7 Ways to Focus Your Living Space Towards Academics
This article is brought to you by CORT Furniture Rental. We take the hassle out of furnishing your new place so you can do more important things like read this article. Learn more about why furniture rental is the best way to get a great looking apartment.
When you move away to college and start setting up your dorm room or apartment, the majority of your focus is probably going to be on making the space feel comfortable and homey. You might not be thinking quite as much about another very important aspect of your living space: how to make it a good space for studying.
When it comes to getting work done, you probably won’t be able to work just anywhere. Whether you tend to study at your desk or at the kitchen table, making sure that your living space is well-suited to studying will help you significantly when it comes time to cram for finals.
In order to create a living space that is focused on academics, try out these tips.
1. Invest in a large study surface
Your desk is the most important part of your study space (assuming this is where you’ll be doing most of your work). In general, having a bigger desk is going to be better. This will allow you to spread out your study materials, such as textbooks, notebooks, and your laptop, so that when you’re cramming for an exam you can have all of the relevant materials at your fingertips. It’s also a good idea to keep the top of your study surface clean so you have enough room for everything.
2. Angle your desk away from your bed
One of the biggest challenges that arises when you’re studying at home is very simple: the closer you are to your bed, the more difficult it is to stay awake. If your bed is within eyesight while you’re studying, you’ll probably find yourself more tempted to give up working and go to bed.
To avoid this temptation, angle your desk away from your bed, just enough that you can’t see it. You can also invest in a desk that has a shelf on the end, which will block out whatever is in front of you. This will also help you stay focused in general on your desk, rather than allowing your gaze to wander.
3. Organize your desk
Keeping your study space organized will make it much easier to stay focused. If you have papers, pens, and books lying all over your desk, you might feel flustered sitting down to work. Try keeping pens and pencils in a jar or mug so they’re not loose, and set up a filing system for all of your important papers.
Line your textbooks up together with any notebooks that you keep, with the notebook for each class next to its corresponding book. That way, you can easily find what you’re looking for when you’re getting ready to study.
4. Make sure your furniture is comfortable but firm
It can be difficult to find the perfect chair for studying. You’ll want something that is comfortable, so you can sit in it for hours at a time, but not too comfortable, so you don’t fall asleep when you start to run out of steam. Try to find a desk chair that has some cushioning but a straight back, so that you’ll be forced to sit up straight. This will help you stay alert while you’re working.
5. Invest in a whiteboard
While having a whiteboard in your living space might seem odd, it’s actually a great tool for studying. Using a whiteboard means that you can write out problems and solve them or define important terms for your midterm without wasting a bunch of paper.
You can also easily go back and fix your mistakes. Your school libraries probably have whiteboards sitting around for students to use; however, having one on hand means that you won’t have to trek to the library the next time you have a big exam coming up. Instead, you can study, whiteboard and all, from the comfort of your own dorm or apartment. You can hang it up on the wall, or just leave it loose so that you can move it around the room as you want.
6. Maximize lighting
In order to create a good study space, you’ll need to have a lot of lighting. If the overhead lighting in your dorm or apartment is dim, purchasing some lamps and placing them strategically around the room can make a big difference. Keep one lamp on your desk or wherever you study, so your eyes won’t have to strain when you’re reading.
You can also use mirrors to reflect light and make your room seem brighter. For instance, if you position a lamp in front of a mirror, or put a mirror across from a window that gets a lot of light, the light will be reflected and your room will feel even brighter. This is a great technique if buying a bunch of lamps will prove too expensive or if you don’t have room to add more; one mirror can go a long way.
7. Utilize storage
Investing in good storage will help you a lot when it comes time to study. If you have magazines, DVDs, and CDs lying around, you’ll be more likely to get distracted when you’re trying to work. Keep these items stored away somewhere where you’re not likely to notice them. For instance, you could put them into cloth bins, then tuck the bins away under your bed or in the closet. Once they’re out of sight, you’ll find it easier to focus on your textbooks.
Looking for an easy way to furnish your off-campus apartment? Renting furniture from CORT saves you time and money. See how easy it is to get great looking furniture without breaking the bank.