By Megan Kelso TP'17
Megan is a freelance graphic designer and illustrator for stationery products. You can see her work at www.meganlkelso.com. Megan grew up in Ithaca, New York, studied art at Colgate University, and then lived and worked in Washington, D.C. for several years. She now lives in Sachem with her husband, Mark, a T’17.
As someone who worked from home for a few years before coming to Tuck with my husband, I was thrilled to find a robust community of other at-home workers when I arrived here. Tuck Partners even have a Work From Home Club! As anyone who works from home knows, the opportunity to meet up with other people in real life during the day is a huge benefit.
In addition to finding social support, getting up and out of the house occasionally is crucial when you work from home or when you’re a student who’s been holed up at home with books for too many hours. To help any current and future Tuck community members who have work they need to get done, I put together a list of my ten favorite places to do work when you want to get out of the house.
Do you have any other favorite places to do work around Hanover? I would love to hear about other secret spots!
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10. Baker-Berry Library. The picturesque undergrad library right on the Dartmouth green. There are quiet carrolls hidden between the stacks, and a 24-hour café on the lowest level. Like everywhere else on this list located in Hanover, parking is in metered spots Monday - Friday 9:00am – 5:00pm ($0.75 an hour, 2 hour maximum), and open any other times. |
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9. Jake's Coffee Co. Don’t let the fact that this is both a coffee shop and a car wash confuse you. This local café has great baked goods and an intimate environment, and you won’t have to fight too many other people to get a good wi-fi signal. It’s in West Lebanon, a ten-minute drive from Hanover. |
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8. Panera Bread. A good staple, with lots of tables, booths, and food and drinks to last you the whole day. Located in West Lebanon, ten minutes from Hanover. You can stop at TJMaxx, Gap, Wal-Mart, or Home Depot on the way home. |
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7. Dirt Cowboy Café. If you’ve ever been to Hanover, you’ve probably noticed the Dirt Cowboy Café on the main corner across from the Dartmouth green. Dirt Cowboy Café almost didn’t make this list because they don’t have wi-fi. So, it’s only useful of you have off-line work, and you want to eliminate any online distractions. Metered parking. |
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6. Murphy's. Even though it’s a restaurant and bar, this is actually my husband’s favorite place to do work. If you feel comfortable taking your laptop out at the bar and enjoying a beer while you work, give it a try! Metered parking. |
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5. Umpleby's. A cute bakery on a side street in Hanover. In addition to the delicious baked goods, there are plenty of big tables where you can spread out, and outdoor seating to soak up the good weather while you can. Metered parking. |
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4. Starbucks. An easy go-to when you want to be around a steady buzz of people. You might have to wait for a table, as this is a popular place for Dartmouth students. Metered parking. |
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3. Dartmouth Bookstore (Barnes & Noble). This is a hidden gem: a lot of people overlook the Bookstore as a place to work. There’s a café on the first floor with a few small tables. I prefer to go up to the third floor, where there are bigger tables and rows of comfy chairs. It’s out of the way, and is actually very quiet. Metered parking. |
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2. Sachem Community Center. The only place within walking distance of Sachem. We have a lot of events at the community center in the evenings, but people kind of forget about it during the day. You can usually have the tables, chairs, couches, TV, and kitchen all to yourself. |
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1. King Arthur Flour. My favorite place to do work. The baked goods are amazing, and they also have soup and sandwiches. The interior is spacious and inviting with high ceilings, wood beams, and good lighting. If you go at lunch time, it’s hard to find a table, but in the morning and afternoon there’s plenty of space to set up shop. The café is a five minute drive from Hanover, in Norwich, Vermont. |
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