When you are a student, there are countless options for places that you can study. The choice of study location can significantly impact your overall learning experience.

Mixing up your study locations can certainly make you more motivated! Everyone has different preferences for the ideal type of study location, and it’s up to you to work out which ones suit you the best. 

Here are some pros and cons of various places to study.

Your Room

Of course, the place you will spend the most time studying is likely your room/study. It’s the place that you can customise the most and feel most comfortable in.

Pros:

  •       You will always have access to your materials. There’s no worse feeling than arriving at university and realising you forgot your stationery or laptop charger.
  •       There’s no travel time required which means more time to study!
  •       Since there’s no one else around you, it’s easier to keep your focus.
  •      Studying in a familiar environment can be comfortable and reduce stress.

Cons:

  •       It’s easy to get distracted and procrastinate – it’s really tempting to get back into bed and watch some Netflix when it’s all right there.
  •       It can get really isolating when it’s just you and your books.
  •       You might get distracted by your family.
  •       Difficult to separate relaxing time from study time.

School Library

If you have spare blocks in your timetable, you might find yourself heading to the school library to study. You might also prefer to study here during SWOTVac if you don't have a suitable place at home, or have revision classes at school. 

 Pros:

  • If you need extra resources, like a textbook or computer, they’ll be readily available.
  • It can be very motivating to study when you’re surrounded like other students like yourself.
  • Generally, it’s a quiet environment. There are also sections in the library that are reserved solely for quite study.
  • Libraries have various facilities, including computers, charging points, Wi-Fi, and private rooms.
  •  It’s easy to meet up and study with people in your cohort.

 Cons:

  •       In busy periods, it can be difficult to find a place to sit.
  •       It can be distracting to have lots of other people around you, especially if you prefer to study in isolation.
  •       Can be a problem if you accidently leave your study materials at home.

Local/Public Library

On a weekend or school holidays, you may prefer to go into a local library instead.  

Pros:

  •       Barely any travel time required as its close to home.
  •       Good for a change of scenery.
  •       Can be less busy than a school library.
  •       Generally, it’s a quiet environment.

Cons:

  •       Libraries run a lot of activities for children during the day so it can get noisy.
  •       There may not be a lot of space available to sit. 

A Cafe

If you need a change of scenery, a café can be a great place to go!

Pros:

  •       Great place to study if you like studying with some background noise.
  •       Can purchase a study snack or drink.  

Cons:

  •       Can get very busy and distracting, so doing an intense study session will likely be difficult. However, a café is a great location to work on assignments!
  •       There’s limited space so you might be in a cramped up location.
  •       Wi-Fi may not be available or work well.
  •       Can have bad lighting. 

Outdoors

If the weather’s nice, there’s really nothing better than studying outdoors!

Pros:

  •       Being outdoors can be refreshing and helps improve focus.
  •       Exposure to natural light can positively impact mood.

Cons:

  •       Might be difficult to find a comfortable position.
  •       If it’s a sunny day, seeing your laptop screen will be difficult.
  •       The weather can change in an instant.

A Friend’s House

If you have a friend that is also studying, having a study date at their house can be a great idea!

Pros:

  •       You and your friend can keep each other accountable.
  •       If you are doing the same subjects, you can work collaboratively.
  •       Studying can be more fun when you’re not doing it alone.
  •       Your friend might have access to study resources that you don’t have.

Cons:

  •     You might get distracted by your friend and up socialising instead of studying.
  •      You and your friend may have different study habits which can affect your own productivity.

Hopefully this article will help you find your new favourite study spot. At the end of the day, everyone has different preferences for study locations. It’s certainly fun to mix them up once in a while!