In the battleground that is Westwood High School, students armor up daily with textbooks and test reviews, unsheathe their weapons of formulas and prose, and once the clash with tests and quizzes is over, they seek to turn to the perfect training ground to prepare for the future battles to come. However, where truly is the best place to study? The cafeteria, the library, the IB colony, or none of the above?
Your noble guides Charlie and Arhaan have explored each nook and cranny of Westwood High School and have ranked the most popular places to study. Like everything at Westwood, the first question you probably are asking is: what’s the rubric? We have broken down studying areas into three different categories:
- Proximity to quality restrooms and water fountains (Possible points: 1-5)
We rank the restroom because, in every study session, there will be times when you feel the need to take a break, get a drink, or the need to wash your hands after a messy DoorDash order.
- Amenities and resources available (Possible points: 1-5)
The comfort of the seats, the smooth coolness of the desks, and the reliable assurance that there is wifi, Expo markers, pencils, and other resources nearby are all crucial for Westwood students.
- Vibes and Surroundings (Possible points: 1-5)
People, sounds, productivity, and all else – we have to focus on the intangibles in life too.
Without further ado, here are our rankings!
D-Tier: The cafeteria
Restrooms/water fountains: There’s a close restroom and a pair of water fountains nearby, but there is always a suspicious smell and even more suspicious activity…(2/5).
Amenities/resources: Hard plastic seats, oily and sticky tables, the only saving grace is that you can buy food that sometimes is good. Even a broken clock gets it right two times a day (2.5/5).
Vibes: The cafeteria is just too loud, no one’s locked in, and the vibes are not it (1/5). The cafeteria gets extra credit for having a secret water fountain. The water fountains behind Mr. Creer’s room, C1301, are some of the best sets of water fountains in the school, specifically the 4th fountain from the right!
C-Tier: The IB Colony
Restroom/water fountains: In the IB Colony there are two restrooms nearby; they are both equally distant. However, the restroom with room number E2311/E2310 is the best because it drives less traffic, is a bit cleaner, and is slightly closer (3/5).
Amenities/resources: In the IB Colony, amenities are lacking. There isn’t a variety of seating as well as the fact that the chairs are hard and uncomfortable. However, there is a handy calendar that always reminds students of any upcoming events. Past that, there are just not enough amenities to justify this as a good study spot (2/5).
Vibes: There is always a robust community of students socializing in the IB Colony, before, after, and during school. From writing IAs to stressing about their EE, IB students are some of the smartest people you will ever meet, ranking the vibes at a (3/5).
B-Tier: The Atrium/Patio
Restrooms/water fountains: The restrooms and water fountains are further than they are from the cafeteria, but the wide array of restrooms allow you to access a higher quality restroom selection with less suspicious activity (3/5).
Amenities/resources: There’s a wide arrangement of seats, both tall and short, hard and soft, and a cute little bookshelf on the patio (3.5/5).
Vibes: With a lot of locked-in people, especially at the patio, there’s always the possibility of asking people for help and advice. The vibes might be chaotic during lunch but after school, it feels like the entire atrium transforms into a productive sanctuary (4/5).
A-Tier: The Library
Restrooms/water fountains: Although the library is our highest-ranked location, the restrooms and water fountains near the library aren’t the greatest. In fact, you can’t even consider them “near.” The closest one (excluding the ones inside the library which are only for teacher use) would have to be the D-hallway one, which is debatably the worst restroom in the school, as well as the cafeteria restrooms nearby, which are also filled with lots of “shenanigans” (1/5).
Amenities/resources: No matter what predicament you may be in, the library will always be the best place to be. It has printers for when you need to print your last-day assignment, a computer for when your Chromebook dies, and information for your next research project. The library offers an assortment of equipment that is great to have such as phone chargers, paper, and even a DIY table. (5/5)
Vibes: Once again, the library ranks great in vibes. Students are studious here, it’s a quiet environment where you can study, or sit down and read a book. Whether you have a question about physics, world history, or anything there is, the books and people have you covered (5/5).
When all is said and done, there’s only one place better than the library…
S-Tier: Home
Restrooms: Perfect
Amenities: Spotless
Vibes: Feels just like home
