.jpeg)
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at FSU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This column takes a deep dive into reviewing different study spots around Tallahassee. Whether it’s a café or a library, I’ll visit an off-campus study spot, review it, and ask another customer to recommend a spot to visit next! Hopefully, this will help anyone looking for their next off-campus study spot!
For some people, working in a room full of other people actually helps them focus on their work. I know this is true for me, with a few exceptions, so I was so excited to visit new study spots off campus.
This experience is important to me for a couple of reasons. First, I love to get out of my regular environment and visit new places, which helps romanticize my schoolwork and college in general. Second, I think it’s important to treat yourself now and then, so when I walk into these new study spots, whether it’s a large cup of something special or reuniting with nature, it’s a little gift in the middle of a busy week.
Finally, breaking out of my comfort zone has been a goal of mine for a while. I can get into my head very easily, so going out and socializing or being around others who are sharing the same atmosphere as me is refreshing.
This week, I visited Catalina Café, a well-known café just on the outskirts of College Town on Gaines Street. Being a sophomore, I still haven’t been inside a lot of cool-looking buildings around Tallahassee, and there are a lot!
My Café Review
This spot is alluring with its large decorative signs, expansive outdoor seating, and a graffiti art style. When I visited, I was walking on two blistered feet and harboring a grumbling stomach, but I was pleasantly and warmly welcomed when I walked in under the extravagantly painted threshold.
Catalina Café is the definition of chill vibes. It’s not too demanding on your senses, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It’s built into a garage with plenty of windows and doors to keep the lighting gentle and natural. The inside seating section is smaller than its outside seating section, but it still holds plenty of customers who are waiting for either a delicious snack, their quick and tasty drink, or just there to type away on their computers.
Because of the time of day, I chose to sit inside to take full advantage of the air-conditioning and the atmosphere of the café itself. However, I would totally go back to sit outside. There are plenty of fans, and the tables are rustic and large enough to spread out all my study items.
Remember when I said I work better with other people in my vicinity? Well, that’s partially true, but when the conversation is too loud or I can hear the music through my own headphones, it can get overstimulating, and I end up not working at all. Yet, here at Catalina Café, the music was at a perfect volume, and even as the space became crowded when lunchtime arrived, I was able to bask in the bustle around me instead of getting distracted.
The crowds inside this café weren’t bad at all, which might’ve depended on the time I went. If the line was wrapped around the inside like Bagels & Co. on a weekday, my experience might’ve been a different story. That’s why I recommend visiting midday!
Another thing about Catalina Café is that it has free Wi-Fi, which means that it can be very easy to spend your whole day there, soaking up the smell of espresso and finishing up that reading assignment you have due the next day. The only problem for me was that everything loaded except for Canvas. This obviously threw a wrench in my plan, as I needed access to Canvas that day, so unfortunately, I couldn’t utilize the free Wi-Fi.
The staff at Catalina Café were also refreshingly friendly. They often gave their opinion on the menu and helped me figure out what I should order based on my restrictions. Ironically, I don’t like coffee and prefer energy drinks, so when I go to a café, my go-to is usually a refresher or a tea.
Here, I bought their chai tea with oat milk and a veggie breakfast bowl, and it was delicious and filling fork food that was perfect for studying! They also offer a wide variety of teas, coffees, and breakfast items for you to enjoy when you need a snack.
Catalina Café was a great pick as a café and an off-campus study place. It had a chill city atmosphere with street art on the walls and lots of natural light to keep you energized and moving. It’s been added to my list of places to visit on my walk home from class!
The last part of this week’s column is where I ask someone in the café where their favorite place to study off campus is, and go there next. I was told that Black Dog Cafe is popular and has good drinks from a lovely girl at Catalina Café, so that’s where I’ll head next on this journey.
Want to see more HCFSU? Be sure to follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, and Pinterest!
English (US) ·