Don’t panic. Finals may be just around the corner, but there’s still a whole weekend and the first few study days between now and then. Whether you plan on moving your mattress into Lau tonight until the morning of your last final, or if you plan on spending your last real weekend before break with other activities, Vox is here to offer some of the best spots in Georgetown to meet your study needs.

Happy studying, and forgive Vox for the light posting schedule over the next two weeks.

Let’s face it: Lau will be packed. While the lower levels offer some nice solitude and (mostly) working power outlets, securing your place there won’t be easy. If you call (202) 687-7607 one day in advance you can reserve a study spot or a group study room for 6-8 people, but only for a three-hour period.

Instead, try these spots:

The Blommer Science Library on the third floor of Reiss is easily accessible and has a lot of the benefits of Lau, like easy printing, study carrels, and desktops. But Blommer offers a bit more seclusion: you’re not likely to run into that crush of yours who will drag you off on a coffee break.

The Hariri Building is a campus favorite for its nice work booths and pleasant aesthetic and ambiance. It’s also very close to the snacks and coffee in the Leavey Center. If you need a nice place to spend long afternoons and evenings studying, then Hariri is a good choice. Just be sure to get there early if you want any chance of snagging a booth.

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There is no place for fashion in Lau, especially during finals week. Kathy and her shower shoes are a direct testament.

Cameron H made the common mistake of assuming that a Bollywood film could be shorter than 9 hours. The woman only managed to get through two thirds of the movie before Lau closed.

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With finals fast approaching and Lauinger reaching capacity every night, Vox has put together a list of some of Georgetown’s other, better places to study this finals season (not including the place we want to keep secret for ourselves).

Our on-campus suggestions:

• Hariri Building. The hidden gem for on-campus studying. As former Vox editor Molly Redden puts it, “Aside from probably having the highest working-to-non-working outlet ratio of any building on campus, it’s shiny, clean, and within I-hope-no-one-steals-my-laptop walking distance from Uncommon Grounds and Vital Vittles.”
• Blommer Science Library. Tucked away on the third floor of the Reiss Science Center, Blommer is Lau’s oft-forgotten, nerdy sibling. Study here and you will be neither seen nor heard.
• The Car Barn. Former Vox editor Juliana Brint gushed over the Car Barn two years ago, writing, “[it has] lots of tables and couches, tons of outlets, [and] multiple vending machines. It’s got its own microwave, and it’s right near one of the nicest bathrooms on campus.” Consider us sold.
• The ICC. Classrooms can only be reserved by clubs and professors, they say. Vox has seen quite a few one-person club meetings taking place during finals time in ICC rooms, so take that rule as you will.
• Walsh Building, 4th Floor. No people. No distractions. When you need to hunker down, Walsh is the place to go. With Wisey’s a short hop across the street, Vox wonders why Walsh isn’t more popular, especially considering the alleged improvements to the building’s wireless Internet.
• Healy and Maguire Halls. Vox‘s personal favorite place to write a paper, Healy Hall offers space to spread out, plenty of outlets, and a much more pleasant environment to work in than Lau. Maguire is also a great place for groups to get together when the second floor of Lau is packed. For full details on hours, consult the library’s website.

For those who want to hole themselves up off-campus, the neighborhood’s various cafes and coffee shops offer many options for hours of studying at the price of a latte. Note: this is your last chance to study at the Barnes and Noble on M Street because it is closing at the end of this year. In addition to its on-campus location, Starbucks has two shops nearby: one on M Street that offers a lovely second floor with piped-in jazz music and a fireplace to remind you it’s not Lau, and a second at the Safeway on Wisconsin that is more convenient to Burleithers.

Want Vox readers to descend upon your own secret study space? Tell us all about it in the comments!

Looking for yet-another excuse to delay your finals studying? As it happens, Cinco de Mayo (aka that American-excuse-to-act-drunken-and-ridiculous holiday) is upon us. For those desperate to get out of Lau, be sure to check out:

12 PM – 6 PM: The National Cinco de Mayo Festival

Come to the Washington Mall to check out D.C.’s annual Cinco de Mayo festival, featuring live music, food, dance, art, and workshops. The event runs regardless of weather. Sylvan Stage near 15th and Independence on the Washington Mall. Price: Free!

12 PM – 8 PM: Qdoba Restaurant

For those just looking for some cheap food, Georgetown’s own M street Qdoba is offering a 50% off Cinco de Mayo special. 3313 M St NW.

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[Editor's Note: This post was originally published last year.]

We know you’ve already started studying, which puts you miles ahead of most of us here at Vox. But here’s a couple tips for places to go if you find yourself a living like a refugee in Lauinger.

Our suggestions:

• Hariri Building. Once the hidden gem for on-campus studying, Hariri still calls the sleepless masses with its plentiful desks, power outlets, and free coffee. Unfortunately, only MSB students can reserve the precious study rooms, but many are open anyway. Also, while the building might not have a Corp stalwart like Midnight Mug, it’s close enough to Vital Vittles and Uncommon Grounds that a late-night snack break isn’t out of the question.
• Blommer Science Library. Tucked away on the third floor of the Reiss Science Center, Blommer is Lau’s oft-forgotten, nerdy sibling. Study here and you will be neither seen nor heard.
• The Car Barn. Former Vox editor Juliana Brint gushed over the Car Barn a couple years ago, writing, “[it has] lots of tables and couches, tons of outlets, [and] multiple vending machines. It’s got its own microwave, and it’s right near one of the nicest bathrooms on campus.” Consider us sold.
• Walsh Building, 4th Floor. No internet. No people. No distractions. When you need to hunker down, Walsh is the place to go. Who would’ve guessed that the University’s shoddy wireless access could be helpful once in a while?
• Off-campus WiFi spots. Although it’s a bit extreme to leave campus, sometimes a self-imposed exile works wonders to stop procrastination. Barnes and Noble on M Street is close enough that the trip won’t be a hassle and there’s plenty of food and tables to go around one you settle down. If you’re not the “book superstore” type, don’t forget to look at some of the WiFi locations Jim McGrory has suggested.

After the jump, check out some of the University’s suggested study spots.

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3 p.m. update: No Obama tonight. But we all got pat downs anyway!

Original post: Minutes ago, we got a strange email that urged us to arrive “at least 45 minutes earlier than you normally would” for tomorrow’s men’s basketball game at the Verizon Center. And season ticket holders got it too.

“There will be enhanced security at the entrances to the arena for this game,” the email read.

Could President Barack Obama be visiting the Verizon Center? Possibly, but he won’t be watching Georgetown play the mighty Greyhounds of Loyola Maryland. Earlier today, Wizards owner Ted Leonsis (COL ’77) gave a coy hint that suggested the security presence is for the Wizards-Heat game scheduled for Saturday night.

“We will have a big crowd on Saturday, lots of dignitaries and VIPs. If I was you, I wouldn’t be too cool for school and think you will get into the building at your leisure at 7:15 pm. I would get there early,” Leonsis wrote on his blog.

Last January, Obama and Vice President Joe Biden watched Georgetown thump Duke in front of a packed Verizon Center.

Photo: Lynn Kirshbaum