Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
You’ve tried a number of spots around campus, but there are undergrads everywhere (is no place sacred?!?). You’ve tried the GRC, but it’s a little too clinical a vibe for you. You want a quiet space to call your own and to reach that deep-work state to make some real progress on your prospectus. Well, there are a number of options for you in town. Though coffee shops are the obvious go-to, they aren’t for everyone. We’ll get to coffee shops next week, but this week we want to put some co-working spaces on your radar.
Waco is quickly becoming an attractive location for people who work in Dallas or Austin but have the flexibility to work from home a few days a week. Home is not always a convenient place to work from, however, if your apartment is small, or if you have young children, or if Netflix is just too tempting while you’re trying to be productive in your living room. Besides, COVID-19 revealed to all of us the joys but probably more so the difficulties of working from home. This is why you may have noticed an increase in co-working spaces popping up around Waco. Today, we’re going to give you the run down on local offerings for co-working spots, their vibes, their rates, and any special deals you can take advantage of. It can be worth it to set aside the funds to invest in a work space that helps you be focused and productive. Check out the options below to see if one of these places is right for you.
- WacoWork: As Waco’s first co-working space, WacoWork is the OG option for true Wacoans. Conveniently located downtown but away from the Austin Avenue hubbub and 5th Street construction work, WacoWork is an ideal place to get things done. Want to give it a try? Your first day is free when you request your first day-pass. Offering a range of membership options, you can choose from a private desk situation ($225 to $325 a month), a shared desk option ($125 a month), or even look at their nights/weekends membership, if you are a night owl (only $75 a month)! If you’d prefer to just have flexible drop-ins available to you, consider their Day Pass Pack: purchase a minimum of five day passes at only $10 a day. Housed in a renovated 1920s brick storefront, WacoWork has the clean modern lines we’ve come to expect from millennial workspaces, but with a distinct vintage air and unique, colorful murals. Members have access to a kitchenette and free coffee.
- 600 Columbus Avenue, Suite 106
- 25N Co-Working: A national co-working space company with locations in Virginia, Illinois, and Texas, 25N Co-Working just opened next door to Dichotomy Coffee & Spirits on Austin Avenue on February 1st, 2022. Right now, until Feb. 28th, they are offering 20%-off their private office rates. Their rates for private office space begin at $600 a month, while designated desks start at $400. If that feels a bit too pricey for a graduate student, we totally get that. If you don’t mind a little less privacy, you can rent a seat in their co-working space for $25 a day or $99 a month for unlimited visits. 25N features a fully-stocked kitchen available to members and promises to always have complimentary hot coffee and tea available! A membership grants you access to 25N-exclusive networking events and happy hours. The vibe at 25N is clean, modern, and sleek. A perfect zen space for you to crank out those dissertation chapters.
- 510 Austin Avenue
With Waco’s economy booming, we can only imagine that more options will pop up in the near future. Have you tried either WacoWork or 25N? Let us know by dropping a few words about your experience in the comments below!
Anna E. Beaudry is a second-year English PhD student studying 19th-century American literature. Her primary area of research focuses on female writers in the New England regionalist movement and material feminisms. She earned her Master’s at Baylor University in May 2020. Anna is Baylor’s Graduate Writing Center coordinator and president of the English Graduate Student Association. She is also BearTracks blog editor for the Graduate School.