I've never been good at studying in my room. Even though I have a desk, sitting there trying to work, knowing that my bed is right behind me, is far too distracting to actually get anything done. Nor have I ever been good at studying in libraries- and trust me, I know how paradoxical that sounds. But there's something about how eerily quiet they are that's always been unnerving to me, something about the silence that causes me too seek out distractions, unable to focus without something in the background.

So where do I get work done, you ask? Another cliche, but the only places I've found that I can effectively work in are coffee shops. Now, there's different ones for different things. If I'm working somewhere where I'm going to need wifi and a decent amount of table space (and somewhere no one minds if I camp out for hours), I usually head to one of my local Starbucks. While it's not the best coffee, it's free wifi and lots of tables, and that's good enough for me. If I'm writing or reading and I'm not going to need wifi, then I have a few different local spots that I love (if you're in Charleston, these include Kudu, Black Tap, Collective, and Bakehouse). I had my list and I visited at least one of them almost every day.

But when I moved to Morningside Heights a month ago for college, I felt pretty lost about where to get work done. The creaky, tiny desk in my room was never going to work- and while I love both Butler and Avery Library, I knew I wouldn't want to be there studying every day. Thus began my hunt for the coziest coffee shops, some with wifi and some without, all of which I could functionally get work done. Here's the list I've compiled so far, but don't worry- I've only been here a month and I still have more places I want to check out, so there's bound to be a follow up post later.

1. The Hungarian Pastry Shop

I know, I know, everyone always says this one. Some love it's dingy lighting and lack of wifi, some hate it. I, for one, am a huge fan, and this place is probably my favorite on the list. It's only a few blocks from campus, and they're open until almost midnight, so it's a great place to go to grab a coffee and pastry late at night when you really, really, need to finish that assignment. The lack of wifi is great if you have a bunch of reading to get done, and it's always filled with people, so you're bound to start up an interesting conversation with someone. Plus, there's so much to choose from, you can never get bored. But be warned: it's cash only, so make sure you have some on you before heading that way!

2. Irving Farm Coffee Roasters (Upper West Side)

Okay, so Morningside Heights isn't necessarily the Upper West Side (and trust me, I wish it was), but it's not that far. Irving Farm is on 79th between Broadway and Amsterdam, and just trust me when I say that it's worth it. There's a subway stop literally right outside, but I walked down here the other day and it's actually a pretty pleasant stroll (around a half hour or so- twenty if you walk fast). They have great coffee, an awesome menu to grab something to eat, and a front and back room for seating (plus outside!), so there's plenty of space to spread out and work. It's adorable and filled with lots of interesting Upper West Siders, so you never know who you'll run into.

3. Double Dutch Espresso

So, Double Dutch is located in Harlem, which makes it super easy to get to from campus. Just cross through Morningside Park to Frederick Douglass and then head up two blocks to 118th, and it's right there. It's a small, cozy little shop with a big communal table up front, a bunch of tables in the back and a huge outdoor patio that they share with the restaurant next door. I came down here the other day when it was raining and finished up some reading, and it's really got a great vibe.

4. Joe Coffee

I feel like I can't write an article about the best places to study near campus without including Joe. Located on the Columbia campus, it's very easy to get to for students (I can literally see my campus out the windows- how's that for convenient?) and has some of the best coffee in the city. This is probably the most crowded location for Joe (they have them all over the city) and you're almost guaranteed to share a table with someone, but the gorgeous views, free wifi (if you're a Columbia student you can connect to the CU secure network) and great food make up for how cramped it can be. Besides, even though you might be sharing a table, they're pretty big tables, so you'll still have plenty of room to spread out.

5. Lincoln Center

So I know this isn't right by campus either- but it's a ten minute subway ride, and besides, everyone needs to get out of the Columbia bubble now and then. Lincoln Center is a gorgeous venue with a killer artsy-intellectual vibe and tons of quiet, shady spots to sit down with a book. There's this great lawn on top of one of the buildings that you can climb up to and camp out own that gives you great views over Lincoln Center itself. Plus, there's tables and chairs all around that you could hang out at, or you could head over and sit along the fountain (plus, there's usually a gelato cart there!). If that's not enough for you, there's a cafe in Lincoln Center itself, a Starbucks right across the street, and a little park with a bunch of tables that's great for people watching. You'll be surrounded by students, musicians, actors, dancers, and tons of other intellectual and creative people to motivate you to get your work done- what more could you ask for?