Where is the best place to study? It’s an argument that goes all the way back to the time when universities first opened their doors. Essentially people are split in two parts, those who believe that you should study in the comfort of your room and those who think studying at the library is the way to go.

Me, personally? I’m not picking sides. I won’t go to the library if it’s bad weather outside, but also, I’m not staying at home if I see that I can’t get any work done. I’m adapting to each day and it’s working well so far.

Universities are not the same as they were 30-50 years ago. They’ve come a long way and that’s why nowadays “the library” can be even more comfortable than our own rooms.

In fact, if you take all BU’s learning spaces in to consideration, it’s hard to stay in your room and not think about how nice it would be to go in to uni and study. I mean, take a look at The Student Centre:

This is the place I love the most. It has six floors of learning space! It’s warm, it has high-speed internet, there are plenty of cozy places to sit and you can buy food or hot and cold drinks. It’s a bit of a socially-friendly environment so you don’t feel alone either. You can either study alone or in groups. However, if you prefer more of a serious and quiet atmosphere, the Sir Michael Cobham Library is for you:

You can work in groups in here as well, but you can also have that privacy we all crave from time to time. Everyone is focusing on studying and that makes you want to do the same. There are less distractions in the library than anywhere else and if you want to get some real work done, this is the place for you. It has great resources and an anti-procrastination air.

Wait, don’t go just yet. Have I mentioned the computer labs? They’re always open and you can drop in and concentrate on your work if you prefer the computing feeling.

Side note: At the time I wrote this blog post, the exams were getting closer and so I wanted to leave a short message for all of those who are about to face their exams.

Now, you’ve got a feeling of BU’s learning spaces, you’ve seen how many resources you have at your disposal. How about start focusing on the things that matter to you?

The real reason why the university invests so much in those learning spaces is because they are aware of the problems we – the students – are dealing with. It is hard to stay focused and it is hard to spend more time studying than we are used to, but it’s essential because whatever you learn, it is somehow related to your future career. Use your time well, don’t let it slip. It passes too fast anyway.

Let me know if you have any questions about the learning spaces and good luck to those who have exams coming.