Have you ever been to the Center for Christian Study at UVA? You may have ventured through the house on Chancellor Street during sorority rush, as it serves as a warming house for women to eat and rest in between houses. You may have come by for a religious theology talk or perhaps to devour a “study snack" during finals week. You may have come to the Move-In Day lunch to welcome the incoming first years. Regardless of whether or not you are a Christian, The Stud is open and welcome to all.
I can affirm that The Stud is one of my favorite places at UVA to study, especially during finals week. Every day (except Sunday) during finals, they provide three “study snacks" —ahem, more like meals. Breakfast is served at 10 a.m., lunch is served at 1 p.m., and dinner is served at 5 p.m. Different students and parent volunteers along with the staff at The Stud take turns helping serve a variety of snacks to students studying for finals, free of charge. They have served everything from Bodo's bagels to Chick-fil-A chicken nuggets to Chipotle burritos to Take-It-Away sandwiches to homemade food items, along with an assortment of chips, fruit, veggies, hummus, cookies, water, soda, and more.
One of the most irritating aspects of finals week is feeding yourself amidst long days at the library filled with hours of cramming. It is a relief and a blessing to barely have to move locations and be fed for free during this chaotic time. What's more amazing is that The Stud serves us in this way simply because they care and love UVA students. With the help of donations, students at the Stud, and parent volunteers, the staff is able to serve hundreds of students throughout finals week without asking for a penny in return.
Better yet, the Stud itself is a fantastic study location. With the choice of several different rooms combined with the home-y atmosphere, working at the Stud beats hiding in the library stacks any day. There are tables upstairs to spread out in the library, a quiet nook, long tables downstairs to face the beautiful outlook over Charlottesville, comfy chairs to snuggle up with a book, and a nice outdoor deck that serves as a perfect place to soak up the sun while studying during spring finals. There are plenty of books to check out upstairs along with computers and printers to use.
The Stud is also located right behind the Corner, if you decide you need to go grab yourself a Starbucks drink. But you won't really need to because guess what? The Stud serves free coffee, all day, every day. Yes, you heard that right: free coffee. Those two words are like music to a college student's ears. Take your pick between dark, medium, and light roast; if you aren't feeling the caffeine, they even serve decaf. Or, you can fix yourself some hot tea or hot chocolate, which they provide as well. As you can see, The Stud's hospitality is unbeatable and nearly unheard of on college campuses where we tend to believe the phrase, “There's no such thing as a free lunch."
The staff is always smiley, welcoming, and full of humor to make you laugh. If you are feeling stressed, lonely, or struggling with issues of any kind, they are there to listen to you, lend you advice, and pray for you if you so wish. The fellow students are also extremely inviting and almost always willing to socialize when you need a study break. I have met some of the kindest people spending time at The Stud over the past two years whom I may not have encountered otherwise.
The Stud is unmatched in terms of places to study for finals week, so consider visiting soon and getting to know one of the staff persons or student “regulars." In the meantime, check out their website and read some of the blog's fourth year reflections from frequent Stud-goers who are saying their last “goodbyes"!
