Fun Study Spots around Jacksonville, Florida

Words & photos by Angelica Santini Hernandez

After being in college for three years, I’ve had the opportunity to find great studying spots around Jacksonville that most don’t know about. These hidden gems are found all around Jacksonville, whether it is north or south, close to the University of North Florida, Jacksonville University, St. Johns River State College or Florida State College Jacksonville there are so many options to choose from rather than being stuck in the same cycle and staying in your dorm or room studying. 

Starting college came with a desire to do everything possible to have the best grades I could achieve. As time went by, my first time studying for a big exam as a freshman I had all the tools I needed to study but just needed a good study spot. I tried to rent a study room at the UNF library, but it was all booked up. I decided to meet up with other classmates around a hidden gem at UNF, The Bamboo Garden, located in between buildings 1 and 39A. This hidden spot is a great space for students, especially those who like the outdoors and studying with a little quietness and peace. This space helped me a lot during those long study afternoons when I needed to escape from the library and needed more natural light and a canopy of green overhead by being surrounded by all the great and serene nature and trees around UNF’s campus.

After having that experience of not finding a good quiet study place and wanting to get out and find a comfort zone for me to concentrate and study I came across cafes like The Greenhouse Bar and Happy Medium Books Cafe. The Greenhouse Bar is a cafe and cocktail bar located in Riverside. What stuck out the most to me from this place was how well-organized everything was. This place is a coffee shop, plant shop, and bar. The plants help with calming students down during midterms or finals, while their drinks give you that sweetness and boost of energy you need. It was a very calming and peaceful experience to study at their location. 

Only a few minutes away is Happy Medium Books Cafe. This cafe has a bookstore area, a cafe area, an area for adults to work and also a children’s area. Such a unique and different idea for their business since there aren’t that many that include areas for children who are growing into bookworms like their parents or babysitters. The best thing about both of these places is that they are close by and provide a peaceful yet productive experience. 

If you live farther away from UNF and are trying to find something in the middle, The Urban Bean Coffeehouse is just the place for you. Their barn and modern style for their location in Orange Park is timeless. Their customer service was 10/10 for me since it was my first time visiting, they recommended a Lavender Iced Latte which surprisingly was better than expected. At this location, they open early and close late which is always a plus for college students so that we don’t have to stress about cramming everything together which leads to stress and not getting much work done. If you like studying indoors or outdoors this place offers both, which is always a great plus for a change of scenery. 

To wrap up my list, I recently found these two spots close to my “Folio” internship. Chamblin’s Uptown and Urban Grind Coffee Company were top picks for cafes and bookstores inDowntown Jacksonville. Chamblin’s Uptown unique vibe and spacious location help pick where you want to study or get creative. The bookshop also offers a coffee shop and a variety of locations to pick from for studying or reading, whether it is downstairs in the coffee shop area at the front of the bookstore or in between all the bookshelves filled with decades of books at little tables and chairs. Some of my personal favorite spots will always be in between the bookshelves. Chamblin’s Uptown is a hidden gem that provides peace and a lot of creative ideas at your fingertips. Lastly, Urban Grind Coffee Company is a contemporary and rustic coffeehouse that provides indoor and outdoor areas to study from and has a variety of breakfast, lunch, and drink options to choose from. If you’re like me, I always have to have my little snack with my coffee. 

After letting you know all of my favorite study spots around Jacksonville, Now I’m going to let you in on a few tips I wish I had known at the beginning of my freshman year:

1. Put yourself out there, get out of your comfort zone, and make new friends. You won’t regret it when you look back on that semester before graduating and look at all the great people and experiences you have made over time. 
2. Pick your classes early! I couldn’t stress this one enough. It sucks when you wait until 5 p.m. to pick your classes and all of the classes that go with your daily life are full. Trust me no one likes waking up at 7 a.m. to pick classes. In a related tip, check all your professors before signing up, like their class passing rates or student ratings. It will help you so much in the future. 
3. Make those group chats with your classmates. Half the time all of you are confused about the assignments. Five minds working to figure something out is better than just one. Plus, half of the time the people you have in that class will probably be with you again next semester. 
4. If you want a good table or study spot, I always recommend getting there early if you, especially, during midterms and finals when the cafes and libraries will most likely be full. 
5. Don’t stress yourself out too much… and this is coming from someone who would overthink and stress everything about grades and school. Try your best. That’s all you can do at the end of the day.