We are now in the thick of the semester, which means it is now officially midterms season. Despite having a huge work – load of homework and studying, and having the stress make your blood pressure rise, there is a way to help remove the stress from having midterms. Surviving midterms is a much easier feat if you are well prepared and don’t procrastinate. In other words, study hard and set aside a good amount of time to study for your next exam.
To help you accomplish this goal and to make you feel like your ready to kick that test in the butt, here are my favorite study spots on campus, that are sure to help you focus, and get the most out of your studying time.
1) The 3rd Floor of the Library: The library may seem like the most obvious place to study, however you need to know where the best places in the library are to cram for that test and work out your brain muscles. The main floor of the library, and even the second floor of the library can become quite crowded during midterms season, because everyone is trying to find a quiet place to work in. This can lead to a noisy environment on the main floor – people slurping coffee, clicking their pens, and talking to each other over notes. When I go to the library to study, I expect it to be serene and quiet, not noisy and stressed. So instead of sitting in the main area, pack up your things and head for the 3rd floor. The 3rd floor is usually very sparse and contains designated quiet study spots. This is a great place to study for hours on end, because not many people come all the way up the 3rd floor, and tables and chairs are tucked into the isles and corners of the floor, so every space is quiet and ready for you to hit the books.
2) The Study Commons: If the 3rd floor seems to be unusually busy try venturing to the study commons in the basement of the library. You can sign up to have a private room for a certain amount of time to study and work in, or you can sit at the communal tables, which also provide computers and printers if you have to do research and left your laptop at home.
Despite being a heavily trafficked area, the study commons are usually very quiet, and everyone is busy doing their own thing, so your less likely to get distracted if you were instead studying in your dorm, where your roommate might blast loud music. The other perks about studying in the library, is that you have many resources at hand. If you’re feeling sleepy after staring at a book or memorizing flash cards all day you can head up to Peet’s Coffee to get your caffeine fix to perk you up.
Additionally, if you happened to need a resource other than the Internet to do research, then explore all the wonderful selves of books and knowledge that the library has. Nowadays, people seem to forget the incredibly useful and practical resource that libraries still have – books!
3) At the Gardens Atop the Student Health Center: If you start to get cabin fever after studying inside for hours, try heading outside to get some fresh air and stretch your legs. A great place to study outside is in the garden on top of the Student Health Center, a peaceful little garden surrounding by benches and eucalyptus trees. This area isn’t usually that crowded, and is a nice way to enjoy a pleasant day, soak up some vitamin D and get some studying done at the same time. Being outside while studying can be a much nice environment than the library, since the library can sometimes have a tense and stressed atmosphere, which is emitted by the scrambling students, hysterically trying to finish an essay or do some last minute studying. Hence, this garden is a great place to get rid of that tense atmosphere. It’s better to feel more at ease and relaxed while studying, so you can focus on what you’re reading and not focus on how worried you might feel.
4) The Caesar Chavez Student Center – the Mezzanine Level at Café 101: This a good place to study if you don’t mind hearing the hustle and bustle of students. Sometimes, I do like to see other people busy studying or discussing a group project, because it inspires me to work just as hard. So if your sometimes like me, and get inspiration to study while seeing other people cram, then pick a table near Café 101. Café 101 also tends to be a little less crowded than Peet’s with shorter lines, making it easier to get coffee and food. In the corner near the entrance to the Student Center, they also have a few red couches. And if you’re lucky, you can snag a couch and just spread out all your study materials and be comfortable.