Toronto’s Best Study Spaces

With exam season fast approaching, many of us are beginning to mentally prepare for all-nighters and frantic cram sessions. But studying can be a little more enjoyable if you have a great place to do it, and Toronto is full of cozy nooks, beautiful libraries, and quaint cafés. So, we asked Vic students to tell us about their favourite study spots on and around the UofT campus.

Hart House Library- Nicole Paroyan

Hart House Library is by far my favourite spot to study on campus. It’s a small room with a beautiful table and lots of big windows. During the warmer months, they often leave the windows open, which makes for a super relaxing studying vibe. Plus, if you’re hungry, you can go downstairs to Sammy’s to grab a bite to eat.

Emmanuel College Library- Carey Roach

For many of us, part of the reason behind choosing UofT was the school’s strong resemblance to Hogwarts. The Emmanuel College library is certainly proof of this; elaborate chandeliers and long wooden tables make it the perfect place to channel my inner Hermione Granger. The huge windows also let in an absurd amount of sunshine, making it easier to pretend I’m outside on sunny days, instead of stuck inside writing essays. Quiet and surprisingly uncrowded, Emmanuel is my absolute favourite study space on campus.

Goldring Student Centre- Adele Keyes

One of my favourite study spots is in the Goldring Student Centre, in the quiet study lounge on the third floor. The study lounge has large windows that overlook Charles St West.

Voodoo Child- Justine Hamilton-Arvisais

Just a short walk down College St from the main campus, Voodoo Child is an atmospheric, moody nook decorated as if a sort of 1920s speakeasy married the quintessential Toronto coffee bar. For all poets writing their “Prelude”, playwrights with a <Hamlet> on their hands, or perhaps UofT students in the midst of exams, this café provides a quirky spot to spend an afternoon. Choose a rich espresso served on a plank alongside a seltzer in a little cup shaped like a skull, or perhaps one of Voodoo Child’s signature drinks for those 19+—a “Bearded Barista” or “Sazerac” might wet your whistle. Whatever your drink, any visitor to this College St staple will find themselves enchanted by the excellent music and cheered by the oh-so-friendly baristas.

Pratt, JCR and Laidlaw- Olivia Dziwak

My favourite place to study is, to be entirely honest, determined by a lot of non-academic considerations. If I need to eat while I study, there’s no beating the basement lounge of EJ Pratt, with its many armchairs and huge window view onto Burwash. If I’m feeling the need to be surrounded by people, the Junior Common Room at UC is a great space and has a great atmosphere (and the couches are also great for napping!). And if I actually need to buckle down and get stuff done, Laidlaw’s cubbies offer isolation and silence, while the long wall of windows offer enough sunlight to give you the will to go on.