entering a room, as you may walk in during a lecture. (oh, and you can print here too.)

Alright, lets do one more. This last one is a last resort move. I know that during some days, both the old Management wing and the Bladen wing are full too. Not a problem! Did you know that the Humanities Wing offers many classrooms that are not being used during the day? Just remember this rule: *empty classroom = study space* Just check the classroom schedule when classes start and end so you get disturbed by a class while studying.

These are the three main study spaces you can use while studying in school. My goal is to help those who are unfamiliar with the school and share my experiences with you guys - the readers. Hopefully all of you learned about a new study space you may not have known before, or at least start thinking about using empty classrooms as a place to do work in. I know it is still Friday, and you don't want to start thinking about studying until Monday. But midterms are just around the corner so get ready, get set, and Go!

Before I end this blog, if you guys have any suggestions on study spaces I may have missed, leave a comment below. I will happily respond to any feedback on the topic, the blog, or the PULSE team overall. Before I go, I have a question for you guys: If you were to choose, which building (out of the entire campus) do you like the most?