As many of you know, I’m in the final weeks of writing up my research and Ph.inishing the D.egree. This list is a culmination of my own experiences, scouting, and conversation with friends. Boston (and the Boston-area) is awash with thousands of students studying by the glow of laptops alongside other hard-working career go-getters. Some work in co-working spaces, others in offices, and some flow from cafe to cafe. Find out where you work best – hint: it may vary by stage of your writing process – and find a creative match for what you need (Wifi? Food? Light? Music? Silence? Friends? Greenery? Coffee?). I’ve gathered a list of the places to write your thesis in Boston, by neighborhood, for when you need a fresh space to create. Where to Write Your Thesis in Boston continues below.
I’ve picked places that have room to sit, varied seating, wifi (most – sometimes you don’t need wifi to edit or organize), access to food/drink, public transportation accessible. They are places that I like, and which may be conducive to general studying as well for students. If you have a place to add to this list, please send me an email and let me know!
Seaport
Barrington Coffee – 346 Congress St, Boston, MA 02210
Westin Boston Waterfront lobby – 425 Summer Street, Boston, MA, 02210,
Caffè Nero (two locations) – 55 Northern Avenue; 368 Congress St.
Public Green, 1 Marina Park Drive (next to ICA and Babbo Enoteca)
Cambridge
Harvard Yard – tables and chairs in warm weather – inspiration, drawing, creative
Abide Place (MIT/Central Sq) – long benches and a bar area make for a simple space to chill, ideate, and work – plus some innovative drinks (they’re always trying new recipes).
Intelligentsia (Cambridge/Watertown) – nice, zen space, great coffee. This one isn’t very accessible by public transport, but it really is a nice spot if you have a little more time to get there.
Darwin’s (MIT/Central Square) 313 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139 (closes at 8) – cozy for evening writing with sandwich
Tatte (Harvard Square- 2 floors)
Marriott Lobby/ 3 Cambridge Center next to MIT Kendall Square T Stop
Catalyst Cafe (Kendall Square)
Starbucks (Harvard Square – 2 floors)
Fenway
Neighborhoods Cafe (cozy) one free coffee with food purchase. They have gluten free crepes. The drinks listed on the menu (at right) are my go-tos.
Tatte
Panera Bread – lots of seating at this location with booths to spread out in with a hot coffee and breakfast, or a nice You-Pick-Two bowl of soup and salad.
Brookline
Tatte (St. Mary’s St) – grab a spot on the bar seating by the window, or the banquet communal table at off-meal times.
Allium Market (Coolidge Corner)
Gen Sou En Teahouse (Coolidge Corner) – lots of varied seating, a skylight, and places to work in a small group.
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Caffè Nero (Brookline Village) – has lots of varied seating, and booths and corrals with lamps to work at.
Starbucks (Brookline Village)
Boston
Limered Teahouse (Allston)
PavementCoffeehouse (BU campus, Newbury St, Boylston St)
George Howell Coffee
Caffè Bene (Symphony)
Jaho Coffee Roaster and Wine Bar (Downtown Crossing) – 665 Washington St.
Jaho Coffee & Tea (South End) 1651 Washington St.
Paul Bakery (Downtown Crossing)
Tatte (Boylston in Back Bay)
Explorateur – neat vibe, bar next to dining, next to long communal tables where on a weeknight you might see laptops open in one section, and people chilling nearby.
Esplanade/Outdoor Space
Boston Public Gardens
Flour (Back Bay)
Libraries
Boston Public Library & Newsfeed Cafe – new corrals for studying with lighting, spread out, wifi, and accessible to food in the cafe and downtown.
Cambridge Public Library – you can eat downstairs. Well-lit, quiet, close to Harvard Square and Central Square.
Do you have a friend who works at a nearby university? Join them at their library, atrium for a change or go together to an empty classroom and camp out for the day if the room isn’t reserved.
Friend’s House
Sometimes a change of atmosphere helps. If you have a friend who you don’t mind sitting in silence with, and breaking for motivating chats between, ask if you can go over and work together!
Sometimes residential buildings also have communal lounges and sunny, bright, non-sterile places to work, so if you know someone who lives in one and has work to do too, suggest a work/study/write date.
Museum
Students often have free access to a museum, such as the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. The MFA has a nice well-lit cafe area where you could perch for a while during a slow weekday.
Hope this helps!
