Study Spaces!
Being a first-year student in the midst of the pandemic has been a unique experience to say the least, but I have found a silver lining in the midst of it all: a quiet and peaceful campus to explore on my own.
I am currently living in Westwood since I work on campus, so I have the opportunity to bike, run, bird, and walk to campus often. It’s been interesting to experience campus independently, free from any assumptions that would normally accompany these spaces if I was surrounded by other students.
With Zoom fatigue from online classes, sometimes blue-light glasses aren’t the answer. Sometimes the answer is fresh air! And since libraries aren’t open right now, I’ve done a little bit of digging for solid study areas outside.
So here is the perspective of a first-year Bruin who hasn’t been a part of the community long enough to know the connotations or general attitudes associated with each location, and these are my reviews of a few outdoor study spaces that I’ve discovered along the way!
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The Botanical Gardens are beautiful and peaceful and down-right majestic! There are so many secluded little areas with benches, tables, and chairs, but by far my favorite spot within the BG are these giant tables. You can hear the creek softly running in the background, and the only way to describe the entire experience is concrete jungle. It’s even suitable for COVID-safe group study sessions since the tables are over six feet wide in diameter!
10/10
Often pretty crowded, but definitely not as crowded as in normal years (imagine not being bombarded with flyers and handouts on Bruin Walk!) Now is the perfect time to take advantage of these tables. They’re meant for one or two people and are spaced far enough apart for you to feel safe with a mask on. It’s just a little awkward when you make direct eye contact with the person studying across the way.
7/10
The Tongva (Janss) steps have become super popular for socially-distanced picnics and gatherings, but they’re also awesome for sitting in a hammock and attending lectures. The only reason it didn’t secure a perfect 10 is because it’s sometimes hard to find two suitable hammock trees!
8/10
These long tables are located in an area adjacent to Powell. This area is nice but very popular, so an empty table can be hard to come by. The trees are beautiful, and the atmosphere is lovely as you have a direct view of Royce! You can even face the other way, with Royce in the background, and flex on your Zooms.
7/10
The privacy of these tables is super nice. The only drawback is that you have to step over some dirt and branches to get there, but it’s definitely worth it if you’re looking for a more secluded space!
6/10
If you want to feel like a playwright living in NYC, this study space is perfect for you. Enough said :)
7/10
Of course I had to feature the Sculpture Garden. I haven’t been a UCLA student for long, but I’ve heard the Sculpture Gardens are iconic. The one drawback is that there are only benches and no tables, so you might have to balance your computer on your lap. But otherwise, it’s the perfect place to catch up on last week’s readings and flex on your friends that yeah, I study outside in a sculpture garden, what about you?
8/10
