Today, when education is more liberalized than ever, the concept of a study space may seem old-fashioned. Some students read textbooks, perform academic assignments lying on a carpet and, at the same time, watch TV. Others do homework during breaks between computer games sessions and communication in social networks. There are also young people who think that all studies should take place at a university, that home is a place for personal matters and it is much reasonable to order a custom paper from Pro-Papers than sacrifice well-deserved rest.
Howbeit, domestic learning strongly influences academic performance. Everyone who wants to receive good marks and profound knowledge should study at home. That is why it is crucial to create comfortable conditions for mental work.
A study space is a specially equipped area inside a dwelling adapted for individual learning. Its availability allows a student to organize self-education in the most effective way. Like any other specialized space, it has a number of mandatory and desirable characteristics that will be considered below.
Study space characteristics
The main requirement is to create an atmosphere suitable for learning. This requirement can be expanded to several points:
- A study space should be isolated from external sounds.
- It should be duly illuminated, which will allow a student to study without harm to vision.
- It is mandatory for a study space to be ventilated.
- A study space should provide direct access to textbooks, manuals, exercise books, and other learning materials.
- It should resemble not a prison cell in which a student serves a term set by professors, but a cozy nook where one can relax.
If you have a private room
The best option is a private room that a student does not share with a brother, a sister, other relatives or a dorm roommate. This room should have doors that may be closed when studying and good sound insulation.
It is worth placing a table near a window so that natural light falls on your working area and using a desk lamp in the evening in order not to over-strain your eyes. Do not turn light off when working on a computer. Direct bright rays from a monitor on the background of surrounding darkness may be harmful.
Place shelves for books and study materials next to a table. If possible, they should not hang over a working area and create an oppressive feeling. It is better to keep all the additional tools on the sides, not way too close or far from the table. Do not clutter up the working area with various non-learning items: CD and DVD discs, souvenirs, photographs, pictures, etc. It is better to make separate shelves and bedside tables for them.
It is recommended to paint walls in the room in soft colors: light green, light gray, white. Hang a blackboard on the wall for pinning schedules, notes, reminder notes.
If there is no private room in your apartment or dorm, it is necessary to show creativity and find a decent alternative that meets the requirements listed above. Try to look at the room with a fresh mind. Maybe you will see an opportunity to turn a balcony into a study area.
Do not neglect such a seemingly outdated idea as a textile screen. It can be disguised as a curtain and separate a table from the rest of the room when you need it. Of course, a screen does not solve all the problems, but it creates a cozy atmosphere and hides a student from external irritants.
Select several shelves for textbooks and learning materials in a common filing cabinet or put educational literature in a table with side-shelves.
If you have a small common room
The most difficult option is arranging a study space in a common room with a small area. Sometimes, it is almost impossible to separate a place for learning, even temporarily. Many students prefer asking specialists like “write my essay online” because they live in such conditions and cannot concentrate on homework. But you still can try to create a possible minimum of comfort.
If a table cannot be used solely for educational purposes, set a clear schedule for using it. Apply the same rule to the presence of other people in the room: ask parents to remove younger children from there, do not allow relatives to turn on the TV, audio systems, home appliances, etc. Learning time should belong exclusively to you. Try not to waste it, because your room has other hosts, and they may also have some important things to do.
A good way to save living space in a small common room is by purchasing a folding table and chair. You can unfold them before studying and fold when everything is done. Why is it better to buy a table and chair in a kit? Usual chairs may not suit a purchased folding table which, as a rule, has a non-standard size. They may be way too high so that you will have to lean over a textbook.
You can also use a folding shelf mounted on a wall. Such construction may be put on special supports when starting a learning session and leaned to a wall after doing homework to save space in a room.
We hope that this article was useful, and your home learning will be comfortable and productive.