Secret study spots in Hamilton

The Bruce Trail or Cootes Paradise

This one might seem counterintuitive, with the cold weather the last thing you might want to do is sit outside. But if you bundle up, bring a thermos of tea and a hat, studying outside will keep you from falling asleep. You can make yourself a snow chair and a snow table for your stuff. If you tell yourself you can only go back inside after you’re done studying, I promise you will be more efficient than you’ve ever been before.

Upper floors of DBAC

It’s time to hit the gym, to get those practice problems done. Getting more oxygen to your brain will help you stay engaged, so consider combining your work out with your homework. Instead of a Beer Mile, do a Study Mile—read one chapter and then run one mile. This may not be a proven study method (I made it up), but it will make you seem super hardcore. Alternatively, there are some comfy benches on the second and third floor if you want to study the old fashioned way.

Dundas Public Library

Bus, bike or walk to Dundas for one of the best branches of the Hamilton Public Library. A few tables and some hidden study nooks and crannies await your discovery. This building is next to some senior residences so you can absorb the wisdom of the elderly by osmosis.

The McMaster Nuclear Reactor

A little known fact is that McMaster hosts a real live nuclear reactor on campus—and it offers free tours to students. During the tour your guide will track the amount of nuclear radiation you absorb, and while this is minimal, it’s still an incentive to minimize your time inside. So why not bring along a book? The longer it takes you to read, the more radiation you will absorb a fact that will have you done your reading in no time. Just don’t drop your book in the giant glowing pool, you won’t get it back.

The HSR

Tons of student groups on campus want you to burst the McMaster bubble. So take up this challenge, and do your homework on an HSR bus. Discover the east end of Hamilton from the comfort of a hard blue seat. You’ll get to know some Hamiltonians and get your homework done.  Just make sure to avoid the night busses, especially around Hess. You don’t want your textbook to get covered in puke!