Although the Michener Library has four floors and a mezzanine, there are some long study days where it just doesn’t cut it. For me, staying in one spot for too long throws all my motivation out the window. So when I came upon the “study crawl” on social media last semester, I knew I had to give it a try. What better way to get stuff done than to get moving?
The way a study crawl works is obvious, especially to anyone well-versed in Greeley’s Wednesday night Bear Crawls. Pack your backpack with all your study supplies, take a long hard look at your Canvas dashboard, and hit up your favorite study spots for a few hours each. It’s a great way to shake things up while staying focused and productive. Now that I’ve done my fair share of study crawls in Greeley, here’s some tips to make sure your study crawl is a success.
Step 1: Get Yourself Ready
When I dedicate my day to a study crawl, I like to start with two lists: things to do and places to go. (I’m a list person.) For the to-do list, I make all my tasks as small as possible. For a paper, checkboxes can be as tiny as finding a research article or writing the outline for my first paragraph. My motivation comes from checking things off, so the more I can see getting done, the more motivated I continue to be.
Once I have a decent to-do list, I decide how many locations I’ll visit by determining how many hours I have in the day, and how much I’m willing to spend. I find that my best study crawls hit at least three locations: somewhere with food, somewhere with coffee, and somewhere without distractions.
Step 2: Make the First Study Stop
My first stop is anywhere with food, but the best spots have both food and coffee. My two favorite spots to start a study crawl are Lafayette Creperie on 9th Ave or Panera Bread at Centerplace. Lafayette is cozy, always has chill music, and has tons of great (and affordable!) crepe options. Panera can be a bit busier, especially during the morning, but they have no shortage of options and some great little nooks for studying alone or with a study-crawl pal.
The first stop is also the most important, since I want to set myself up for success. As an English major, this usually means gathering research, writing outlines, or just plain brainstorming. Some people prefer tackling their hardest tasks first, but starting small works for me so I can take on the longer tasks at my last stop without distractions. Either way, making sure to start off with some food helps me stay strong throughout, rather than running home for a “snack break” that ends up taking the rest of the day.
To decide how long I stay at a location, I use the Pomodoro method. A traditional Pomodoro is made up of four 25-minute sessions with 5-minute breaks in between, for a total of 2 hours. After those four sessions, you’ll take a 15- to 20-minute break, but during a study crawl, I use those 15 minutes to head to my next stop.
Step 3: Moving Right Along
For my second stop, I prefer a coffee place with a chill vibe but not too loud that it distracts my easily-distracted brain. (I’ve never once regretted my investment in noise-canceling headphones.) My favorite coffee shop in Greeley is Zoë’s Cafe on 10th Street; you can find me there most days with a mug and an open laptop. Zoë’s is big, has a wide variety of spots, and amazing coffee. My go-to drink is the Lucky Irishman, a latte with hazelnut, irish cream, and caramel.
At the mid-way point of the crawl, you might find yourself compelled to stop at home for a few minutes, maybe hearing the call of your bed. Resist this urge! If you’re anything like me, you won’t come back. Getting some coffee is a surefire way to keep you up and also an incentive to stay a while. I always do at least one full Pomodoro before heading to my final stop.
Step 4: Stay Strong Until the End
To finish, I pick a spot that’s as close to silent as I can get. I might return to my roots at Michener, or even try the LINC Library on 8th Avenue to mix things up. This last location is where I get serious, so quiet is essential.
The third floor of Michener is most reliable for true, uninterrupted quiet. If I really want to make sure it’s silent, I reserve a study room. In this quiet spot, I make sure to do at least one full Pomodoro, but my goal is two for a full four-hour study session. Since my last tasks are the longer ones, I want to stay in one spot until I get that last box checked off.
Once the timer ends on my last Pomodoro, I take a deep breath, stretch a little (it’s finals week, so no one minds if you do a few lunges), pack up my things, and head out for some well-deserved rest. It’s a great study crawl when I check off all my boxes, but I never get myself down about leaving a few unticked. Study crawls are fun, and I’m always down to go again the next day to finish up!