I've broken down the necessary elements to a successful studying place. I'll list them in no particular order and then describe them with a few short comments and a favorite studying place that fits the description.
1. Has to have white noise.
2. Cannot inspire procrastination.
3. Cannot inspire wanton sleep.
4. A necessary amount of ambiance to maintain an environment full of competition.
(1) I've found that a good amount of white noise is great for studying. Take, for example, an area near an air vent. The constant hum can easily drown out conversation from a neighboring table, yet isn't loud enough to cause a disturbance in my studying. I plug in those earphones and crank it up! Or, if I'm looking for a more concentrated affair - I'll make funny faces as I struggle with the material!
Where You Can Find Me:
Bene Pizza (located at the table near the restroom), Phoenix Grille (at a table hidden in a corner somewhere), The Bus Stop (an actual bus stop, I'm there nearly every day!), The Waterwall (at a bench nearby, usually when it feels like asian-dramaish weather)
Bene Pizza (located at the table near the restroom), Phoenix Grille (at a table hidden in a corner somewhere), The Bus Stop (an actual bus stop, I'm there nearly every day!), The Waterwall (at a bench nearby, usually when it feels like asian-dramaish weather)
(2) At certain places, I'm studying and studying and suddenly I can't study no more! It is not the studying's fault - it is a matter of environment! For example: my office space at my apartment is only mere footsteps from a television, a kitchen, a front yard full of nonsense, a Ralphs, a restroom, etc. etc. I take my eyes from the work and suddenly I wasted six hours watching daytime television. "Whaaat?" Here are a few places that I find procrastination-proof:
Where You Can Find Me:
My Restroom (directly on the toilet seat, it is designed in such a way to accomodate exactly one and a half people - did someone say cozy??), Aldrich Park (laid supine on a field somewhere, there is no place in the world where one can be in the presence of so many people and still feel so, so alone), Natural Sciences Lab (anywhere! there's a reason I can't do much but study in a place like this - I'm not supposed to be there! and to not risk getting caught I quietly study, telling people that I'm "the cleanup guy" working for "financial aid")
My Restroom (directly on the toilet seat, it is designed in such a way to accomodate exactly one and a half people - did someone say cozy??), Aldrich Park (laid supine on a field somewhere, there is no place in the world where one can be in the presence of so many people and still feel so, so alone), Natural Sciences Lab (anywhere! there's a reason I can't do much but study in a place like this - I'm not supposed to be there! and to not risk getting caught I quietly study, telling people that I'm "the cleanup guy" working for "financial aid")
(3) Now sometimes I'm in the library, trying to study, and I notice how nice and warm it is and how my arm, with muscles atrophied to hell, is so soft and so comfortable. Ahh. Hey! Where did those three hours I set aside for study time go? Well the Sandman took it, and he's not giving it back because he's a bitch. Oh look at me I'm the Sandman with my bag of sand, dancing around making you sleep because I'm a big gayyy!
Where You Can Find Me:
The Stairwell of the Natural Sciences Lab (sometimes my cover gets blown and I have to get out, but I don't go far! I'm usually sitting on the outside stairwell of the sixth floor, balls shivering like a helpless puppy in Siberian winter), Riding Bus 175 Around Irvine (man it is freaking dangerous and weird as hell on a bus no way I'm gonna fall asleep when I'm on that death machine)
The Stairwell of the Natural Sciences Lab (sometimes my cover gets blown and I have to get out, but I don't go far! I'm usually sitting on the outside stairwell of the sixth floor, balls shivering like a helpless puppy in Siberian winter), Riding Bus 175 Around Irvine (man it is freaking dangerous and weird as hell on a bus no way I'm gonna fall asleep when I'm on that death machine)
(4) Whenever I'm in a classroom, one of the most important things driving me to stay awake is competition. Hey, if I fall asleep now, these assholes who aren't asleep will know more than me. I can't have that. Likewise, in a studying situation, I try my best to find a place where people are just sitting around, minding their own business. In this way I can stare straight at them and imagine all the ways my studying will help me kick their ass. YOU DON'T STUDY WHILE I'M IN THE HOUSE!
Where You Can Find Me:
Fourth Floor of the Social Sciences Library (all the grad students are piled up in there with books covering their desk and I look at their mess and I spit right on the nice carpet in disgust) A Random Classroom (in a nice big lecture hall where the teacher is especially boring and the students don't attend, I waltz right on in there and give exactly zero damns about what the old man on stage has to say)
Fourth Floor of the Social Sciences Library (all the grad students are piled up in there with books covering their desk and I look at their mess and I spit right on the nice carpet in disgust) A Random Classroom (in a nice big lecture hall where the teacher is especially boring and the students don't attend, I waltz right on in there and give exactly zero damns about what the old man on stage has to say)
So there you go kids! Hope my study area theories and recommendations were of help. Good luck on all your midterms/essays/projects!
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