Whether it’s for a quiz, discussion session, or exam, you’ll find the need to study when in college. But sometimes, how well you study depends on where you study. Some people prefer studying in crowded places, while others prefer a quiet and peaceful environment. Some people can’t study at home, whereas some favor the comfort of their own home. Each option comes with its own benefits and setbacks.
STUDYING AT HOME
Being able to study at home means that you can wear sweats, no shoes, and have an unlimited supply of food and snacks to munch on whenever you want. You can comfortably splay out on the couch, your kitchen table, on the floor in front of the coffee table, or on your own desk. You can have the TV on, playing your favorite comfort show as background noise, or maybe have Spotify playing through your speakers. Whatever the ambience you’ve settled on, studying at home provides a sense of comfort that is typically absent when studying campus.
However, this does come with its own setbacks. Chief among them is also the top benefit: comfort. Just as much a setback as a benefit, if you find yourself too comfortable at home, you may find your mind wandering and your focus shifting from your studies to more leisurely pursuits like scrolling through TikTok or texting with friends. It’s easier to become distracted at home, because your defenses are down; you’re able to relax in a way you just don’t when in public.
That being said, UCSB’s dorms and some of the apartment complexes available to rent in Isla Vista have dedicated study spaces one can utilize. It’s close enough to your home you can still be comfortable, but not too relaxed (the way you’d be in your own room and space).
STUDYING ON CAMPUS
Being on campus usually means you’re more focused, because you’re in a scholarly environment. When you study on campus, there’s less chance of distraction and also more motivation. I mean, who wouldn’t feel motivated to work when surrounded by tons of other people working? Whether you consider it motivation or peer pressure doesn’t matter. What matters is that you’re getting your work done.
Although, if you’re on campus for most of the day, it requires extra items in one’s bag. First and foremost: computer (or iPad) and phone chargers. Of course, depending on your money situation, you either have snacks and a light meal with you, or enough cash to buy yourself a quick meal at The Arbor. Luckily, there is quite the variety of food options on campus for students to choose from, and dedicated spaces to heat up your lunch or prep your food. Some buildings even have a kitchen, like El Centro. Aside from your electronics and food, there are also, of course, your textbooks, notebooks, and planners.
But, while there is a lot being packed, you have to be crafty on what you take out once you’ve settled on a spot to study. Unlike at home, you can’t just take up as much space as you’d like. Well, you can, but it’s in bad taste and inconsiderate of other students. Typically, tables and couches are grouped together for students to gather around in open spaces like at the University Center.
But, there are the occasional single desks. These desks can be found in empty classrooms or in the library, which separates the spaces through dividers for the more modern desks, and blocks you in as you study with older, wooden desks.
Unlike your home, UCSB campus has many study spots, some of which aren’t even dedicated studying spots.
If you like studying among a big crowd with noise, the UCen is the perfect place. An open space with plenty of charging spaces and comfortable seating, this place is constantly buzzing with conversation from fellow students walking about the building, to university employees. There is also a small food court and Starbucks in case you feel like splurging. Besides, the view of the university’s famous lagoon is simply stunning!
If you like studying within a smaller crowd with a hum of noise that can easily become white noise, El Centro is the perfect place to go. With rooms to seclude yourself in or a common lounge area to sit on vibrant blue couches, this small building combines coziness and academia in a perfect blend. Though be warned, El Centro is a dedicated space for Latinx students and the meeting place for El Congreso—UCSB’s cultural, social, and activist organization—so the place is full of political posters and flyers. If you prefer a more neutral environment, this might not be the best place to study.
If you like studying in dead silence and by yourself, the library’s “Quiet Floors” are definitely the place to go. Full of individual desks to isolate yourself as you study, the quiet floors are exactly that: quiet.
As someone who needs some type of noise in the background, I didn’t last longer than 10 minutes there, and even then, it was for the views of the campus and not because I felt motivated to study. The library’s quiet floors are on the upper levels of the building and provide some amazing views of UCSB’s campus. However, recent construction seems to have impacted the ocean view.
Regardless of what you prefer, take comfort in knowing that UCSB has your back when it comes to studying! You have plenty of places to study and a beautiful campus to get acquainted with besides.