The best places for GT students to relax

With a little exploration and a sense of adventure, you’ll discover a piece of Atlanta you can call your own

College and University can be a hectic experience. I mean, between the classes, projects and tests, you still have to find time to have a social life! It’s hard to take a break and just have a rest if you’re getting pulled in all these different directions.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s awesome going out with friends. Sometimes you just want to hang out in a low key environment and not worry about the next test, social gathering or dorm room wrecking event. As you’ve probably already read on The Tab, there are ways to get good grades if you avoid burning the midnight oil.

If you’re having a hard time getting away from it all, these are a few places where you can just chill out and relax and take a much-needed break.

Atlanta’s Hidden Side

One of the best things to check out when looking for a place to chill out, is the Hidden Atlanta section of Atlanta Magazine. You might be surprised to know that Atlanta even has a hidden side. It’s such a lively city, it’s hard to imagine anything quiet about it.

One of the top hidden destinations are the great gardens that are tucked away throughout Atlanta. It’s a top destination for taking a rest in my books – and should be in yours. They’re relatively private, easy to access, and can give you your own little oasis inside the big metropolis.

You’ll also discover little-known dining spots and places to have a quiet coffee. During a busy semester at Georgia Tech, there’s nothing quite like getting away to a spot no one knows about but you.

Grab a coffee (or other beverage)

Coffee may be the last thing on your mind when you’re looking to relax, but being in a coffee shop can be oddly comforting. It’s the perfect way to escape the school and relax, while still being in an environment that has some positive energy.

One of the best coffee shops near Georgia Tech is Octane. Be warned, it’s close enough to campus, you may not get the rest you’re looking for. It’s a student hot spot, and you could bump into people you know. It’s great for relaxing because it’s a fairly chill place that serves more than just coffee.

If you’re looking for more privacy, hit up Joe’s East Atlanta Coffee Shop (510 Flat Shoals Ave SE). It’s cozy, away from Georgia Tech, and many other people there are looking to get away from it all just like you.

Embrace the dive bar

This won’t be for everyone, but it’s a neat trick for a real hidden gem you can chill out at the dive bar. It’s not the hottest place in town, it’s dead earlier in the day, and it’s cheap. One thing worth mentioning is that if you’re prone to depression, or looking to avoid depression that can often come with the overwhelming feeling a new semester can bring, alcohol is not your friend. However, dive bars are a great way to have a bad cup of coffee and get a solid break from the hustle and bustle before they get busy later in the day.

The Highlander isn’t too far away from campus, but far enough to not have too many people strolling in. It’s a comfy bar that opens at 11am most days but doesn’t really get busy until dinner time.

El Bar is a little bit nicer than The Highlander, it also opens at 11am, but doesn’t pick up until the evening. You’d be surprised how relaxing these bars are during their quiet times of the day.

Hide Out at School

This isn’t as crazy as it sounds. Georgia Tech can make it seem like there’s always thousands of people around, but the great thing about going to a large school is that there are also a lot of places that you can hide out.

You’ll probably want to avoid student lounges and common gathering areas, but check out labs and classrooms when they’re not in use. You’d be surprised with how calm they can be. Heck, even chilling out in a lecture hall when there’s no class on can be oddly comforting.

The main thing you’ll want to do when looking for a place to rest up is to avoid the places you know your friends are likely to be. As soon as they show up, they’re going to want to drag in a few different directions.

With a little exploration and a sense of adventure, you’ll discover a piece of Atlanta you can call your own!

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