As students re-adjust to another school year at WA, the pressures of school work become overwhelming all too easily. Especially as students advance to their junior and senior years, anyone can become susceptible to the effects of procrastination. One way students are able to improve their ability to stay on top of work while maintaining focus is by utilizing new environments to study in. These are just a few of the options, in and surrounding Westford, where students can maximize their motivation for school work by switching up their study space.

1. Pressed Cafe

Pressed Cafe in Chelmsford is ideal for those looking to study for an extensive period of time, and one of my favorite options of the five. The cafe is located in Chelmsford, a reasonable distance for most students that allows for a convenient travel time in comparison to other spots. The environment is chic and modern with plenty of seating available, and features two large booths that are perfect for large groups or students looking for a lot of desk space. The cafe’s menu has one of the most robust arrangements of options I have seen. This double sided, small text list provides a meal for every time of the day with delicious sides and drinks. Additionally, Pressed has the latest closing time at 10 p.m. which just amplifies its ability to accommodate long studying hours. The only fault for this location is its slight influx of customers around noon, but otherwise there is always plenty of comfortable seating available. All in all, Pressed Cafe is perfect on all fronts for student studying and is a must-visit if you are looking to switch up your work environment. 

2. Barnes & Noble

Barnes & Noble is an underrated, but perfectly tailored location for students looking to study. However one major fault in this option is its distance. Twenty minutes, depending on where you live in Westford, can take up a lot of time commuting if you are on a time crunch for work. But if you do have the time to make the drive, Barnes & Noble in Nashua, New Hampshire has a large study cafe that also provides a quiet and cozy environment. While there is not a wide menu option, the location has a built-in Starbucks cafe that serves the classic drinks and pastries many love. Additionally, it is open until 9 p.m. on most days of the week, while also providing students with a few power outlet options for charging devices, though it might be difficult to find a seat later in the evening. Still, the location is one of my favorites because I feel the commute is a great motivator to get work done but the area is also great to look around for a book after finishing. Barnes & Noble is a lovely fusion of a cafe and library that provides students who aim to study for a long afternoon with a space to convene.

3. The Dragonfly Cafe

This alternative location might not be as well-known by Westford residents, but the Dragonfly Cafe provides an amazingly refreshing environment for students to get their work done. Located in Lowell, the cafe provides an earthy, modern setting, paired with delicious smoothies, drinks, and sandwiches. If you are looking for a few hours of studying with comfortable seating that almost always guarantees room for a group, this is the spot for you. The Dragonfly Cafe’s menu is perfect for an afternoon study session while also providing gluten-free alternatives. The cafe also has an outdoor patio and seating area that is perfect for the warmer weather and to switch up studying habits. However, the cafe’s hours of operation can often prove to be an inconvenience for students as it closes at 4 p.m. Saturday through Tuesday. Still, from Wednesday through Friday students are given ample time until 8 p.m. to spend at the cafe. The location also does not have many accessible power outlets, so students looking to charge devices should look elsewhere for their afternoon work. All in all, the Dragonfly Cafe is best for students looking to spend an occasional afternoon doing work or meeting with friends, but its distance among other factors does not make it ideal for a long-term, consistent study spot.  

4. JV Fletcher Library

If you’re looking for a silent and concentrated environment, the JV Fletcher Library is the best choice on this list. The library is a close and contained space that is ideal for motivating students to maintain their focus on studying. The library has three floors with a variety of seating options and includes a creative noise-canceling room on the top floor, a feature that is unique amongst these five spots. Open until 8 p.m most evenings, the location does allow for ample study time. However, since the library is closed every Sunday and closes at 4 to 5 p.m on Friday and Saturday, this limits the capacity of consistent studying. Another benefit, however, is the utilities access here which includes charging ports, printers, and even spare computers available for students to optimize their studying experience. During midterms and finals weeks at WA, JV Fletcher also opens a spare room for students to study in while also providing free refreshments, snacks, and pizza. Though these facilities create an increasingly accessible environment, one major issue is spacing. If you decide to arrive later in the evening on a weekday, it’s almost always guaranteed that there will be no seats available. Still, the convenience and abundance of resources, especially for research projects, creates an amazing studying environment at the JV Fletcher Library. 

5. Panera

Panera is a classic chain with a location in Westford Cornerstone that is often the go-to place for last minute studying due to its convenience. This spot has a very cost-friendly menu with a variety of options for all times of the day, while also offering long hours of operation from 6 a.m to 9:30 or 10 p.m. depending on the day. These conditions make it the perfect spot for days when students want to plan a last minute study session with friends, but the location isn’t as convenient for individual studies because of the majority booth seating. However, the restaurant makes up for it with high access to power outlets for device charging and comfortable booth seats. Unfortunately, this surface level convenience creates one flaw. No matter the time of day, other students are almost always guaranteed to be filling the booths. This creates two issues, the first being the fact that the location is often full, and the second being that distractions can quickly stem from the environment making it difficult to get into a good workflow. Otherwise, Panera is an easy, quick option for students who need to spend an evening on homework with friends.