Warm lighting, comfortable seating, and delicious coffee. These are all qualities I look for when finding a coffee shop to sit in and do my homework. While walking around Seaport, my friends and I happened to find a place that we would consider one of NYC’s hidden gems. One of the best parts about this place is that it can be found right near Pace’s campus! Only a 10-minute walk from One Pace Plaza sits a café that offers everything a college student could ask for. McNally Jackson Books in Seaport is a 2-floor building that combines a bookstore and café into one. Whether college students are wanting a place to sit and study, or simply just wanting a place to find a good book to read, McNally Jackson Books has it all.
The walk to this café/bookshop is a short 10-minutes, but is only the beginning of the experience. Walking past campus and into seaport, students can find a plethora of shops to look into and views to see. Stepping out from the street and onto the cobblestones that lead to McNally Jackson’s, the unique experience of this café is truly set apart from any other. Upon entering the shop, the fragrant, rich aromas of coffee beans fill the air, inviting you to order a cup and take a seat. McNally Jackson Books offers a wide variety of coffee drinks and even some pastries as well. Seating can be limited, but there are a variety of seating options to choose from. Students can choose to sit in chairs at the tables, or in booth-style seating along the walls.
The upstairs of this café/bookstore is where any college student will be immediately captivated. Heading up the stairs, you will be greeted by a large collection of every genre of books you could imagine. From best-selling literature to science fiction, the bookstore contains a wide variety of books that any bookwork would be entranced by. Comfortable armchair seating upstairs in the bookstore is another perfect option for students to sit and read in, or do their homework!
This cozy café has undoubtedly become one of my favorite spots to go to with my friends, and it made me curious as to whether studying in a group is more effective than studying on my own. An article by OxfordLearning explored this idea of whether students should study in groups or alone. The article described numerous benefits of group studying, one of which being that students retain information better when they repeat information to someone else. Another benefit the article mentioned is that the motivation to study is enforced when other people around you are focusing on studying as well. This can be compared to regular coffee shops as well. Even when students don’t come with other students, being in a coffee shop has the same effect as studying in a group because all the other people in the coffee shop also focus on their own personal work.
It goes without saying that every student has their own preferences, but no matter which method they choose to study with, McNally Jackson Books is the perfect place for any college student. From wanting a cozy, group study session, to simply enjoying some personal study time, any Pace student would find comfort in the warm environment of McNally Jackson Books.