Best Study Spots at UM

Having lived in Missoula my whole life, I’ve always been in love with the natural scenery that flourishes all around us. Now that I’m a student at the University of Montana, I better appreciate that UM home to a natural beauty like no other.

I’ve also discovered several study spots on campus that take advantage of Montana’s natural appeal. These spots improve my work, boost my focus and dazzle my eyes when I need a break. Scroll on to see some of my favorite study spots on campus, some more secret than others, but each one uniquely beautiful. 

The University Center Atrium

We’ll start with a popular one. The UC and its amenities aren’t much of a secret, but sometimes the most obvious choice is that way for a reason. The University Center stays as beautiful in our tough winters as it does in the spring, much thanks to the expansive indoor garden and atrium that flourishes with life. The UC offers not only seating but music, air conditioning, food courts, and a view that could put even English majors at a loss for words.

Library Fifth Floor

And here’s the big one – not just for its appearance, its study value, or its secrecy, but for all three combined. The fifth floor of the library is quite possibly the best study spot on the entire U of M campus. It’s a gigantic room of bookshelves, group study spaces, and cushioned window chairs. It’s also a designated quiet floor, so don’t expect any exterior distractions. The fifth floor is known only by an elite few study professionals. And now by you.

Eck Hall

Speaking of English majors, students of the Liberal Arts probably won’t be happy with me for spoiling one of our best study spots. Eck Hall, one of few buildings located right off the Oval (north to be specific), boasts three separate floors of desks, tables, and couches, each level emptier than the last. If that wasn’t enough, I’ll let you in on a secret: They’re planning to reopen the second-floor coffee shop!

Library Computer Lab

This is another spot that may feel obvious to some but it’s too good not to mention. Doing homework from my own computer makes it far too easy for me to get distracted by the army of social media and games that sit two clicks away, and the computer lab is a perfect answer to that. If you ever feel yourself having a hard time focusing, you can just walk into the library’s main floor, be in a productive environment and get work done.

Payne Family Native American Center

Every building on campus could be considered, in some way, the most beautiful. But if you ask me, the Payne Family Native American Center makes its beauty the most obvious, and if you’ve been inside, I’m sure you can see why. With a gorgeous two-floor atrium, a basement, and two computer labs far less well-known than the library’s, the Payne Family Native American Center is a premium place to get some work done. 

UC Third Floor

We’re back to the UC for a real secret spot this time. Well, sort of. A lot of students are AWARE that the University Center has a third floor, but how many have actually been up to see it? Because when I’m up there to study, there’s certainly not a lot of people to share the space with. It’s quiet but not too quiet, well-lit but comfortably dim, and you can see the tops of all the trees in the atrium. It’s a paradise of a study station that’s impossible to get enough of.

Oval chairs

One time I was sitting in one of these chairs and found a really cool ring on the ground. Need I say more?

Yeah, maybe I should. It was a really cool ring though! While I can’t recommend the Oval chairs and hammocks during colder months, they are an excellent place to kick back and enjoy some sunny weather throughout the spring and fall. Though, in my experience, I’m not getting much work done when I’m fighting the urge to take a warm nap. Still worth it.

Empty classrooms

Should I be advising this as a study spot? I don’t know! But nobody’s stopped me so far, so hopefully it goes just as well for you. If nobody’s making use of a classroom and you’re in the mood to get work done in there, I say go for it. Sometimes it’s just the most convenient place to go. Sometimes there’s a room that you just feel like spending some time in, and as long as you’re not in the way of any classes, I’d encourage you to make it happen.

Happy studying!

Seth Ryan is a communications major at UM. He loves his dogs, spending time outside in Missoula, writing, and playing Magic: The Gathering! Yep. Just that cool.