4 Best Studying Spots for College Finals
Your college finals are only days away. You are struggling to focus on studying. How can you begin and continue studying without distractions? Find the right studying spots!
If you are struggling to focus, you probably have not found spots where you can study without interruptions or distractions. So, where are the best studying spots? Prepare well for your college finals by using these 4 studying spots!
Studying Spot #1: Libraries
Love or them or not, libraries are often the best places to accomplish good studying. Why? They often eliminate certain distractions that normally interrupt your study flow. They also provide many spaces for college freshmen to hide away for hours of quality studying.
Your college campus likely has at least one library available to students. However, you may not have frequented this building much this semester. The fact that your college library or libraries are not incredibly popular with students actually works to your advantage. The less students that fill your campus library, the more room you have to claim a finals studying spot.
I’m ashamed to say it took me about 3 years to identify this not-so-secret studying spot. I was usually too lazy to make the long walk to the library. I didn’t want to bring my textbooks, laptop, and other notes all the way over to the other side of campus. Once I realized how incredibly helpful the library was to my studying, I made it a regular stop during finals week.
What are the prime spots within your campus library? My personal favorite spots were those where I could hide away from people and other noisy distractions. The tables or cubicles near windows, not the tables in the middle of the floor, were usually some of the best spots for me. In addition, many libraries allow you to reserve rooms for studying sessions. Sometimes you can reserve these rooms for your own personal study.
If, however, you find that your campus library is still too distracting, you can venture to a local library. You do not need a library card to take advantage of the quiet of a local library. Not only will you rarely run into classmates or friends but you will also have the advantage of getting off campus, even if you are doing so to study.
Take advantage of this free resource to help you stay focused, use good studying habits, and prepare to ace your finals!
Studying Spot #2: Cafés
Most college towns have a plethora of local coffee shops or cafés. You have likely identified and frequented many of these places. Not only can they be a great place to socialize, they can also be good spots for studying for your college finals.
Depending on your studying style, you may need some background noise while studying. If this accurately describes you, your campus or local libraries are probably not the best fit for you. Rather than trying to study in public places, in your dorm room, or on campus, take a trip to a coffee shop or cafe.
First, try a coffee shop. In proper amounts, caffeine can help you memorize material more easily. In addition, you may find it helps you focus on the task ahead—studying for college finals. Even if you have a tight budget, you can likely afford a small cup of coffee or tea. With the finals fuel you need in hand, you can easily find a study spot in the coffee shop.
Consider what time would be best to visit these places. If you want to avoid distractions, do not visit during peak hours such as those around lunch or in the late evening. You are more likely to be distracted with people you do know or people you are tempted to watch. (Any other people-watchers out there?)
Carefully choose where you will sit as well. Facing busy spots will likely be more distracting for you. Face away from distractions, like the line to the register or the front door. Try to keep your eye-line free from busy activities. You want your main focus to be on studying.
Second, try a café. Your college town likely has many local cafes or chain restaurants that cater towards quiet but casual meeting spots. These places can not only provide you with a break from cafeteria food but can also provide a space to study.
These places can work well but be cautious. Your focus is not on eating but rather on studying for your college finals. Avoid overeating or stress-eating. Instead, purchase one meal and then bring gum and water for the rest of your studying time.
If you do choose to study in either location, be sure you avoid getting caught in conversations with friends or classmates. You can easily waste valuable time in conversation. When you’re studying, study. When you’re socializing, socialize. Don’t try to to mix the two.
Study Spot #3: Empty Places on Campus
When you first arrived at college this year, you probably felt like there was nowhere to be alone. In reality, you didn’t realize how many empty places exist on campus. Even now months into your freshman year, you may not have given much thought to these spots. Most freshmen don’t.
Most freshman retreat to the comforts of their dorm rooms for studying. However, your dorm room is not one conducive to studying, so don’t go there if you want to get any work done. You are more likely to fall asleep or end up watching way too many Youtube videos.
Now that you have been on campus for months, you may realize there are some places you can go to be alone. What empty places can you use to study on campus? Let me provide a few suggestions. Although I’ve likely never visited your campus, I can almost guarantee that your campus has many spots like the following ones.
First, find the empty places your dorm. That’s right. Your dorm likely has hidden or not-so-hidden places where you can go to study for your finals without interruptions. Most dorms have stairways with landings at each level. While this may seem like a ridiculous spot to study, these landings work well for short study sessions.
In addition, Many dorms have landings at the very top of the building. These spots are usually not crowded or loud. These spots are often a secret studying spot hardly any students use.
Your dorm laundry room may also be a good place to study occasionally. However, the weekends are probably not the best time to visit here, because many students do their laundry on the weekends. During the week, you may find that it is much easier to do your laundry and then study while you are waiting for your wash to finish.
Think of your dorm. What spots are rarely used and often quiet? You may have to do some exploring, but you can find and use these spots to help you prepare for finals.
Second, most campuses have a green space or back campus area where visitors and students can exercise. These places are often ideal for studying. Not only can you soak in some sun, but you can also use benches, picnic tables, and other similar spaces to get work done.
Each campus is different, but once you start exploring you will soon discover more and more of these unlikely studying spots. You will find that changing locations to a new spot will help you stay focused and study well. Bring some water and maybe a small snack, and get studying!
Studying Spot #4: Gyms
During finals, your health is probably the least of your concerns. No matter how much sleep you get at this point, you will still be tired. You likely have little appetite, and when you are hungry you want something delicious, cheap, and convenient.
What if you could exercise and study at the same time? You would likely be open to this option, since you could “kill two birds with one stone.” Well, you can do this and very easily.
Some class finals may require memorization or repetitive reviewing of your class notes and a study guide. While studying for these finals may be frustrating for you, realize that you can use this studying time to your advantage.
When studying for these types of finals, take advantage of your campus gym or a local gym. You can easily study while getting in some physical exercise. Depending on what your workout regime usually entails, you can easily incorporate studying into your routine. If you prefer using a treadmill, you can bring your notebook or print out your notes to review while walking or jogging.
If your routine involves a rotation of a few different machines, you may want to record yourself reading your notes aloud. You can listen to your notes on repeat throughout your workout.
When deciding what will work best for you, consider how you learn. For example, if you are more of a visual learner, you will do better reading a copy of your notes during your exercise. If you are more of an auditory learner, listening to a recording of a class lecture or your notes will benefit you more. If you are more of a kinesthetic learner, exercising while studying can actually increase your ability to recall the material later.
Studying for your college finals may be more difficult than you thought. You are unmotivated and easily distracted. Use these 4 spots to study well, so you can do well on your finals!
