The Law School lounges – Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, 111 E. Taylor St.
The Law School study area redefines the word ‘silence.’ I did not know peace until visiting the study lounge on the sixth floor. There are multiple study areas in the law building, but some are only open to law students. The coffee shop and study pavilion on the sixth floor is a nice and open spot to really get some work done.
Jobot Coffee and Diner – 333 E. Roosevelt St.
What’s better than a bar or a coffee shop? A place that is actually both of those things and has great wifi. Jobot has great food and lots of table space that lets you spread out your study materials. You can also grab whatever drink of your choosing, or whatever helps you get through that assignment. As long as you don’t mind listening to music while you study (and it’s usually pretty eclectic), this spot’s for you.
Fillmore Coffee – 600 N. Fourth St.
Maybe it’s just me, but the grilled cheese and a cup of coffee here is the perfect study buddy. With plenty of different comfortable spots and delicious snacks, Fillmore Coffee is usually full of students. You can sit right by the window and watch the city life while working, or sit in the back and type or write to your heart’s content.
Songbird Coffee and Teahouse – 812 N Third St
Nothing says “relaxation” like a small yet cozy coffee shop that passes as a house. The coffee is delicious, and the place itself almost seems to take you away from the downtown scene and into one of the few coffeehouse couches of downtown Phoenix. It’s a great place to get your work done, but an even better place to just take a seat and enjoy a nice, warm cup of joe. Or iced tea. Or cold brew. Whatever you’re feeling, Songbird probably has it.
Third-Floor Editing Bays/Cronk 320 – Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, 555 N Central Ave.
Let’s be honest, most of us live up here. Whether it is to print those course notes five minutes before class or to edit a podcast for Blaze Radio, the third floor of the Walter Cronkite building is our home away from home. These rooms are great to finish homework and give you access to computers, programs like Adobe Premiere, or wifi that actually loads, plus a hallowed and seemingly-always broken printer in the classroom section of the area. Pro tip: swing open the sliding glass doors of the last row of editing bays to create Mega Bay, the perfect place for group projects and private breakdowns.
Cronkite’s Second Floor Chairs – Cronkite School, 555 N Central Ave.
It wouldn’t be the First Amendment Forum if it weren’t for the study chairs. These square cushions of glory are the ideal spot to crank out some homework, read or catch a quick nap. The seats also have wheels underneath them, so it’s easy to form a small study group or establish your own space in the back corner.
The Grand – 718 N. Central Ave.
That caramel latte? Delicious. This place has a Steampunk theme year round. I mean, there’s gargoyles outside and antique looking furniture everywhere, a far cry of it’s early days when it was dominated by comfy couches. The Grand is like the slightly spooky yet charming hotel in any classic horror movie. Despite the classic spooky-ness, this coffee place has great prices, a student discount, and a whole second floor dedicated to people who need to study. (Also, it’s open 24 hours. I know.)
Contact the reporter at ldiethel@asu.edu.
Lisa Diethelm is the Politics editor for the Downtown Devil while she studies at The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication in downtown Phoenix. She grew up in California and started her journalism career in high school.
