{"id":49,"date":"2018-01-19T19:19:36","date_gmt":"2018-01-19T19:19:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-mcc-cos2master\/chapter\/your-physical-environment\/"},"modified":"2023-07-05T20:22:58","modified_gmt":"2023-07-05T20:22:58","slug":"your-physical-environment","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-wcc-collegesuccess3\/chapter\/your-physical-environment\/","title":{"raw":"Getting Your Space & Mind Ready for Studying","rendered":"Getting Your Space & Mind Ready for Studying"},"content":{"raw":"
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Locating effective Study spaces<\/h3>\r\nTake a walk around campus and identify at least three places you could study and do your homework. One of those places needs to be a specific place in the Harold Drimmer Library or another area on the Valhalla Campus. Be prepared to share a photo and\/or description of your three places, including what kind of student(s) might enjoy that space and if it's an effective environment for pairs, groups, and\/or individuals. Feel free to include some advantages or disadvantages of studying there as well as anything else you think your classmates would benefit from knowing.\r\n\r\nIf you are exclusively an online student, locate some places in your local community, such as the public library.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n\"Student\r\n
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I think it's important to get your surroundings as well as yourself into a positive state.\u00a0 \u2013Heidi Klum, fashion model and television host<\/strong><\/em><\/div><\/blockquote>\r\n

The Impact of Your Surroundings While Studying<\/h1>\r\nIf a researcher walked up to you right now and asked you to identify your favorite place to study, what would your immediate response be? Would it be your home? Perhaps your sunny kitchen? Maybe your dorm room or bedroom, or another relaxed space you call your own? Or, maybe it would be a busy caf\u00e9 in the heart of town. What are your preferences for your physical surroundings when you study? What are the attributes of your most conducive study environment?\r\n\r\nIn the following video, Mark Montgomery, an educational consultant and college admissions expert, reminds students that while their image of college may be\u00a0about socializing, they will ideally spend a good portion of their time studying. He shows some accommodating physical spaces at Seattle University.\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/hJzAxhnrMGg\r\n

Student Responses<\/h2>\r\nCollege administrators, like the one in the video you just watched, may have their own ideas about what constitutes good study space. But what do students say? Below\u00a0are comments from several students about their favorite \u201cgo-to\u201d study spots:\r\n
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Jared: I like to take my laptop into the Siegel Caf\u00e9 and use the wifi while I write papers and work on homework. It\u2019s in a nice spot and there\u2019s always people around. I need my caffeine and some noise around me so I don\u2019t fall asleep. Recently I\u2019ve been using the library. It\u2019s quieter, but I meet other students there and we use the group study rooms. I like being around other people when I study.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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Maya: I like to study at a table outside of the Student Center. Sometimes I just park myself on the grass. But I tend to get distracted outside, so my second favorite place to study is the library. I used to hate libraries because I didn\u2019t like how quiet they were, but then I realized I can actually get work done there. There\u2019s a corner that I like with a comfy chair where I can read or take a nap. If I need to put the pedal to the metal, I sit at a table.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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Shane: The main library is my go-to. If I need sources for a paper, the staff help me find articles with their online services. There is a wide selection of books, too, but if I can\u2019t find something the staff will order it through a different school or library. Sometimes the space gets crowded, like during exam week, and it can be hard to find an open computer. But it\u2019s comforting to see I\u2019m not the only student doing a paper last-minute. The best place for relaxing or writing is the third floor. I like looking out the windows at the scenery.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nIt's not surprising to find\u00a0that there are some recurring student favorites when it comes to good study environments. The following\u00a0locations are all-time winners:\r\n