Cramming and caffeine likely represent the favorite C-words of high school and college students this time of year. While facing the pressures of finals and end of the year projects, sometimes leaving the normalcy of one’s bedroom to focus on homework can help a student become more productive. With an endless supply of caffeine, ambient music, and the feeling of productivity coursing through its walls, coffee shops create the ideal atmosphere for students studying for finals. Luckily, the local Kennesaw-Marietta area holds a host of coffee shops for students to hang out and study in.

Cool Beans Coffee Shop: 31 Mill Street Suite 100 Marietta, GA 30060

The true image of an ideal coffee shop, this quaint area offers students a cozy place to study. The shop has two main rooms, with two broom-closet sized rooms for more private areas to meet in. The mismatched furniture, paintings on the walls, and strong aroma of freshly ground coffee beans makes Cool Beans the perfect spot to buckle down on homework and mingle with others. The jazz music that plays throughout the coffee shop does not distract hardworking students, but the dogs that customers bring into the shop might.

Tinto’s Coffee Shop: 1133 Chastain Road Northwest Suite 200 Kennesaw, GA 30144

A new coffee shop in the Kennesaw area, Tinto’s quaint and clean space offers students the ideal place to study.  With a workbench lining one wall, raised tables to sit at the by window, and an L-shaped couch, Tinto’s offers a variety of places to work at. The blackboard menu acts as the central focus of the coffee shop, and the stand-up fan delivers a nice breeze for customers. With tasty iced coffee, a quiet atmosphere, and soft, upbeat Spanish music playing in the background, checking out Tinto’s as a hangout spot should stand as a must on one’s to-do list.

Starbucks: 815 Ernest W Barrett Pkwy NW, Kennesaw, GA 30144

Located around seemingly every street corner, Starbucks remains a classic coffee shop staple. Students frequently carry around cups and mugs that sport the famous green and white logo—and for good reason. With each building constructed slightly differently from the rest, the ambient atmosphere, aroma of coffee and creamer, and sociable employees stand as the common thread that runs through each location.

Copper Coin: 400 Chambers St, Woodstock, GA 30188

A staple in Downtown Woodstock, Copper Coin Coffee House has everything a student could ever want—except strong coffee and tea. The large, modernly decorated space stands as the ideal place to put a pair of headphones in and work, and the windows lining the front wall give an endless amount of natural lighting for daylight-lovers. With comfy couches to curl up on with a book, wooden steps to chat with a friend on, and tables to type up five-page essays, Copper Coin encourages students to utilize the space for productivity.

Independent Grounds Cafe: 3900 Legacy Park Blvd Suite a100, Kennesaw, GA 30144

Resembling a homey cottage, Independent Grounds Cafe stands as the perfect place for students to meet up and grab a quick cup of coffee and bite to eat. The friendly staff, open layout, and variety of menu items allows for a comforting environment. The only downside to this quaint coffee shop remains their hours: 8am until 5pm Monday through Saturday.

Sweet Hut: 2795 Chastain Meadows Pkwy NW ste 900, Marietta, GA 30066

Straying from the confines of a typical coffee shop, Sweet Hut offers a range of sweet and savory food items to its customers. Their two-tiered building gives students space to form study groups and review without disturbing other customers. They sell caffeinated and non-caffeinated drinks, but the Asian bakery also offers a plethora of snacks and meals for hungry students. For a number of hard working students, however, the pop playlist in the shop may become distracting, and the student may find themselves singing along to “Sugar” by Maroon 5 rather than committing the quadratic formula to memory. Although Sweet Hut provides free WiFi for its customers, the reliability of the network fails to remain consistent.

With the end of the year quickly approaching, trying out new coffee shops in the area stands as a must, making what could become a stressful time into an enjoyable and relaxed end of the year period.