Here are Denton’s best places to study — on campus and off

Exams, quizzes and presentations are year-round at universities, and the truth is, setting aside time to study and sticking to it is key to success. 

It can be easy to lose focus when doing schoolwork — especially during the high-stress time leading up to exams — so studying in the proper environment is crucial. Sometimes you have to escape the tiny confines of your dorm and its old desk and find a place on campus or venture out into town.

Thankfully, Denton is a college town, and its many coffee shops and chill hangout spots are in demand.

Here are some of Denton’s best places to hunker down and cram for an exam.

On campus

All of Denton’s college campuses have plenty of places for students to find some quiet time to study or even just sit for a while. 

Libraries

First and most obvious, campus libraries are literally designed to do schoolwork in. Both the TWU and UNT libraries have several floors with designated volume levels depending on your needs. If you’re someone who prefers total silence when you're hard at work, each school's library is home to its own designated quiet floors.

The lower level at UNT’s Willis Library is the designated quiet floor. The lower level also offers several study pods, which offer even more privacy and quiet. If you'd prefer studying in a private pod, reserve one ahead of time.

The libraries are large and can be easy to get turned around in, so take a look at the floor maps before arriving to plan and mentally select a study area ahead of time.

The third and fourth floors are designed to be collaborative study spaces. These aren't necessarily "quiet floors" but will generally be low volume.

UNT students can also find study areas, open desks and reservable study spaces at Sycamore Library and Discovery Park Library. While both of these libraries are smaller than Willis, they offer their own perks when searching out a study spot. The Discovery Park Library is not on UNT's main campus.

You can reserve a study pod at Discovery Park or make use of their larger tables for study groups. Discovery Park is also home to UNT's gaming space — The Nest, board game library and a table of puzzles so there are some distractions that might test your studying resolve.

At Sycamore, there's open study space as well as desks scattered through the stacks — providing some nice quiet hideaways for solo studying.

The third floor at TWU’s Blagg-Huey Library is a designated quiet floor, and the garden level is a designated silent floor. If you prefer a little background chatter, the other floors of each library also have plenty of tables, computers and chairs.

Residence hall spaces

Most academic buildings have lobbies and dedicated study areas and rooms for student use. Here are UNT's dorm halls that feature study rooms.

• Honors Hall
• Joe Greene Hall
• Kerr Hall
• Legends Hall
• Mozart Square
• Rawlins Hall
• Santa Fe Square
• Traditions Hall
• West Hall

Here are TWU's residence halls with study areas:

• Parliament Village
• Stark Hall (The Commons)

Halls that don't feature designated study rooms still have public lobbies and lounge areas that are more than comfortable enough for some studying if you aren't willing to leave the hall. Lobbies can be an excellent quiet space outside of normal class hours, and rented study spaces are designed for that specific purpose.

Student unions

The student unions also have study areas as well as public seating and tables everywhere. 

At UNT, the fourth floor of the union is a popular locale for quiet or study time. An abundance of public tables and couches are available floor-wide.

TWU's Student Union at Hubbard Hall also provides students with a designated quiet lounge, the perfect place for study.

Additionally, these campuses also have an abundance of courtyards and lovely shaded areas designed for sitting. If you're close enough to a building, you can still snag some Wi-Fi. When weather is nice enough (which can be a big ask in Texas), taking advantage of your campus's beautiful outdoor spaces is an excellent idea.

Coffee shops and restaurants

Denton has a huge variety of coffee shops with cool menus and Wi-Fi for those who are looking for a cozy place to chill or work.

Aura Coffee is across from the Language and Auditorium buildings on UNT’s campus on Hickory Street. Aura is popular among UNT students due to its proximity to campus. 

Jupiter House and West Oak Coffee Bar are right on the Square and have been popular spots for years. Jupiter House boasts a fun yet cozy atmosphere with several large tables to share and counter space if you aren't looking to share space. West Oak can be good for both studying and socializing, as the shop has both tables for privacy and bar seating for coffee served as fresh as you can get, all under warm and cozy lighting. These spots can get pretty busy depending on the time of day so there may be groups chatting just a couple tables away.

Avoca is a few blocks from UNT’s campus on Fort Worth Drive. Students living at Gateway or Viridian apartments can simply walk there, and it’s not far of a trek for those living in NTX or the Forum at Denton Station near Fort Worth Drive, or Midtown, Gateway or any of the other apartment complexes on Cleveland Street.

Zera Coffee is on McKinney Street partway between TWU and UNT's campuses. Zera offers a larger space if you need something roomy. Additionally, its distance from the Square and universities makes it a good potential spot for avoiding the finals study rush.

Triptych Coffee is located off the Square inside True Leaf Studio, and has limited seating. If you can grab a spot though (or are willing to sit outside), it's a good smaller option that may help you avoid distractions.

Froth Coffee & Dessert Bar is on Eagle Drive across from UNT's campus. They offer a variety of drinks and sweets to fuel your study sesh and a lofted seating area so you're not as distracted by each patron that comes in the front door.

Eagle Cawffee is currently planning two storefronts in Denton, with the potential to become go-to options for students. It's unclear when their location on Fry Street will be ready, but Malibu Matcha will be opening this September at 216 W. Mulberry Street.

If Denton's local joints are too packed in the bustle of finals season, Starbucks and Panera are always reliable choices with Wi-Fi and cozy atmospheres and can be found almost anywhere.

Even more places

Denton has three lovely public libraries that students can take advantage of if they want to avoid the hustle and bustle of the college libraries — North Branch Library, South Branch Library and Emily Fowler Central Library. 

If you don't need reliable Wi-Fi, the city’s public parks can also be a relaxing place to get some work done. Take a blanket, some snacks or even a hammock and set up underneath a tree to read or write. Both North Lakes and South Lakes are beautiful, large parks with plenty of sitting space and shade for students who love the outdoors. For a full list of Denton's parks, check out the city's website.

Additionally, anyone can take a blanket and spread out on the Courthouse on the Square lawn if you want to be close to the restaurants and coffee shops but still want some sun.