After you have explored all of D.C.'s different neighborhoods, seen your favorite band at the 9:30 club and eaten more Chipotle than you ever though humanly possible, at some point you will have to pull a book off your bookshelf and read it. You might even have to write a paper. When that time comes, your bed and the sounds of Beyonce's latest single drifting through your neighbor's wall probably won't provide the best studying environment. Here are some places on campus that may be better.
Bender Library
While it sounds like an obvious choice, too many students don't take advantage of the library. The second floor is reserved for quiet studying (try to score one of the couches near the elevator for a view of the quad), and the Mudbox in the basement will keep you caffeinated. The library also features great wireless Internet connectivity and plenty of places to plug in your laptop when the battery runs out. Bender Library will be open 24 hours a day - except on Friday and Saturday nights when it closes at 9 p.m. - starting Sept. 16.
Anderson Hall and Letts Hall study lounges
If you're into total sensory deprivation while you study, Anderson and Letts Halls study lounges are a good option. Furnished with a table and an assortment of wooden desk chairs, these tiny, cinderblock-walled rooms will force you to focus on your work because there is simply nothing else to look at.
Outside
In case you didn't hear about it on a campus tour or at orientation, AU has been designated an arboretum. So why not enjoy a sunny day by claiming a patch of grass on the Friedheim Quad, the "beach" between Mary Graydon Center and South side or the Woods-Brown Amphitheater and getting some reading done for class? You might get distracted people-watching, but you'll probably get a tan, too.
Batelle-Tompkins Atrium
With natural sunlight and low traffic - the Batelle-Tompkins Building is mostly home to College of Arts and Sciences offices - the Batelle-Tompkins Atrium provides a calming, elegant atmosphere. It is also home to one of the PandaMania statues sponsored by the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities.
Your professor's office
Not actually a place to study, but don't complain about how microeconomics makes no sense until you've talked to your microeconomics professor. Office hours are there for a reason, so use them.