After a month of doing various types of schoolwork here at Mount Holyoke, I’ve come to realize that the location I’m working in has a dramatic effect on my productivity. With my friends I’ve tested out a variety of study spots on campus with a very wide range of effectiveness. Of the spots I’ve studied in, here is my ranking based on the least to most productive I’ve been.Â
Main Blanch: #5
Starting in the lowest spot on my list we have Main Blanch. This location is by far where I’ve been the least productive. I’ve tried so hard to get work done here but I always end up doing literally anything else. Sometimes I’ll get a coffee from the pub to motivate myself, but then I’ll just ignore my work and enjoy my little treat. In the past month, I’ve done many non-studying activities in Main Blanch while my friends are doing their schoolwork. These activities include sleeping, reading a book (not for a class), sitting in the pub for an hour, playing Subway Surfers, taking far too many personality quizzes, and having long conversations with my friends who also can’t bring themselves to do work. I know myself, and I know that Blanch is far too distracting for me, so I’ve decided to stay away from there when I really need to get work done.Â
My Room: #4
Next in the ranking, we have my room. Sometimes I can be very productive there, especially when it comes to readings. Sitting in my bed with all my readings pulled up on my iPad can be a very nice (and comfortable) way to get stuff done. However, that’s where my productivity ends. I’ve discovered that when I’m alone in the comfort of my room and my options are to do work or watch TV under a cozy blanket with a cup of coffee, I’ll almost always pick the second option. I also can find plenty of distractions to fuel my procrastination when I’m trying to do schoolwork in my room. Somehow as soon as I decide I should get some homework done I realize my dresser needs reorganizing or my desk needs to be cleaned or I think “if I’m gonna be in here for a while, I may as well do laundry” and I say goodbye to getting my homework done. Although sometimes it’s nice to work in my room, the majority of the time it isn’t very effective, so I only attempt it if I’m feeling really productive.
Silent Study Room (In Reading Room): #3
I’ve only been to the silent study room once, and although I wasn’t distracted, I wouldn’t say I was locked in. While I do appreciate the mandatory silence, the vibe just wasn’t for me. I went with a few friends and I sat on the floor against a bean bag to get my reading done, and although I did complete the reading, the whole time I was thinking about going back to my bed. Maybe I was just tired that day, but I can only sit on the floor so long before I need to get up and do something else. Obviously, that problem could be solved by sitting on the bean bag or at one of the tables, but it just wasn’t for me. Although I was productive, I wasn’t locked in. I think a big part of locking in for me is a good armchair, so the bean bag/floor vibe isn’t really for me. On the scale of completely distracted to super locked in, I was sitting right in the middle when I studied in the silent study room.Â
Reading Room: #2
Finally, we approach an area where I start being really productive. I use the Reading Room for a very obvious purpose, reading. This is where I like to go after class to get my readings for the next day done. It’s very peaceful in the reading room and getting my class readings done in such a beautiful library makes me feel very academic and motivated, like I’m Hermione Granger or Rory Gilmore. I usually spend a couple of hours there getting work done with very few distractions, if any at all. It’s also helpful that it’s a pretty quiet space, that way I’m not distracted by other people talking or tempted to have a conversation of my own. Also, as I mentioned earlier, a good armchair is very important to my productivity level, and the Reading Room has some very nice armchairs that are perfect for me to get cozy and read in. If the goal is to get reading done, I am one hundred percent locked in in the Reading Room, but if I have to write a paper or work on another assignment, it isn’t my favorite spot.Â
Octagon Room: #1
The Octagon Room is most definitely the spot where I’m the most locked in. I’ve spent hours upon hours in that room. Since the room is isolated in its own little corner of the library there’s not much opportunity for traffic or distractions, plus there’s no noise or conversation allowed which is beautiful for someone who needs sensory deprivation tank-level conditions for getting work done. My friends and I always go to the Octagon Room when we really need to get work done. Whether it’s writing a paper, reading, or answering questions for another assignment, we can always count on the Octagon Room. Time feels like it doesn’t pass in that room. I’ve spent hours in there without even realizing it. There are times I walk in, open my book, and the next thing I know I’m done with all my reading. I’ve never been more locked into my work than when I’m in the Octagon Room, it truly has powers beyond my comprehension. Once you leave that eight-sided prison and step into the sunlight a feeling of accomplishment washes over you and you can’t help but want to frolic in the grass to celebrate all the work you’ve gotten done (I’m speaking from experience). If I want to lock in like I’ve never locked in before, I know the Octagon Room always has my back.Â
(Accurate depiction of how I feel walking out of the Octagon Room and back into the real world)Â