Your Study Space for out-of-school studying can be anywhere. Some students find the neighborhood library best, or a friend’s house. Some think that under a tree in a park or on their living room floor is the most optimal place to train their brain.

Wherever you are studying outside of school, it’s important that your surroundings are comfortable and favorable for you to focus. To study effectively, you should have a space that is quiet, well-lit, and free of distractions. Often, we are not even aware of how our surroundings affect our ability to concentrate. Let’s take a look at your study space’s effectiveness by completing these brief questions:

• Where do you study most of the time? ________________________________________________________
• How quiet is this study area?
  • ___ Very quiet
  • ___ Sort of quiet
  • ___ Not quiet at all
• How is the lighting in your study area?
  • ___ Dim
  • ___ Bright
  • ___ Just about right
• What do you sit on while studying?
  • ___ Chair
  • ___ Sofa
  • ___ Bed
  • ___ Floor
  • ___ Other _______________________
• Are there any possible distractions while you are studying?
  • ___ TV/Music
  • ___ Phone calls
  • ___ People having conversations
  • ___ Other ____________________

Now that you have had the chance to examine your Study Space, what adjustments, if any, can be made? Who can help you? 

Report back to your mentor if the adjustments made a difference and continue to experiment until you find the best environment. Plan to study in a different space and compare your usual place to the new one. What, if anything, was different or helpful?

Talk through a plan with your mentor on how to make your study space right for you!

Source: pheaa.org