Best Environments for Studying Course Notes

By Ian Acosta on July 26, 2017

A LARGE portion of your time in college will be devoted to studying. This is not necessarily news to all of you. However, everyone studies differently. Therefore, it is imperative you figure out the style best suited to you for determining how you review your course notes and prepare for homework, exams, and other projects.

There are many different environments that students like to surround themselves in. Some like it noisy, some prefer it dead quiet, and some prefer a mixture of both. I will try and explain a few so you can decide for yourself which suits your needs, as well as some different points to think about with others.

Without further ado, here are some of the best environments you can have while studying.

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No distractions

If you are someone who struggles with keeping your concentration while studying (I am guilty of this from time to time myself,) make it a point to move your phone, TV, or any electronic device you regularly check to procrastinate out of the vicinity in which you are studying.

Professor Art Markman, a professor of psychology, said, “Multitasking gets in the way of acquiring high-quality knowledge. It takes time to shift attention from homework to some other source of information and additional time to shift attention back. Not only does that constant shifting influence the amount of time it takes to get work done, it also affects the quality of the study itself.”

Block out a period of time to studying, or else your studying may not be as effective as you would like it to be.

Create a consistent study space

Consistency creates comfort. Think of and go to a place where you know you will be at peace and “in the zone” when it comes to studying and reviewing notes. Place all your books, notes, spreadsheets, and all your study materials in one spot so you know where everything is and so that you are ready to go when it comes to getting down to studying.

This way, you will not only have all of your attention on the task at hand, you can do it in a more effective and constructive method so that you can have more time to spend on your phone and Netflix afterward!

Total quiet

If you love spending your time in the library due to the ability to block out every sound imaginable, you more than likely will enjoy little to no noise in your studying. If you have quiet roommates, feel free to stay close to your dorm or apartment to get your studying done. If your dorm mates or apartment complex tends to get a bit too noisy, consider heading to the library to get your studying done.

A touch of noise

You may enjoy a mixture of some noise to create a great study environment. Whether that is from some music to listen to, some background noise in the campus quad, or even from having a television show on in the background, there are many combinations to achieve a perfect study environment for you.

Going back to the distractions aspect I touched on earlier, are you someone who gets agitated or distracted easily by others or other things? If so, maybe keep it quiet. For me personally, I like to have a little noise on in the background to drown out the silence (ironic I know.) Usually, I will put on a song I am listening to a lot at the moment or a TV show I have seen dozens of times just to catch bits and pieces of an episode. Try this out for yourself and see if you can be productive.

Smells

Ever been in a kitchen on Thanksgiving morning where your family is preparing turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes? Remember how AWESOME it smelled in there? Was your mind on anything else BUT food at the time? Exactly.

Do not go to a cafeteria to study or sit by a bakery if you are on an empty stomach. The smells and aromas will put you off from your assignment at hand. Same thing for colognes or fragrances (both good or otherwise.) You cannot always control your environment; however, you can change it.

Lighting

Do not squint to read what is in front of you. Conversely, if your screen is too bright, you should not have to shield your eyes just to try and read something. Pay special attention to lighting when you sit down to study. Mind the light now and how it may change in the near future.

Is it just an hour until sundown? Maybe reconsider studying outside if the natural light is about to dissipate soon. There is nothing wrong with some classic fluorescent lights in a campus classroom or library. Just make sure you can see what you are doing.

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