With finals on the horizon, the 2025-26 school year is at an end. Naturally, classes are winding down as the threat of finals is right around the corner. Whether you need to study for a 300-question multiple choice test or a 15-minute presentation, there are an abundance of places to go all around RMU.
We selected 20 of the most common study spots around campus, and ranked them on five criteria:
- Popularity – the amount of people usually in a space, with 10 being the most busy and 1 the least
- Quiet – how quiet the space is, with 10 being the quietest and 1 the least
- Proximity to Food – how close the space is to dining or vending machines, 10 being the closest and 1 the least
- Proximity to Bathrooms – how close the space is to bathrooms, 10 being the closest and 1 the furthest
- Amenities – whether or not the space has a sufficient amount of these amenities: printers, whiteboards, seating, outlets, and natural light, ranked from 1 to five based on how many categories the space satisfies
We, the writers of this article, also added our own personal ranking of each space, as well as some reasonings behind our decisions on rankings.
20. The Lawn
Seclusion – 4/10
Quietness – 0/10
Proximity to Food – 3/10
Proximity to Bathrooms – 0/10
Amenities – 2/5 (Natural Lighting, Seating)
TOTAL – 9/45
It’s not really a surprise that this lands in last. Sitting outside is so weather dependent, and when you do, you have to bring a blanket and have to worry about the other people out there to have fun. The closest bathroom is in Nicholson too. The only things going for it is that it’s fun to catch some sun when it’s warm, that’s about it.
Caden – Not my favorite. When I’m on the lawn, I want to be there to play volleyball or cornhole, not cram. It could be nice when it’s warm, but I couldn’t focus when people bring out speakers and play music
Chrystian – Why go to the lawn to study when the Gazebo is across the street?
19. The Alumni Commons Gazebo
Seclusion – 5/10
Quietness – 2/10
Food – 4/10
Bathrooms – 0/10
Amenities – 2/5 (Seating, Natural Lighting)
TOTAL – 15/45
The Alumni Commons Gazebo is slightly better than the lawn. Actual seats instead of the grassy hill helps, but it’s still outdoors and surrounded by the busiest walkway on campus and a road, making the noise factor an issue on occasion. There are only four outlets in the area, meaning long-term studying is an issue. Bathrooms and food are still far away, dragging this ranking down a lot.
Caden – I also wouldn’t be able to study here, too much noise and too little comforts. Also I’m not a fan of steel chairs and tables, don’t feel that good.
Chrystian – I can see working here when its nice out, but the seating is uncomfortable.
18. Romo’s Cafe
Seclusion – 0/10
Quietness – 1/10
Proximity to Food – 9/10
Proximity to Bathrooms – 3/10
Amenities – 3/5 (Natural Lighting, Outlets, Seating)
TOTAL – 19/45
The newly-renovated Romo’s is surprisingly low on this list, as it is incredibly popular to study at. However, its popularity caused it to plummet in the list, and along with it came a low score in quietness. It scores high for food, as the cafe is right there, but a decent walk to the bathrooms bring it down a good amount
Caden – Much like the others, a bit too noisy. I need to study in quiet or silence, and Romo’s is not the place for me. It can be nice for a group project, but not much else.
Chrystian – It’s often too loud and the food is honestly not great.
17. Nicholson Rotunda
Seclusion – 1/10
Noise – 0/10
Proximity to Food – 10/10
Proximity to Bathrooms – 6/10
Amenities – 2/5 (Natural Lighting, Seating)
TOTAL – 19/45
The Rotunda is someplace that probably shouldn’t be the place you go to read a textbook. It’s very loud and heavily trafficked, mainly due to the PNC Food Court being right next to it. However, that means its location near food and somewhat close to bathrooms give it a major bump.
Caden – Same as above. Too loud, but I don’t have to walk far for food.
Chrystian – Very loud and gets crowded, plus not much overall seating.
16. PNC Food Court (Caf)
Seclusion – 0/10
Quietness – 1/10
Proximity to Food – 10/10
Proximity to Bathrooms – 8/10
Amenities – 1/5 (Seating)
TOTAL – 20/45
The PNC Food Court – colloquially known as the Caf – scores the highest on the proximity to food category for obvious reasons. Outside of that, it is close to some bathrooms, but it’s also loud and busy, meaning studying is hard without some noise-cancelling headphones.
Caden – Not my place, too busy and way too many distractions. Also, the dark colors of the furniture and the yellow lighting calms me down too much to study and makes me too tired to keep working.
Chrystian – No reason to stay and really study here, I recommend just eating and studying then when done just move somewhere else.
15. Hale Cafe
Seclusion – 1/10
Quietness – 3/10
Proximity to Food – 5/10
Proximity to Bathrooms – 8/10
Amenities – 3/5 (Seating, Printer, Outlets)
TOTAL – 20/45
The Hale Cafe is our first study spot inside of an academic building. It is always hard to find a seat, but it has three amenities, the most so far. This space also has to deal with loud classes and people coming/going from them, so it is very far from tranquil.
Caden – I don’t hate sitting here, but it is so hard to get a seat. You also only have to worry about noise when classes end, so every hour or ninety minutes depending on the day of the week
Chrystian – Overcrowded most of the time and hard to find seat
14. Elaine Boyd Library – First Floor
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Seclusion – 2/10
Quietness – 10/10
Proximity to Food – 0/10
Proximity to Bathrooms – 9/10
Amenities – 2/5 (Seating, Outlets)
TOTAL – 23/45
The library comes in remarkably low considering it is a space built for studying. In considering the criteria, we decided to not count any auxiliary or connected rooms in the rankings, thus the quiet study rooms in the library do not factor into the rankings. The library is quiet and has bathrooms located in the rear, but their ban on food and drinks lowered the score by a lot.
Caden – I never really study here. It’s open concept, and I feel weird studying in an area where I can see others and others can see me doing the same. I get why people like it, but it’s someplace I’ll only go to for group projects
Chrystian – Very quiet most of the time, other people are always going to be there as well.
13. Olsen Family Basement
Seclusion – 3/10
Quietness – 4/10
Proximity to Food – 5/10
Proximity to Bathrooms – 8/10
Amenities – 1/5 (Seating)
TOTAL – 20/45
The Olsen Family Basement is a real dichotomy. It is either really busy or it’s dead. It’s either really noisy or it’s dead silent. There isn’t a whole lot of in-between. There is an abundance of seating, but a very small amount of outlets, as well as no natural lighting since it is in a basement. The PNC Food Court is one floor above, but the staircase or elevators can deter people, plus returning plates from the Basement is a constant issue.
Caden – I don’t like locking-in in the Basement. I feel like whenever I’m down there it’s packed, and most nights there will be a student experience or CA event there, making it even more loud and busy. There’s also music playing constantly, so it really isn’t my vibe.
Chrystian – I do not recommend it for anyone really, most of the time there are people being loud and events.
12. Massey Gardens
Seclusion – 10/10
Quietness – 10/10
Proximity of Food – 0/10
Proximity of Bathrooms – 2/10
Amenities – 2/5 (Natural Lighting, Seating)
Likely the most tranquil place on campus lands at number 12. The Massey Gardens’ terraces provide some nice shade and a beautiful backdrop for sitting on the benches and reading or answering emails. However, it is outdoors and the furthest away from a major food source or vending machine out of every spot on this list. It is another good jaunt away from the nearest bathrooms, so plan accordingly if you’re going to study here.
Caden – I like it a lot, it feels very peaceful. I usually end up here when I am walking around campus late at night or on weekends, it’s so serene.
Chrystian – My personal favorite if it’s really nice out, never that many people either and stays quiet so it’s a good place to study and put some music in your ears.
11. Patrick Henry – Second Floor
Seclusion – 3/10
Quietness – 4/10
Proximity of Food – 5/10
Proximity of Bathrooms – 9/10
Amenities – 4/5 (Printers, Seating, Outlets, Natural Light)
TOTAL – 25/45
Now we’re getting somewhere. Situated outside of the library, this spot is very popular for group projects that are a bit too loud for the library itself. It is also right near a major entrance to the building, leading to a bunch of foot traffic. There are quiet study rooms nearby, but as per above, they won’t be considered for the ranking. This space also has the most comfort amenities so far, headlined by the university’s main printing center’s location being here.
Caden – I like this spot too. Nice area for solo or group studying. I wish it was a bit more shielded, but it’s fine for what it is.
Chrystian – Not the most quiet place but among the most popular spots for people to go also where most people get their DoorDash as well.
10. Saxby’s Cafe
Seclusion – 4/10
Quietness – 2/10
Proximity to Food – 10/10
Proximity to Bathrooms – 7/10
Amenities – 2 (Seating, Natural Lighting)
Beginning the top 10 is another secondary dining option on campus. Saxby’s is kind of like an internet cafe: tons of tables to sit down with a laptop at while drinking a coffee or tea. It gets fairly busy, which isn’t helped by the fact that it is a major stop for Admissions tours, as well as its lack of outlets. The cafe does have one single-user bathroom inside, but if that is full, you’ll have to walk down the hallway and around some bends into Wheatley to the nearest one.
Caden – Saxby’s is a difficult one. I like the food at atmosphere, but I can’t really get work done in there unless I have both earbuds in to drown out the sound of the cafe and conversations around me
Chrystian – Good for food and drink but other than that I would suggest the Wheatley Lounge instead.
9. John Jay Atrium
Seclusion – 5/10
Quietness – 7/10
Proximity to Food – 3/10
Proximity to Bathrooms – 6/10
Amenities – 4/5 (Printers, Whiteboards/Chalkboards, Seating, Outlets)
TOTAL – 25/45
Here is the central hub of the School of Engineering, Mathematics, and Science. The John Jay Atrium is down a hallway from the entrance, making it a place where not many non-STEM majors go. It’s very quiet as well. However, there is no snack vending machine in the building, meaning you will have to trek to the PNC Food Court or Saxby’s for your nearest treats.
Caden – I can’t say that I’ve ever studied here. I’m not a STEM major, so I don’t spend a ton of time in John Jay. It looks eat though, and it must be nice having faculty offices right there, but I’m off it’s radar
Chrystian – Feels like something out of X-Men, not a bad place. Lack of food severely damages its rating in my opinion.
8. Wheatley Homework Lab
Seclusion – 7/10
Quietness – 8/10
Proximity of Food – 8/10
Proximity of Bathrooms – 3/10
Amenities – 2/5 (Seating, Outlets)
TOTAL – 27/45
For what STEM majors have in the John Jay Atrium, Media Arts and Cybersecurity have in the Wheatley Homework Lab. Much like it’s scientific predecessor, the Homework Lab is somewhere usually people only in Media Arts study, but it is very effective. The seating makes distraction unlikely, and Patty always keeps snacks in there, as well as Saxby’s just down the hallway. The only downsides are that bathrooms are on the other side of the building and that there is no natural lighting, leading to some late nights feeling the same as the day.
Caden – I love working in here. It keeps me focused and locked-in, and the Macs in the room make using Photoshop and other Adobe products much easier. I really wish it had windows though.
Chrystian – It lacks a lot of the stuff like natural light and feels like something you would be there for 5 minutes to print something and leave.
7. Graphic Design Lab
Seclusion – 7/10
Quietness – 10/10
Proximity to Food – 1/10
Proximity to Bathrooms – 6/10
Amenities – 3/5 (Seating, Outlets, Whiteboard/Chalkboard)
TOTAL – 27/45
Nestled away in the back corner of the Academic Media Center in Patrick Henry is the Graphic Design Lab. This space is chill and quiet, with soft lighting and carpet. The only traffic comes from an occasional class or person borrowing equipment from the storage room across the hall. It is, however, the furthest you can be from food in the Patrick Henry/Nicholson sister buildings, and bathrooms are down the labyrinthian hallways a bit, but it is a nice spot for some late-night Adobe work.
Caden – The AMC really isn’t used enough. There’s so many resources for study rooms or homework rooms that no one really talks about or goes to, this included.
Chrystian – It’s definitely a room… It’s quiet and there’s Mac desktops but the computers are not great.
6. Scaife Lounge
Seclusion – 4/10
Quietness – 8/10
Proximity to Food – 5/10
Proximity to Bathrooms – 7/10
Amenities – 5/5 (Printers, Whiteboard/Chalkboard, Seating, Outlets, Natural Lighting)
TOTAL – 29/45
This is a true academic lounge. It has all the amenities one could ask for, as well as a high level of quiet. With it being in Scaife, the nursing/health sciences building, the lounge is constantly in use, and everyone is working quietly and giving respect to their cohorts. In terms of seclusion, it does sit on a major walkway, and it is in the middle between two dining options, but it works out well.
Caden – I always feel so bad when I walk through here. I always see nursing students working and studying super hard so I feel terrible for disturbing them. I guess the fact that it still is so popular lends credence to the fact that it is a darn good spot
Chrystian – Scaife is a perfectly mediocre place, it stays kinda quiet but also does not stay too quiet.
5. Patrick Henry – First Floor
Seclusion – 4/10
Quietness – 6/10
Proximity to Food – 6/10
Proximity to Bathrooms – 10/10
Amenities – 3/5 (Seating, Outlets, Natural Lighting)
Imagine the setups of the second floor, just in a much better location. Less traffic, closer bathrooms, and closer to food. Only traffic comes from those going to the AMC or Olsen Hall.
Caden – With the amount of time I spent in the Sentry Media Newsroom, I walk by here a ton and I always see people hard at work. It seems like a good spot, and has the right mix of popularity and niche-ness.
Chrystian – If im going to work here I would personally rather just work in the Sentry Media newsroom but great place to go to if you have class in Olsen Hall.
4. Elaine Boyd Library – Second Floor
Seclusion – 10/10
Quietness – 10/10
Proximity to Food – 0/10
Proximity to Bathrooms – 10/10
Amenities – 0/5
TOTAL – 30/45
The definition of all or nothing. The second floor of the library is very niche: nobody is there and you can hear a pin drop. This would be much higher on the list if they didn’t ban food or if they had any amenities: there is minimal seating, no outlets, no natural light, and no printers or whiteboards. A great place for a good, old-fashioned library study session.
Caden – I really wish I came here more. It’s silent, which is perfect for working, and it feels very studious. I wish it had some natural lighting and outlets, and I wish it didn’t have the same hours as the actual library. I could spend days in here on weekends.
Chrystian – Very bare bones and is not my favorite, I would only really go there if I needed absolute silence and nothing else.
3. John Jay Lounge
Selcusion – 7/10
Quietness – 8/10
Proximity to Food – 2/10
Proximity to Bathrooms – 8/10
Amenities – 5/5 (Printer, Whiteboard/Chalkboard, Seating, Outlets, Natural Lighting)
TOTAL – 30/45
Another amenities sweep. The John Jay Lounge’s position on top of classrooms overlooking walkaways make it feel secluded and almost secret. Similar to the Scaife Lounge, it is always full of people in extremely rigorous majors attempting to lock in, so it stays quiet. It has the same issues as the Atrium when it comes to food, but is closer to bathrooms.
Caden – Like the Atrium, I don’t spend a ton of time here. My girlfriend studies here constantly, and she swears by it. It seems like a nice place to go work on regressions at.
Chrystian – Honestly a great place, it is quiet, comfortable and has tons of natural light so I’m not sitting in what feels like a prison cell.
2. Wheatley Lounge
Seclusion – 6/10
Quietness – 7/10
Proximity to Food – 8/10
Proximity to Bathrooms – 10/10
Amenities – 3/5 (Printer, Seating, Outlets)
TOTAL – 34/45
Shocking, right? Our second-highest ranking spot is very surprising, even to us writers. The numbers back it up. Its location in a back hallway of Wheatley gives it great seclusion, and with little traffic other than classes, its fairly quiet. Saxby’s ins close by, and the bathrooms are as close as they can be without being within eyesight. It also has 3 out of 5 amenities, making it an overall incredibly robust study area.
Caden – I also don’t go here a ton. I usually use it to print off the odd flyer or wait for class, but not really to study. I know people who swear by it, and all power to them. I wish it were a little bigger.
Chrystian – Not my favorite personally, the place honestly feels too much of a work place and not comfortable enough for me to get stuff done.
1. Rockwell School of Business – ATI Center
Seclusion – 10/10
Quietness – 9/10
Proximity to Food – 6/10
Proximity to Bathrooms – 10/10
Amenities – 5/5 (Printers, Whiteboards/Chalkboards, Seating, Outlets, Natural Lighting)
TOTAL – 40/45
Truly head and shoulders above the rest. The ATI Center in the Rockwell School of Business is an underrated study masterpiece. It is rarely used and almost silent save for a class across the hall. It is far from main dining options, but has a drink and snack vending machine in the center itself. Bathrooms are on the other side of the wall. Everything you could need is right there.
Caden – I’m so shocked more people don’t know about this place. It is the perfect study center, I don’t have to leave a chair to get anything I could need. I really will be using this more next week.
Chrystian – Its an extremely quiet place with an abundance of amenities plus a separate quiet room in the back of it, would be a great place for me.
RMU is full of spaces to go hang out and study, it’s up to you to find your niche favorite so you can become Unstoppable.
Did we miss a spot? Reach us on Instagram @rmusentrymedia to tell us your favorite lock-in spot on campus!
