Each day, students are told to study whether that means reviewing notes to prepare for a quiz, finishing that essay or completing the required daily reading. Yet like many others, I find myself in my own room with distractions upon distractions as I get little to no work done, so I find myself looking for another location to study. 

The most popular places for studying, according to Hospitality Insights, include cozy cafes, libraries, empty or quiet rooms, outdoor spaces and common areas—such as the Commons and alcoves throughout Summit. Many prefer to study around other people, while others prefer the quiet relaxation of solitude. The most beneficial places to study are personal to the individual and what they need.

“I prefer to do work at my desk, as opposed to my bed, to create a separation between where I study and where I sleep,” said Marcus Knight, a Summit sophomore. “When I study, I always do it under a lamp because I like the soft light it provides.”

Often, people prefer studying under certain circumstances to be as efficient as possible; being able to control the amount of light, sound, commotion, temperature and seating arrangements can make it much easier for people to customize their surroundings to maximize their studying. Being in conditions that make you more comfortable can always be a plus for focus.

However, this method doesn’t always work for everyone. Plenty of people prefer the atmosphere of public areas.

“I typically study in my room but love to go to a coffee shop to get out of the house and it tends to help me be a little bit more productive,” said Emelia Hildreth, a Summit sophomore. “Studying in the library or with friends is a great way to learn more because you can not only have the topics explained to you by a peer but when you explain it to someone else it increases your understanding.”

Studying around other people can help someone get a better perspective on content they don’t understand, but there are other benefits to studying in more public spaces as well. One’s surroundings can be associated with the material they are learning. For example when studying in a public space, you might be sipping out of a red coffee cup while studying the quadratic formula, then if you’re able to recall the cup during the test, the math comes with it.

A study done by the Harvard Business Review found that natural aspects can have positive effects on productivity of their employees. In the study, each employee was put near some natural element, whether it be a natural view, plants, being outside or simply being surrounded by earthy colors. They found that these elements created a more calming effect and increased performance. Yet some may find the outdoors to be distracting when it comes to work, but for some people, just being around nature—a very easy thing to do in Bend, Oregon—can help to study without having to stress. 

“I certainly feel more relaxed and less overwhelmed when I have a view of nature, or at least outside. However, I also tend to get distracted by looking outside and at my surroundings,” said Knight, who prefers a dark room for maximized focus. 

If you find background noise to be distracting, then maybe a quiet, empty room is the best for you. Or maybe you’re the complete opposite, and find that being in public spaces helps your mind focus; if this is you, then maybe try a cafe or other public space. Even if you don’t know exactly what you find distracting or not, you can experiment and see what works best! Whether that’s an empty room, a bustling cafe, a park or something different every time, a nice study spot is crucial to getting work done. Being productive is hard, but where you choose to study can make it just a little bit easier.