Fridays from the Frontline
In a world filled with distractions, it can be tough to focus and get anything done. Sometimes, the devices and platforms we invest in to make our day-to-day lives more efficient (theoretically) are the very things making it hard to concentrate. But in other instances, it’s the actual space where we sit to work that can pose the greatest challenges.
If you have the luxury of working remotely, you may have discovered that you’re most productive in a crowded coffee shop. (If this is you, here’s two hours of ambient café noise.) Or perhaps your faculties are sharper as you toil in your very own fortress of solitude.
Good news if you’re headed to the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business in the fall: Booth MBA student Joseph Dang has thought long and hard about the most productive spots on campus and conveniently outlined them below.
The following post has been republished in its entirety from its original source, the Chicago Booth Experience Blog.
Top 10 Spots Boothies Get Work Done, Ranked
by Joseph Dang
Let’s face it, even though business school is a two-year vacation, sometimes you’ll want to do something productive, whether it’s shoot out a couple of recruiter emails or plan your spring break itinerary. When those situations arise, Booth has a variety of productivity enhancing spots. Here are the Top 10, ranked.
10. Interview Rooms (Harper Center)
If you’re a fan of reliving traumatic memories, the interview suite where you had those mentally grueling first-round case interviews, technicals, etc. are a great place to pound out some emails, problem sets, or networking calls. Pro tip: Each room has a landline phone, providing a dependable connection for whatever client call you might need to take.
9. The Winter Garden (Harper Center)
Okay, so not much work gets done in the main thoroughfare of our campus building, but if you’re a master of compartmentalization and tuning out everything you’re not focused on, the WG is a great place to see and be seen and maybe get a page of reading skimmed.
8. Group Study Rooms (Literally Everywhere)
Unlike spending money, the one thing a Boothie has an abundance of is reservable study spaces. Reserve them up to one week before for whatever group pow-wow you need. Would rank higher if you weren’t required to hang your student ID on the door lest building security mistake you for an undergrad trying to steal primo Booth space.
7. Study Rooms in Apartment Buildings (Downtown)
Our “luxury” apartment buildings basically cater to students so they turn normal lounge spaces into study rooms. No reservation systems (except at 73 E. Lake, the luxest of the luxe) but handy when you don’t want to leave your building and you get pretty nice city views.
6. Mansueto Library (On-campus)
Who needs a Harry Potter-esque library (one exists on the main quad but Boothies generally prefer to stay closer to Harper) when you can study in a space pod? As soon as Chicago autumns and winters hit, Mansueto’s glass dome provides a warm embrace of productivity.
5. Gleacher River Overlook Lounges (Downtown)
Man oh man, Gleacher’s location on Mag Mile (a major street downtown) epitomizes the “Chicago” reason for coming to Booth. Not only can you grab a quick lunch of ramen, szechuan, crepes, or one of those hipstery salad places a block away, you also get sweeping views of the river walk and can pretend to be a high-flying C-level when the exec ed program comes by once a month.
4. Oriental Institute (On-campus)
A hop and skip away from Harper Center, the OI is actually a museum (free for all UChicago students) with exhibits on Mesopotamia, Assyria, and other -ias. It boosts some of the highest vaulted high ceilings and rustic wall adornments—you’ll feel like you’re GSDing in an Indiana Jones temple.
3. The Student Lounge (Harper Center)
Despite its entertainment set-up (pool tables, board games, TVs) and buzz during the lunch hour, the student lounge often finds groups of Boothies vigorously debating a case, or whether Boothies or Kelloggers are more attractive. Just kidding, we don’t think of them. A great alternative to the Winter Garden if you’re an extrovert but still want to be productive.
2. The 3rd Floor Winter Garden Overlook (Harper Center)
I’m not sure what the actual name of this area is but it’s ideal if you want to get stuff done while still taking in the bustle of the Winter Garden below. The chairs are extra padded and comfy and the printers on this floor never have paper jams and always have toner since this area is somewhat of a hidden gem.
1. The Study Lounge (Harper Center)
Carrels, individual lamps, outlets, fireplace, couches—what more does one need to truly hunker down and get it done? Best part is that the lounge is key card only access for Booth students so you can be sure that you won’t be disturbed by anyone but your best Booth friends!
