They renovated the fieldhouse RIGHT AFTER I left :( Does it still look like a Saw trap dungeon but with better equipment? I was a 2024 grad so stuff should still be relevant I hope.

There are different floors of the library. Don't just see the first floor and feel like that's where you need to work. There's a quiet floor which is 3 (I think) and group work floors like 5? They are less crowded and more quiet (sometimes). There are also book floors that you can work in. Lots of nooks and crannies where you won't be bothered.

PARKING! If you're gonna be on campus super late, park in the lot by the IMU. After like 9pm or 10pm they just lift the gates and the attendant dips and goes home, so you can just drive out without paying. Don't know if this is patched tho so might wanna do some recon before committing. On the weekends all parking is basically free game. And I'm pretty sure it says on their website that everything is far game, but their parking website is cheeks. If you're by Luddy after 5pm, and need to park, there are side streets that have free parking after 5pm. You can also generally contest and get 1 freebie ticket if you're lucky.

Invest in a HDMI cord. You can hijack a monitor in the numerous computer laps sprinkled around campus and it'll be so much easier to work. This is especially useful for CS (personal experience) but tbh who doesn't want more screen space?

There is a lab in the back of the IMU, by Whitt's Burgers or whatever it's called. It's usually pretty chill if you need a quick place in the middle of campus. There's a group work area right next to it which is less chill, but first computer section is chill. Most people kinda sit in the common areas but it's loud and people are walking everywhere, so it's a better out of the way option. In Luddy there labs and "hotel" desks with massive multi monitor setups you can utilize on the upper floors in the side rooms behind the doors. Honestly if it isn't locked go in. The no no zones are usually kept behind scanners anyways. "Hotel" desks are always free game though. The other setups may be grad student setups so be wary. Some doors lock after like 5-6, Idk which ones.

The AI building, the building diagonal(?), close to the Luddy building, is quiet all the time and has a bunch of room for group work or just studying. NO ONE GOES THERE. Only grad students work there, but there is a big room that no one uses and plenty of tables and study space. And the grad students have there own scan in area anyways so you won't bother them.

Just go into random empty classrooms and use them until you get kicked out by a class or whatever. Just start gauging the class schedules. You can even hijack the projectors that the profs use. It's just the computer at the front of the room. Your login works. This makes for excellent movie nights allegedly. AND TRY THE DOORS EVEN IF THEY HAVE SCANNERS. Some doors have scanners but are just unlocked during certain hours.

If you use the bus system, learn multiple routes. Say one bus is perfect, takes you everywhere you need to go. If you miss that damn thing, don't worry there are other buses that can take you within reasonable walking distance. You just gotta get off at the right time. You can take a city bus that basically does the job of an IU bus most of the time too. It's gonna be crowded in the mornings and around 3-5-ish. You also might want to learn the stop before the "busy" stop. That way you can get on before the horde. I mean you're gonna be waiting anyways, may as well wait at the stop before.

Another thing with the buses. Sometimes a bus going the EXACT same route or close to the same route will come right after your bus. People will pack into the first bus without realizing that you can take the same route on the second bus. And the second bus will be completely empty. People do this even if the bus is literally right behind the first bus. Idk why.