As a student, you’ll have to have a solid plan for studying laid out. Along with trying to find the time to study, you’ll also need to figure out what is the correct place to help you get your work done and be the most productive. Finding the best study environment is essential because it’ll help you be as productive as possible while retaining your needed information. Every person has preferences as to which area works best.
Some students prefer to be in a quiet place with minimal distractions, while other students like to be at home or in the middle of a busy café. Between studying at home or studying in the library, there are benefits and drawbacks to each space. We’ll outline them for you below to help you make the best choice for your needs.
Studying in the Library
Studying in the campus’s library, or a public library, brings several benefits to the table, especially if you have trouble focusing in your normal environment in the home. It’s an academic setting with a quiet atmosphere that allows you to keep your mind focused on your work. However, this may not be the correct environment for your learning style, so let’s weigh the benefits and drawbacks below.
Benefits
- It’s a nice way to meet other students and find or form a study group
- The library offers an academically centered learning environment that can help you stay focused on your studies
- You have no chores in sight to distract you from your work
- If you have to dive into research, you have a huge amount of resources in easy reach
- If you tend to isolate yourself, studying here is a good way to get out around people with no pressure to socialize directly
Drawbacks
- You’ll typically find a fairly large crowd
- You have to pack your laptop, books, papers, and whatever else you need and carry it to and from the library
- There could be noise from other patrons
- Other students can present distractions by walking to the bathrooms, sneaking in a phone call, or coming and going
- Since there is no kitchen nearby most of the time, you’re limited to vending machines for food or beverages for as long as you stay to study
Studying at Home
Studying at home offers a comfortable, unique experience if you’re burned out from being in class all day, suffer from social anxiety, or you have young kids to take care of. However, just like studying at the library, this may not work for you. We’ll outline the benefits and drawbacks for you below.
Benefits
- You can make your own rules and study in your personal space
- You can multi-task between home responsibilities and homework
- You can wear comfortable clothing and study day or night
- There’s no need to carry notes, computers, or books to and from your study area
- Pets can come in and provide stress relief on short breaks
Drawbacks
- You have higher chances of procrastinating due to all of the distractions at hand
- Getting up and doing chores could make it take longer to study
- Pets can want attention or be a nuisance when you’re super focused on your studies
- Roommates or family members can interrupt you
- All of the noise might not mesh well with your learning style
Which Option is Better?
If you look at the list, you may decide that there are more positives with studying at home over going to the library. You could prefer to study in your own personal space, surrounded by your things. If not, it’s easy to tip the list more toward the library.
If you’re someone who identifies strongly with one way of studying, you most likely already know which environment will be more productive for you. You could switch it up too. For example, you can study at home during the week and go to the library on the weekends. Another option is forming a tight-knit study group with close friends and going to the library on the weekends.
If you find that studying in the library is better, you don’t want to overdo it. Spending all of your free time somewhere on campus can wear you down and cause you to burn out. You have to make a point to schedule some downtime to recharge and do something that isn’t stressful.
Find Your Studying Spot on Our Campus
No matter if you like to study in your room or in the library, you’ll find the perfect spot on our campus. We encourage you to reach out for more information.
