Five shots of espresso, over ice with cream and 3 pumps of white mocha. This type of Starbucks order is common this time of year. If you were to walk into the Starbucks location on Geer Road, it is easy to see that finals season is officially taking off. 
California State University, Stanislaus (Stan State) students occupy big tables and corner seats, with their laptops out, flipping through the pages of their hefty textbooks.
Being a stressed out student myself, I often run into the hard decision between going home after class to study, going to Starbucks, or going to the library on campus. All three study spots have their pros and cons, so here’s the deal.
I ran a poll on Twitter to see the difference between student’s preferences between studying at Starbucks or in the library.
The votes were close with 34% of students saying they would favor Starbucks over the 48% of students saying they like studying in the library.
If you are a commuter student, the library is your best bet. Since you have already driven to campus for class, use the extra time you have getting some work done.
There are quiet areas all throughout the second floor for student who need to crack down with complete silence.
Even for students who live in the dorms on campus, the library is a great place get away from distractions. 
“When I’m in my dorm I get easily distracted by my phone, video games, and surfing the web. I go to the library to study because I am able to avoid those distractions and I can concentrate better”, Ryan Ernst (junior, Business) said.
If you prefer to work in a group, you can find the loud room directly up the stairs and through the first double doors. You can eat and drink in there, and talk freely among others without getting an evil glare.
If you need a primary meeting space for a group project, there are group rooms available on the outer perimeters of the second floor next to the quiet areas. Many of the rooms are equipped with large tables, white boards, and some have over heads available.
If you find yourself studying at the library for hours on end, make sure to pack a water bottle and healthy snacks. If you are in an emergency and do not want to leave the library, there is a convenient vending machine room downstairs to the left of the stairs.
Now, when it comes to choosing Starbucks as your study spot for finals there are pros and cons. An obvious pro would be that there is food and caffeine at your fingertips while studying.
Some students would say that Starbucks is better, since there is a lower chance of running into fellow classmates and friends while studying.
“I prefer to study at Starbucks if I need to really focus because t’s quieter and I can get my caffeine fix”, Katie Copeland (senior, Business) said.
It would be a smart idea to download the Starbucks Rewards app and register a gift card under your name if you plan on being a frequent customer during finals.
While staying inside the store, you may get refills on iced coffee, iced teas, and Starbucks refreshers for $0.50. If you are a gold member, the refills are free.
One of the cons that comes with studying at Starbucks is the fact that is not often a quiet place.
Starbucks is very busy during this time of year, especially during “Frappuccino Happy Hour.” This can evoke a lot of noise from employees who are working hard, and customers that are there to socialize with friends while sipping on their drink.
If you wish to study at Starbucks, ask an employee what their lowest productivity times are, so you can catch some quite time.
Most locations have a peak time between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. where there is a ton of traffic in and out. Skipping the breakfast, lunch, and after work rush will guarantee you a higher chance for a more peaceful study session. 
The last thing that always seems to come into debate with study spots would be, studying at home.
Going straight home after class causes you to lose motivation and focus over all. There is an increased chance that you will get distracted by a roommate, doing housework, or the worst thing of all: your bed. Nothing looks better after a long day of classes than your comfy bed.
The next time you are experiencing this tug of war decision, choose the library if you need to get a lot done due to its ability to increase student’s productivity levels. If you are hungry and you need some caffeine, go study at Starbucks and pop some earphones in if it gets too loud to handle.
Between both locations, there is still opportunity to be productive and get some good study time in.

Vasche Library Hours (Spring 2016)

Sunday: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Monday-Thursday: 7:45 a.m. to Midnight

Friday: 7:45 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Starbucks Geer Rd., Turlock 

Monday-Sunday: 5 a.m.-11 p.m.