7 late night study spots in Calgary to cram for finals

Woman studying late at night/Shutterstock

Whether it’s midterms, finals, or that project you left to the last minute, we all know the need for some quiet space to buckle down in.

If you’re the kind of person that likes a little background noise, or someone who needs peace and quiet to get their work done, here are some spots that are open late for your cramming needs.

Taylor Family Digital Library (TFDL)

University of Calgary / Facebook

Located on the University of Calgary campus, TFDL is the ideal study space. This modern space was opened only a few years ago, making it very tech-friendly. During regular hours, there are both silent study floors and socializing floors, so you can pick what works best for you.

Open 24 hours a day during exam season, you can find yourself among a plethora of plug-ins which makes this library a haven for anyone who needs to pull an all-nighter. The only catch is that you’ll need to be a U of C student to access their WiFi, or know someone willing to lend you their information.

Address: 410 University Court NW – University of Calgary

Hours: Open 24 hours during exam season

Purple Perk

It’s not uncommon to see students with their spread of notebooks and laptops at this cafe in Mission. Their large tables are great if you want to have a cram session with your friends, and you can get a muffin, Mac and Cheese or just about anything in between to eat — so snack options will never be a problem.

Address: 2212 4th Street SW

Hours: Monday to Wednesday 7 am to 10 pm
Thursday to Saturday 7 am to 11 pm
Sunday 8 am to 10 pm

Higher Ground Cafe

Higher Ground / Facebook

Right in the heart of Kensington, Higher Ground is great to get work done if you also like some background noise. They serve everything from lattes to beers, so pick your poison based on how rough your studying is going.

They’re open to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, and 11 pm every other day of the week.

Address: 1126 Kensington Road NW

Hours: Monday to Thursday: 7 am to 11 pm

Friday: 7 am to midnight

Saturday: 8 am to midnight

Sunday: 8 am to 11 pm

Mount Royal University

During the exam season, the library at MRU is also open 24 hours. For any other time, MRU has developed a page to locate study spots around campus, even categorizing them by Quiet, Cubicle and Multipurpose areas. You can look at all areas organized by building here.

Address: 2825 Mount Royal Gate SW

Hours: Open 24 hours during exam season

Analog Coffee

Analog Coffee / Facebook

It’s no surprise that most ideal late-night study spaces are coffee shops — they feel the students’ need for caffeine. Analog is located on trendy 17th Ave., which also makes it ideal for taking a study break to people watch if you sit along their large windows.

It can tend to be a bit noisy here during the day, in case you’re easily distracted. Open until midnight every day.

Address: 740 17th Avenue SW

Hours: 6:30 am to midnight every day

SAIT

With beautiful views of downtown Calgary and perfect location just steps away from downtown, SAIT makes for a great study spot.

Any common areas on the SAIT campus are open 24 hours throughout the year, just avoid private classrooms after 11 pm so you don’t get hassled by security.

Address: 1301 16th Avenue NW

Hours: 24 hours a day

Kawa Espresso Bar

Kawa Espresso Bar… Calgary / Facebook

Another cafe that serves alcohol, so you can reward yourself after a hard night’s work. Kawa has a great selection of craft beer, as well as a wide variety of food. The only thing really lacking here is that there isn’t a whole lot of plug-ins, so make sure you arrive fully charged.

Address: 1333 8th Street SW