With midterms flooding student schedules, many find themselves sipping on numerous cups of coffee to keep up with all the work. Here are some of SMU student’s favorite go-to coffee shops for keeping up with the books off-campus.
Union Coffee, located on 5622 Dyer St. just behind the Shelby apartments, has become a popular spot for the SMU crowd since its opening last year.
The nonprofit coffee house gives customers a bright and comfortable space to get work done. Along with tables and chairs, Union has couches, floor pillows, private meeting rooms and small hidden reading rooms.
While enjoying Union’s coffee and study environment, students should be glad to know part of all coffee sales are donated to helping Dallas school children read and a percentage of Union’s total profits are split between three causes the nonprofit chooses each year.
Mudsmith, located on lower Greenville, is another popular study spot.
SMU graduate student Elena Gittleman said Mudsmith is her favorite off-campus study place.
“[There are] lots of outlets and they serve both coffee and alcohol,” she said. “There’s lots of good ‘people watching.’”
With tables for studying on one end and a bar on the other, Mudsmith offers its own
unique atmosphere.
Another great study place is the Black Forest Cafe, located inside Half Price Books which has two locations near SMU: one off Northwest Highway and another on Preston.
SMU senior Ali Aenehzodaee said he enjoys hitting the books in the Black Forest Cafe.
“It’s very quiet and your surrounded by books so it feels very academic,” Aenehzodaee said. “You can take a break and browse.”
Black Forest Cafe offers more than just coffee with a full menu to satisfy study-induced hunger pains.
And of course, a list of coffee shops with study appeal wouldn’t be complete without Starbucks. SMU junior Gopika Shah said her favorite Starbucks is the one next to the SMU Barnes and Noble bookstore.
This Starbucks on Mockingbird Lane is “not too loud and offers a lot of light” compared to other locations, Shah said.
For those late nights when studying keeps students up past closing time, Jimmy Johns on Hillcrest Avenue is open until 3 a.m. with free wifi.
