Grace Foster
Looking for inspiration for different places to study? Get motivated with this list of different study spaces which can accommodate anyone’s learning style.
Since the pandemic, a lot of university courses now involve more of an independent and remote study aspect. While this can feel isolating for students, these recommendations show it doesn’t need to be!
Coffee Shops
Coffee shops or cafes are great places to concentrate and get in some studying. With hot or cold drinks only an order away, many coffee shops or cafes also provide free Wi-Fi and plenty of electrical outlets available for charging phones, laptops, or iPads.
Alongside the easy access to delicious drinks and treats and stable internet, they also provide a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere, making it easier to switch off and zone into studying. Coffee shops or cafes are great places to stay motivated. Being in a different studying environment keeps procrastination at bay, with little to no distractions whilst working.
“coffee shops … are a great place to differentiate independent or remote study”
Practically, coffee shops and cafes are open to everyone and can be a productive and motivating location for study.
However, keep in mind that studying at coffee shops can become an expensive habit. Feeling pressured to purchase multiple drinks or snacks can take a financial toll, especially for students.
Additionally, the opening hours of some coffee shops and cafes may not fit into your mode of study. If you are a nighttime studier, chances are that a lot of coffee shops or cafes will not be open.
Nevertheless, I believe that coffee shops or cafes are a great place to differentiate independent or remote study.
Libraries
Be it your university library or city library, libraries are excellent locations for focused study.
The very nature of a library is to be quiet. With a calming atmosphere, libraries help you concentrate and can also provide spaces of privacy if you are working on large projects.
“Studying in a different environment helps to create a healthy balance”
Much like coffee shops or cafes, libraries can provide a change of scenery when studying, enabling creativity and preventing procrastination. Many libraries provide the all-important free Wi-Fi, with many electrical outlets for charging devices.
They symbolise productivity and can help separate study/work life from home life. Studying in a different environment helps to create a healthy balance, and libraries can help provide this.
Whilst libraries can be an amazing resource for independent/remote study, they also have their downsides. University libraries, particularly, can be overcrowded, with it being rare that you are the only person there. During exam season, libraries can be at almost capacity, making it difficult to find a comfortable and private area.
Additionally, some libraries have time limits. With this, it means that you would have to arrive and leave at a certain time. Of course, not every library has these rules, but it is worthwhile finding out for your local library.
Outdoors – weather permitting!
Many of us could benefit from spending more time outdoors. With fresh air, oxygen, and vitamin D, studying outside can provide that much-needed motivation hit.
There are many well-known benefits to studying outside, including increased natural energy, a boost in problem-solving skills, reduced stress, and improved mood.
“Studying outdoors can really help to blow away the cobwebs if you are stuck in a studying rut”
Again, there are little distractions whilst working outside, making it easier for improved concentration when studying. You could even make up a picnic for yourself to further boost productivity.
Being outside, or in nature, also provides a calming feeling and atmosphere – whilst creating a change of scenery. Studying outdoors can really help to blow away the cobwebs if you are stuck in a studying rut.
However, there are some cons to studying outside – namely, the weather. Sometimes it can be too cold, too wet, or too windy to even think about stepping outside, let alone study.
Or on the opposite side, it can be too warm, and you run the risk of sunburn and dehydration. Nonetheless, if you take the right precautions in warm weather, studying outside can be a really good way for you to focus.
At Home
If, like me, you prefer to study in the comfort of your own home, it can also be a productive and motivating location. At home, you are in your familiar surroundings and don’t have to leave the comfort of your house to begin studying. All your resources are at your fingertips, meaning you don’t need to commute to begin studying.
“Studying at home is convenient, familiar, and comfortable”
Moreover, studying at home allows you to start whenever you want, with little to no time constraints, you can control the time and length of your study. Studying at home is convenient, familiar, and comfortable.
However, for some, studying at home can lead to a lack of motivation and focus. With easy access to distractions (the TV, phone, etc.) concentration levels can suffer. Procrastination can also kick in. Being at home can give you a false sense of security that you have extra time for studying when you do not.
And there you have it, my study space recommendations! My favourite places to study are at home or in a coffee shop – the constant coffee on tap is a great motivator for me.
Wherever you decide to study, happy learning – you’ve got this!
Featured image courtesy of Slava Keyzman on Unsplash. Image license can be found here. No changes were made to this image.
