Finals are here and students campus-wide are sifting through reams of notes and stacks of books.

Just because the masses are united in studying, however, does not mean they all have to do it in the same place. Students can venture beyond campus this finals week to find somewhere that caters to their specific studying needs.

Depending on who is asked, coffee is either the lifeblood of study sessions or a chemical crutch to be avoided at all costs. For java-dependent students, there is a bevy of coffee-serving lounges peppered throughout town.

“Obviously, I come for the coffee,” said Mary Ruth, a sophomore psychology major at Kishwaukee Community College, who was studying at the Starbucks, 2577 Sycamore Road.

Ruth was also drawn to the location by its distance from her school, adding that she liked to “get away from the campus life.”

The student who avoids coffee is not necessarily left out in the cold, however. While lattes and mochas may dominate menus, few, if any, cafes will serve them without also offering a selection of teas.

With Blackboard and WebBoard growing inseparable from the modern classroom, Internet access is likewise becoming inseparable from studying. Off campus, the free Wi-Fi hot-spot is a holy grail of sorts.

For reference material, Founders Memorial Library is second-to-none. Both DeKalb and Sycamore’s libraries are also similarly equipped and easily the quietest of the off-campus study locations inspected. Studying in a bookstore cafe also allows access to a selection of dictionaries and encyclopedias.

Study-area atmosphere is the deal breaker for many local students. Some need dead silence to concentrate, while others prefer the lull of background noise to hold their focus. Senior finance major Brian Vanburen pledged his allegiance to the Barnes & Noble cafe, 2439 Sycamore Road, two years ago, and has not looked back since.

“I liked the store, I was used to it; it made sense to study here as well,” Vanburen said. “It’s not dead silent, but there’s not enough noise to bother my focus.”


Barnes & Noble, 2439 Sycamore Road
Coffee - Yes
Reference books - Yes
Wireless internet - Pay-as-you-go

Borders, 2520 Sycamore Road
Coffee - Yes
Reference books - Yes
Wireless internet - Pay-as-you-go

Caribou Coffee, 2385 Sycamore Road
Coffee - Yes
Reference books - No
Wireless internet - First hour free, one hour for every purchase over $1.35

DeKalb Public Library, 309 Oak St.
Coffee - Yes on weekends
Reference books - Yes
Wireless internet - Free

The House Cafe, 263 E. Lincoln Hwy
Coffee - Yes
Reference books - Yes
Wireless internet - Free

Java 101, 901 Lucinda Ave
Coffee - Yes
Wireless internet - Yes

The Junction, 816 W. Lincoln Hwy
Coffee - Yes
Reference books - No
Wireless internet - Free

Starbucks, 2577 Sycamore Road, 1015 W. Lincoln Hwy
Coffee - Yes
Reference books - No
Wireless internet - Pay-as-you-go

Sycamore Public Library, 103 E. State St.
Coffee - No
Reference books - Yes
Wireless internet - Free

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