A certain sense of fear starts to creep in about three weeks before finals, and suddenly, all 12,000 CofC students hit the books hard. It's great to see everyone being good students, really, but ... there's nowhere to sit and study. Not even at Stern Center, and especially not at the library. Never fear, Charleston holds many other options for studying when there's not a table to be found on campus.
Conveniently located about four blocks from campus, Black Tap offers studying space, natural light, free wi-fi, and some solid coffee. They also sell pastries, so you can snack during your caffeine binge for some staying power. Do make sure to get there early to stake out your spot, as there are a limited amount of seats, and it's a popular place.
Brown's Court is also located about four blocks from campus and has an extensive selection of goodies, like cookies, muffins, and breads. They carry Counter Culture coffee that you can sip while studying on the upstairs porch. Also included in their offerings is a sandwich with pretty much every breakfast food on it, aptly titled the Hangover, which will certainly come in handy for those study sessions after late nights out.
Hop on your bike and trek over to the old Cigar Factory where cafe/market Mercantile is located. There's an extensive coffee menu for all your caffeination needs, a bakery case stocked with fresh doughy goodness (be sure to check out their Wednesday donut selections), and a full lunch menu for sustenance. There's also free wi-fi, so feel free to stay posted up all day nibbling on food and working on that term paper. Bonus: you can buy loaves of bread, freshly cut meat, or prepared foods to take back home with you after the homework ends.
There's another library right near campus that is pretty underused by college students, so it's perfect for those looking for a place to sprawl out and take up a whole table. A Starbucks is located just down the block, so hit that first for a caffeine boost before locking yourself inside the walls of the library.
If you don't need wi-fi, take your studies outside to the tidal pond not too far from campus. The park was newly redone about a year ago, so the sidewalks and foliage around the water look pristine. Snag one of the many benches in the shade and take a look at the scenery (and all the dogs strolling by) whenever you need a break from reading.