1. The Windmill Cafe
21231 E Cliff Dr., Santa Cruz, California 95062
My personal favorite, The Windmill Cafe, is a small, locally owned restaurant, right off of East Cliff Drive. It's a little far from campus and very hard to get to by bus, but this is a great find for anyone who has a car. Because it's far away from areas like downtown or the boardwalk, The Windmill Cafe is rarely crowded, and its patrons are often local residents, rather then college students. With free Wi-Fi, great coffee and delicious food, it's the perfect place to study for exams.
2. The Abbey
350 Mission St., Santa Cruz, California 95060
Now, maybe it's just my caffeine addiction talking, but I always found cafes to be the best places to study. Like The Windmill Cafe, The Abbey provides free Wi-Fi and refillable coffee in a very cozy setting. This cafe is right off of High Street and Highland and is easy to get to using the 10 Metro. If you choose to study here, I recommend coming on off hours because the cafe can get very crowded in the afternoons.
3. McHenry Library
1156 High St., Santa Cruz, California 95064
This one is really a no brainer. Every college student knows that the on-campus library is the prime location to study during finals week. If you happen to get lucky and you are able to find a work station, then you'll be surrounded by copious amounts of students studying like mad men, which can be incredibly motivating. There's also something really comforting about being able to show up in your pajamas without anyone thinking twice about it.
4. Messiah Lutheran Church
801 High St., Santa Cruz, California 95060
Right off of High Street is a chain of churches that are very accommodating to UCSC students. Many of them provide parking or host things like study breaks for the student body. The Messiah Lutheran Church is opening up a space to the public during finals week as a service to the community and their college-affiliated patrons. This is open to everyone, and you do not need to have any religious affiliation to use their facilities.
5. Lulu's at the Octagon
118 Cooper St., Santa Cruz, California 95060
I firmly believe that latte art can put a smile on anyone's face. There's something about getting a nice cup of coffee with a pretty design that rejuvenates your senses and increases productivity. If you feel the same way, then Lulu's is a great place to get your fix. Open until 7 p.m., this cafe is right in the middle of downtown Santa Cruz. It's a great place to stop and study between running errands in town.
6. Oakes Learning Center
1156 High St., Santa Cruz, California 95064
Another on-campus option, the Oakes Learning Center is a great, quiet place to go study. They're open until 2 a.m. during finals and provide open spaces for group study sessions or individuals working. As it is on campus, a lot of TA's and tutors are comfortable meeting here, so if you happen to be planning a meeting to go over course material, I would recommend suggesting this location.
