study surroundings : part 2
in this part I will be talking about what I liked and disliked about the study spaces I have used over the course of my foundation year and which ones I will continue to use going into my first year of zoology
There are fewer distractions as I am by myself in an area that is designed to increase focus. The noise level is relatively low there are tables and chairs to sit at and complete work and they are not normally busy.
Over the last year, I made use of the public library in my home town and in the city I was studying. I found that the public library in my home town (which is a small coastal town that very few people have heard of) tended to be busier than the one in the city. Because of this, I found it easier to put my thoughts into sentences easier than I would have at home. At this point, I should say that the one in the city is significantly larger and has more floors. so it might look like the library is less busy since there are more floors and each floor is larger
In addition to this transport to and from the public library was easy no matter where I was. When at home I had to walk a short distance to the bus stop and then travel on the bus for ten minutes to reach the library. When I was at university it was easier to just walk which took no more than 15 minutes
but like with everything there were some negatives to studying in a public library. The first is the fact that the library holds numerous groups throughout the day. The ages of the participants range from about 4 to 90 so, as you would assume, multiple groups meet throughout the day and when they do, they can be very distracting. It is almost impossible to prevent a fussy and/or crying child from crying but it is distracting. and, Due to a limited amount of table space, and the uncomfortable nature of the chairs, the option of moving away from the group was not always possible
Additionally, whilst studying in the public library, I was unable to use the resources available as they were mostly for leisurely reading. As there weren't any books related to the field of zoology, I relied mostly on papers and articles I could find online. but unfortunately it was not guaranteed that the internet would be fully functional upon my visit
This location was by far my favourite to work at solely due to the relaxed atmosphere created by the students and the librarians who were okay with me asking my questions. The books, in my opinion, are far superior to those in a public library as there are books that are specifically tailored to the courses offered at the university and books that are there for casual reading as well
The one factor that separates the university library from a public one is that there are designated areas for each situation. if you are meeting with a group to practice a presentation you can book a private room (or there's a building that has a floor with screens that you don't need to book but I won't be talking about that here), if you are in a group working on individual assignments you can go into the quiet study area and if you're by yourself you can go to the silent study zone. These zones can be used at any time since students can access the library 24/7 with the use of their student ID
Next year, due to living on-site, I will be able to make more use of the library on-site and hopefully improve my grades
Although it makes for a good view, to get to the library you have to traverse 5 flights of stairs. More often than not the lift is broken to the point where it looks like you are stepping into your horror movie scene. once you are situated in the library you might find that, because of its size and the poor organization, it is hard to find the books for your course. if you are anything like me it will not help that you never want to disturb anyone but, honestly, talk to a librarian, they don't mind helping and they're the best person to go to.
some times whilst studying in the university library, you may encounter a group of students that are slightly too loud for your comfort (whether they mean to or not). unlike a public library, there are plenty of tables available so moving away from the problem will not be as hard
I have a table in the dining room that remains unused and it seemed like an appropriate place to get work done. when it comes down to it all a person needs to work on an assignment is a laptop, an internet connection, and a thing to put the laptop on. but it also helps that all of my stationary is already in there
Over the years it has become increasingly difficult for me to GET to the table due to it being the household junk room. My dad places, what seems like, everything he owns on the floor, in the doorway and yes on the table. I have found out that I find it hard to work in a room that is cluttered and for this reason I have only been using the table during meals. but even then I am worried about the table and chairs collapsing due to age and loose screws
As an individual with ADHD, I know that if I am working on something that I don't want to do any minor distraction could mean that I've finished working on it for the day. Some of the distractions I have faced in the past include being called into a different room by members of my family, the TV in the dining room, the pots in the sink and people walking into the kitchen (which is joined to the dining room)