Should You Be Studying From Coffee Shops?
Great news for coffee lovers: it is scientifically proven that studying at a coffee shop is the recipe to success.
Every university student is familiar with the dilemma of finding the perfect place to study. Libraries are generally packed with other exhausted and stressed-out students cramming for exams. If your house has access to Wi-Fi, chances are it also has plenty of distractions. The perfect study environment has ambience, comfortable seating, and enough caffeine to fuel a bus. And chances are, you have one- or ten- within close proximity to you right now.
There are many benefits to studying in a coffee shop because coffee shops tend to be overflowing with amenities and comforts that make studying easier. Here are just a few of the reasons you should consider heading to your nearest coffee shop to study.
Access to coffee (and more)
The most obvious reason is the coffee itself. Caffeine increases alertness and boosts productivity. It helps our neurons remain active and fights off adenosine, an organic compound that makes us drowsy.
It doesn’t need to be coffee- tea, hot chocolate, milkshakes, whatever floats your boat. You don’t even need to leave your seat to go get lunch. Students can become consumed with studying during exam season, and eating and drinking properly can fall on our list of priorities.
Free Wi-Fi
When you’re studying online, Wi-Fi (and a device with which to access the internet) is your most important study material. It’s almost impossible to study when you can’t easily access your coursework. Choose a coffee shop with Wi-Fi- preferably fast Wi-Fi, because there is nothing more frustrating than trying to watch a lecture that won’t stop buffering.
Choosing a coffee shop with fast, free Wi-Fi and an available electrical outlet to plug in your laptop or phone is imperative to a productive day of studying. You may even find that the Wi-Fi in a coffee shop is stronger or faster than what you get at home or on campus.
A change of scenery
Let’s be real, studying is boring enough. It’s easy to get burnt out when you spend day after day studying, and a change of scenery may be just what you need. Additionally, separating your relaxing space from your studying space may work wonders in creating a healthy balance. When you study and rest in the same place, it can be hard to switch your brain from study mode to rest mode and vice versa.
When you’re at home and in your pyjamas, you aren’t going to feel like you want to study. Forcing yourself to put on real pants and leave the house is going to greatly increase your chance of having a productive day.
Natural light
Natural light can reduce drowsiness and increase productivity, but studying outside isn’t always possible. Lack of electrical outlets and an abundance of bugs can make the great outdoors a pretty unpleasant place to study.
Coffee shops are the next best thing because they tend to be flooded with natural light. Find a seat near a window and you can soak up rays while being protected by a pane of glass, in a warm and comfortable coffee shop free from bugs, sunburn and the sound of traffic.
Fewer distractions
Hopefully, you live in a place where you are comfortable and surrounded by things you love- but this can be disastrous when you’re trying to focus on studying. Nobody wants to read about trigonometry or medieval literature when you’re surrounded by a million things you’d rather be doing.
Unless the people at the table opposite you in the coffee shop happen to be getting divorced or plotting a crime, you’re unlikely to be distracted as drastically as you would at home. You also won’t be able to procrastinate as easily as you would at home. You cannot suddenly decide to go take care of that broken tap, fold your washing, turn on the television, or have a gossip fest with your roommate. It’s just you and your study materials.
Background noise
While distractions are usually a bad thing, consistent ambient background noise can actually be helpful. Dead silence may work for some people, but many students use white noise, ambient noise, or wordless music to help them focus. In fact, scientific studies have shown that a semi-distracting background can boost focus and creativity. The coffee shop is a perfect balance- an active, busy environment that is also calm and inviting.
It’s not just about noise. Other customers may also inspire you to study. If you’re in a busy coffee shop, you might see other people who are working or studying, and it may motivate you to continue working. It’s nice to feel like you’re a part of something. Even if the people around you are not studying, they’re just going about their day, and the bustling environment may inspire you.
Kill a few birds with one stone
When your life is all consumed by studying, you can forget to do other important things, like eating or catching up with friends. In a coffee shop, you can do multiple things at once. Meet up with a group of friends or classmates and study while you have a coffee and catch up.
You can also study alone and use the time to people-watch, get a chance of scenery, and catch some natural sunlight. You won’t forget to eat lunch, and you’ll have a variety of nutritious foods to choose from.
Negatives
Studying in coffee shops can be controversial. Some people dislike the thought of students hogging tables for hours on end. But as it turns out, most managers are fine with customers studying. For one thing, it means they’re getting business, even if the student just buys a coffee or two. For another, a crowded coffee shop attracts more business, because a full coffee shop usually means good coffee. As long as you aren’t preventing them from making money by taking space away from paying customers you probably have nothing to worry about. If you’re unsure, you can always ask someone behind the counter.
Another potential downside is cost. All those coffees and treats can add up, especially for a student without a full-time job.
While there are pros and cons to studying in a coffee shop, it may be something you want to try, even just as a one-off. You may just find the solution to student burnout. Even if it isn’t your ideal study environment, you probably got to try a delicious professionally-made coffee!
