Favorite Resources of a Boston-based Student

Posted April 11, 2025 by Aurora Daniel

As a Boston-based student I rely heavily on campus resources for things like working out, accessing course materials, and eating so I figured I should share some of my favorites just in case they might be helpful.

1.) Holmes Sports Center
I use the sports center multiple times a week. As someone with chronic physical health problems I need to stay active otherwise my pain becomes unbearable. While I primarily use the free weights and stationary bikes there is an indoor track, swimming pool, basketball court, fitness studios, a spin studio, and a
number of fitness classes that are open to all students. The sports center is included in your tuition and fees so it’s something that you should take advantage of if you’re a Boston-based student. Since I both work on campus and take in-person classes it’s really convenient to go to. If you’re looking to save a bit of money on gym membership fees definitely check it out!

2.) Beatley Library
I may be a bit biased since I work here, but Beatley is an invaluable resource. If you’re looking for course materials Beatley has both books in their stacks and course reserves or can get you copies through interlibrary loan (saves you so much money on textbooks). These services are open to all students regardless if they attend the Boston or SLIS West campuses or if you’re a completely online
student, and if you ever have any questions you can always chat with a librarian or shoot the library an email.

Besides access to materials the library itself is a great space to work. The main space is often used by study groups, so it can be a great place to work on your LIS group projects at. There are more quiet spaces as well such as down in the stacks or the 24-hour study room. Finally, Beatley has numerous study rooms which are great if you need to hop on a zoom call or class, need a more quiet workspace, or want a more secluded spot to work with a group.

3.) Campus Dining and Commuter Dining Plans
Given that many courses at the Boston campus will run during lunch or dinner time my professors will typically give us a longer break in the middle to make sure that we have time to eat. Additionally, since I’ll often have both a library shift and a class session on the same day to save myself a trip in and out of Boston, I’ll end up with 30 minute to hour-long breaks in between responsibilities that I’ll
use to eat. While I have brought meals with me on campus I’ve found that it wasn’t costing me any more and actually saved me a bit of hassle to buy a meal plan and just grab a meal or two from the dining hall or the Common Grounds Cafe.

This list is not exhaustive since it’s what I rely on, but what I will say is that Simmons has a lot available for students and I recommend that if your curious about what’s available you can check out the LISSA webpage (only works with a Simmons account) to find out more about what’s available to students, reach out to the SLIS Student Services Center, or if you’re a prospective student reach out to SLIS admissions.