Have you ever struggled to concentrate while studying because of distracting thoughts or feelings that something is not right around you? The reason may be hidden in your study environment.
When a person sits down to study, the location is an important factor. It influences not only productivity and motivation to study, but it also affects the mental health of the student.
I’ve learned that the secret of academic success often lies in finding a suitable place for studying and including several key factors.
Silence in the location
The silence in the study space helps eliminate distractions and focus our brains on the information it needs to remember. When the study environment is quiet, the brain does not need to pay attention to the extraneous sounds. It puts all its forces into the material we think about.
I prefer to study at places where I can feel myself as focused as possible. One of my favorite places to study is the private study room at the library. The Jeffrey R. Holland Centennial Commons & Library has many study spaces for students who want to study alone. The building has five floors, and each floor has unique study spaces for every taste. Also, the building has many spaces in the study hall on the third floor with comfortable chairs and a beautiful view from the window.
The reason why my favorite study spot is a private room is that I like to study alone and take as much time as I need for studying. One more advantage that the study room has for me is the board, which I use for writing down terms and rules when I prepare for my exams. It is the best method that I use to remember a large amount of information during the week of finals.
Studying in the library gives me more concentration on a subject that I need to learn and helps me not to get distracted by the phone or background noise.
Comfort
It is a fact that a comfortable place to study is always beneficial. However, not many people understand the importance of comfort for the study process.
When we study, a great part of our concentration depends on our body position. According to scientists, when a person studies in a comfortable position, their brain absorbs more information and they stay focused for a longer period.
There certainly is a difference between the person studying on the floor with a bent back and the person studying in a cozy chair at a table. I always choose the second variant. Not only is it more comfortable to study in a space that has all the necessary equipment, but I also memorize more information when I have the correct body position and the freedom of movement.
There are some differences in my studying process whether I sit on the floor or at the chair and table. When I study sitting on the floor, I need to move my body from time to time, as I do not have a stable position, and my body starts to feel tired after a short time. This influences my level of distraction and causes disadvantage. However, I always have a relatively good body position when I sit on a chair because my legs are positioned comfortably.
I prefer to study at a big table where I can put all my study belongings and just be comfortable writing. The soft chair is also a must-have for me, as I spend much of my time studying and need a restful place for the hours that I spend in the library.
The place that has the most comfortable spaces for study is the General Classroom Building, especially the third floor. I usually choose soft ottomans near a window so I have both comfort and daylight.
Lighting
Students who study with daylight have 25% higher grades than students who study with artificial light.
Additionally, natural light decreases feelings of fear and keeps the person in a good mood.
Studying near the window with daylight helps me to be more focused on my assignment and gives me more energy when compared to studying in the classroom with artificial light. I noticed that my eyes stop straining that much when there is daylight in my room. It is an essential advantage for me, as I want to keep my eyes as relaxed as possible when I study with my laptop, which impacts my vision quality as well.
Rotating between study spaces
No matter how much I used to study in the library’s private room, I switch study spots sometimes, as studying in the same location can become a routine and reduce my focus and interest in the learning process. Even though academic success does not depend solely on the study space location, the new environment can definitely reset my mind and help me mentally.
If you think you don’t have enough places to switch to, it does not necessarily need to be another classroom or home location. You can study outside and at the same time investigate how much new colors, lights and sounds influence your success.
This semester, I decided to switch my study location to the study place outside of the Browning Learning Resource Center. A few minutes after I started to do my assignment, I already noticed that the sunshine, green colors around me, and the different sounds made me feel calmer and more engaged with my task. While studying outside, I especially like the natural light, which is not comparable to the light inside the building for me. I noticed that my productivity grows noticeably, and I relax more, even with the hard assignment.
The best advice I can give is to try writing the essay or research paper outside in a comfortable location. I can say that you will get more inspiration for your paper and the process will be easier, as you feel less tense than in a classroom. There’s something aesthetically pleasing about studying outside. Switching to the new location helped me a lot in my studying routine, and every student needs to try this method.
