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Finding a place to stay during Commencement Week can feel like a competitive sport — especially when every hotel within a five-mile radius is either fully booked or charging more than a month’s rent for two nights’ rest. If you missed your window to book the Harvard Square Hotel back in January (or never planned to in the first place), don’t worry. There are plenty of unconventional, creative, and likely better alternatives scattered across campus that offer more personality than an overpriced suite ever could. Whether you’re in it for the vibes, the proximity, or just a decent couch to crash on, here are seven free places you might just consider turning into a makeshift home base this graduation season.

1. The Science and Engineering Complex (SEC)

With the number of computer science students that probably slept here during reading period, security won’t bat an eye at a couple more snoozers. There’s also showers and Peloton bikes (i.e. a complimentary gym), so what more could you possibly want?! You’ll also enjoy a gorgeous view of the river as you walk across one of the bridges to return to the Square… even if skies end up stormy come Commencement Day.

2. Pfoho Spfa

We all know this spot exists, but has anyone ever really gone here? Also, most hotels charge for extra services like spas, so why not take advantage of a free one right on campus? Nobody will bother to check if anyone’s hanging around the Quad, so rest assured that the coast is clear for you.

3. The Widener Stacks

By choosing the stacks as your home base for Commencement, you can knock out two birds with one stone — sightseeing on the steps, and practical living conditions inside. Just pick a spot a few miles down from any elevator, and you can assure that your stay will not only be quiet, but also filled with endless sources of the best kind of entertainment: books!

4. Science Center Observatory

As hard as this spot might be to access for some families this Commencement season, it is one that transcends any traditional hotel living situation. The observatory room is not only super cozy but will also give you a bird’s-eye view of the Commencement ceremony from your very own living quarters! Even if you wake up too late to join the entry line at 5 a.m., this telescope will have you covered.

5. The Science Center Plaza Tent

Scared of heights? Take it down a few notches from the observatory and plant yourself in this large and oddly well-maintained tent! Given the fact that the Senior Soirée was $40 to enter, this tent might as well be considered a five-star stay location.

6. The SOCH (Student Organization Center at Hilles)

If you have a graduate in the Quad, this living destination will be more than ideally situated. Even if your graduate is located along the river, staying in the SOCH will show you firsthand where many Harvard students spend way too much of their time. What can we say? We value our extracurriculars here, and the SOCH is where the action happens!

7. The Harvard Square Hotel Lobby

Listen. The lobby of this hotel is honestly probably just as nice as anything that you’d be getting in an actual room. If you spend long enough on one of the lobby couches, the staff might think that you’ve just been having difficulties with getting your room (that you don’t actually have) and try to accommodate you. And nobody is going to be that diligent in checking who is in and out the complimentary beverage station. To me, it sounds like wins across the board.

We’ll leave weighing the legal implications of these hotel alternatives to you, though we should note that we at Flyby do not condone trespassing. That said, we wish you the best of luck with finding a place to stay — and a comfortable stay wherever you end up — so if your housing solution is more creative than most, we won’t tell if you won’t.