College students spend an average of 17 hours studying. That’s a lot of time — it almost feels like college is a part-time job!
Nobody wants a job that has no payday. In this case, the pay is getting that degree and forging a career path for yourself.
While you’re at it, you may have noticed that some study techniques seem to have a better impact on results. That is why some students will go to the library while others work from their favorite café in the company of an oversize cup of coffee.
The point is, your study space has to work for you before you even flip open your books.
Do you want to study from your apartment, but you get distracted easily?
Are you unsure how to make the space study-friendly?
If you answered yes to these questions, use these tips to customize the ideal study area in your apartment.
1. Pick the Perfect Spot
The first thing you need is to create a personal go-to-place for studying.
This needs to be a place where you can focus. You may want to avoid areas near the TV or other distractions.
Kitchens are often popular spots, but they may not be that ideal unless you find an out-of-the-way nook.
Considering you likely share the apartment, selecting a spot may require a quick discussion with your roommates.
While keeping space in mind, avoid the common areas unless you can balance the surrounding activities and your studies.
Picking the study area is also about making the best of what you have in terms of space. Sometimes the little details can make a previously disliked room a new favorite.
So get creative.
Who knows what you can come up with?
Put up a poster, an antique lamp, or whatever you like. Personal touches will make your study space much more comfortable.
2. Select the Right Study Furniture
Studying can be a nightmare without the right furniture.
If you’re uncomfortable, you risk ending up with a backache which won’t motivate you to study. On the other hand, if you’re too comfortable (i.e., studying from bed) — you may doze off!
Make comfort your top priority when shopping for study furniture.
Furniture options for studying are endless, depending on your needs.
The ideal study table should be at least 25 to 30 inches in height. If you inherited the desk from another college student, you could always opt for an adjustable chair for comfort.
The size of your study space will influence the size of the study table you choose. When working with minimal space, consider a portable laptop desk that you can use on almost any surface.
If the focus is on dead space in your room, a linear wall-mounted desk might do the trick.
3. Do Away With Clutter
College life can get pretty disorganized. You’re constantly on the go with little time to do the cleaning. If you’re not careful, your study area may end up looking like a junkyard.
We won’t talk about the rest of your apartment. That’s your thing. But at least find a way to keep the clutter at bay when it comes to your study environment. A disorganized workspace is just as distracting as Twitter and Instagram.
Having notes scattered all over may seem like it’s not a big deal, but it could kill the studying mood.
Why?
Because clutter is depressing.
To keep a clutter-free environment, create a system where everything goes to its place no matter what. Have a spot for notes and pens and use only what you need for the study session.
If you tend to munch away on snacks while studying, make sure to clean up after you’ve finished. That way, you’ll maintain a study-ready atmosphere.
4. Set Some Ground Rules
Ground rules are necessary for a perfect study environment because it’s about making yourself do something a lot less fun compared to Netflix.
You want to set guidelines you can stick to. Try not to make the rules too strict, or you may end up breaking them.
The first golden rule is to either switch off your phone or limit notifications. What may seem like an innocent peek at a meme your friend sent may stretch into an hour of laughing at related content on Youtube.
Remember, distraction is a mind game that your phone and social media platforms have mastered.
Another rule is to stick to the schedule of activities.
If the ground rules say thirty minutes study sessions and ten-minute breaks, you follow them religiously.
You could always set a timer so that the study session does not eat into your break and vice versa. The schedule will remind you to always leave after the sessions. This will associate the environment with nothing but studying.
5. The Roommate “Problem”
If you are sharing an apartment, you’re most likely going to face some roommate challenges. That’s hard to escape unless you’re both on the same page on most things.
After all, sharing brings together different personalities, each having their own distraction antics.
For instance, you go to study, but your roomie decides it’s time for a movie marathon, and before you know it, you’ve ditched the studying altogether.
Well, you can’t get rid of your roommate, but you can limit the distractions they come with. You can start by getting noise-canceling headphones. This way, everyone can do their stuff in peace.
Another thing you can do to avoid this external interference is to arrange your timetable so you can use your alone time to study.
Conclusion
Face it:
Studying at a friend’s place or the coffee shop is not the best learning experience.
It would help if you worked from personal, practical, and motivating spaces, whether it’s the balcony, the empty corner in your room, or the kitchen.
You can absolutely create the perfect study environment in your apartment.
The idea is to make the area your own with creativity, dedication, and cooperation with those around you.
[Author bio]
Adam Marshall is a freelance writer who specializes in all things apartment organization, real estate, and college advice. He currently works with Copper Beech Harrisonburg to help them with their online marketing.
