Hey! It’s Syd, and I’m back with Part Two of our survival guide to studying.

This week’s focus: Environments for studying.

Let’s face it, your environment affects not only how you feel, but also your productivity levels.

Every person has different levels of what they need in their environments to reach the maximum potential of study times. I’ll go over a few things that may be affecting your productivity.

There’s more to your physical study space than the location. There’s the environment, the smells, the atmosphere, and the volume of background noises, too.

This is the place you study.

Do you find it hard to study in your dorm room? Why? Is it uncomfortable? Quiet? Loud?

Well, it might be that your location is off. Think about where you can focus best. Do you focus best in quiet environments? Or do you prefer a lot of background noises? What about outside in nature? With other people? Everyone is different and you have to figure out what works best for you as a student.

Recommendations:

For the people who need it absolutely quiet:

The library is typically very quiet, but if you need more, head to the back of the library to the more secluded tables.

If the weather is nice outside, take a trip to the Ol’ Fishing Hole or Sandplum Creek Trail. Both have benches and tables to spread out all of your notes and books.

If this is still too much, investing in noise-canceling headphones may be your best bet.

For the people who need a moderate level of quietness, but can handle background noise:

The library is still a viable option, but can be a little too quiet sometimes. I recommend a couple of the coffee shops during their non-busy hours; the smell of coffee is usually a smell that gets you awake and moving, so why not use it to help you study?

Typically, the Beanery on campus has soothing background music and chatter.

RX Brewery near campus is very similar and has plenty of table space to spread out all of your notes for studying.

The BCM across from Stewart Hall is also a good place to study because it has plenty of study areas (and comfortable couches) and people visiting without being overwhelming.

If you live in the dorms, dorm lobby areas and study areas are accommodating to provide a small amount of background noise that still allow you to focus.

For the people who enjoy all the noise:

The Cup can be loud, especially during rush hours, so if you enjoy the noise, head on over. The smell of coffee is also refreshing, so even if you don’t drink any coffee, you can still enjoy the environment. The chairs are comfortable and allow for maximum comfort while you study.

All of this is to say: Find what works best for your study needs, that way you can succeed.