The likelihood that some aspects of your course will be more or less engaging than other aspects is high. Some modules may require more attention in order for it to ‘click’ in your head, so it’s important to always have a fresh mind when tackling these times. I’m a firm believer that your environment can have a large impact on the productivity of your studying. Some people may have found one way of studying that works well for them and will never change. I like to switch my study spots semi-frequently in order to stay fresh and engaged especially when some of my studies are more difficult to wrap my head around.

I think different study spots can be beneficial depending on what it is you’re studying at the time. For example, with a new piece of material, or the introduction of an assignment, I find it best to look at the information in a quiet location so there are no distractions. My go-to solo study period locations include; my study corner in my bedroom, the SUBU building – as its next to the library and is always toasty warm (perfect in winter) and the Lansdowne Library; there’s always a tucked away seat to get your head down and focus away from other people.

If I’m particularly struggling with a concept in my studies, I find it useful to talk it through with a friend or small group of friends on my course – we usually go to an independent coffee shop to do this as it gets us out of the house to give us a fresh mind to work together on the subject. My favourite coffee shops to date in Bournemouth for studying include: The Espresso Kitchen where you can physically write on the walls with chalk! South Coast Coffee; which serve a most delicious ‘Bondi Brunch’ snack and, in my opinion, the best coffee in Bournemouth, and Otto House coffee shop in Winton; lots of light both downstairs and upstairs and is much closer to most second and third year houses; great for when you don’t want to head all the way into town for a study coffee shop (especially if it’s bad weather).

There is more research being done to show how changing your study environment more frequently can help promote better memory recall and retention. When you change your setting, you tend to learn to block out noises and distractions (e.g. if you are at a coffee shop), additionally, it can help better create an informational ‘spiders web’ where the learning of a topic in one area can help trigger the recall of related topics. This idea works best when your study environment changes from time to time; give it a go! And if you are studying from home, try to adapt your position from home, maybe sit in a different chair, or point towards a different direction of the room, sit at a desk or a kitchen table; there a small changes you can make to keep your mind awake and engaged through some of those harder topics! Give it a try J

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