It was well into Week 8 before I realized something about my study habits – I absolutely could not focus in my room! It was the combination of my messy desk, photos from friends tacked on the wall, and oh yes, the ever-so-comfortable bed that lured me away from doing anything productive. I couldn’t quite figure out what I could do to stop getting distracted until I stepped outside my dorm room and voila – I could miraculously concentrate again. So here are a few tips for studying outside of your dorm room:
- Expect a good 4-5 hours away from your room, and pack for that.
Every time I leave my room, I expect to be out for a decent amount of time, so I pack anything I need during that time in a backpack. Usually, that includes two subjects’ worth of study material, notebooks, wallet, pencil case, and phone. A tip: unless you’re preparing to write an essay, packing your laptop is usually not a good idea. Facebook is just too tempting!
- Going to somewhere even a few minutes’ walk away helps productivity.
You don’t have to trek all the way to Powell or Westwood – even going to the study area in one of the dorm buildings (ex. Sunset Village’s computer lab) is good enough. Just being surrounded by other students who are working on their studies is enough to help you focus more on yours. If you do want to go to Westwood though, there are some great study spots spotted by Ekta here.
- Let the habit form.
The mind tends to associate objects with emotions, and similarly, places with emotions. Make a habit of leaving your fun activities to your room, and your studying to studying areas or cafés. That way, after a certain amount of time, your mind will automatically put you into the “studying mode” whenever you’re in one of your “studying” places.
Hopefully these tips helped you collegiettes a bit! And if you, like me, realized that you just can’t focus in your own room… give studying outside a try.