As we welcome the beginning of winter quarter after the holidays, we’re reminded of the amount of school work and responsibilities we have as students. As much as I love studying at the SCU library, I realistically spend more time talking to people I run into along the way than studying.

So, my favorite way to get work done is to run over to a coffee shop and work amongst a crowd of strangers while enjoying some delicious coffee.

If you’ve been on the hunt for study cafes, then check out these five located around campus!

1. Crema Coffee Roasting Company

This retro cafe has plenty of tables, couches, food, and drink options to keep you there for hours. It’s located on the Alameda and about a six-minute drive from campus, so it’s not too long of a trip if you want to stay local. Their most popular drinks are their caramel almond royale and red velvet latte, so give those a taste if you love dessert coffee!

2. Big Mug Coffee Roaster

If you ever want to hang out with me, then just come to this coffee shop. This is my favorite place to study because it’s a large coffee shop with great food, drink, and dessert options. I’m always super productive here because the ambiance is busy, but somehow not too noisy. It’s hard for me to recommend a single drink or food item since I think they’re all great, but my go-to's are their green tea latte and affogato.

3. Voyager Craft Coffee

Great coffee, and even better ambiance. This is a smaller coffee shop, but that’s the appeal to me. I love going here when I want to be in my own space, but still have some people around. Their coffees are unique and the baristas are great at helping you decide what you want to order. If you really want to up your Instagram game, ask them to do rainbow latte art on top of your drink for an extra pop of color in your life.

4. Peet’s Coffee

I’m sure you’ve heard of this chain before, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t good! Located in the Target complex on El Camino, this location has a good amount of tables and couches to work at. What’s also great is that it’s located right next to Chipotle and Panera, so it’s easy to grab some food during study breaks.

5. Chromatic

This hipster coffee shop is one of the best-kept secrets in San Jose/Santa Clara. This unique shop offers a variety of house-roasted coffees and specialty drinks that don't disappoint. There’s a decent amount of indoor and outdoor seating options and plenty of charging ports at each table. The coffee is pretty bougie (and therefore expensive), but the quality is worth the price. For the biggest bang for your buck, get the $3.50 coffee on tap. The cup is decently sized, and refills are only $1!