For years teachers and mothers have banished us to a quiet room so we could concentrate on our studies. For some of us, that was an invitation to watch grass grow out the window and to strain to hear the sound of traffic on the street below. But, there was no reasoning with these powers that be. Study time meant being shut into a quiet room with a book and notebook paper,
Classes have evolved. With the introduction of technology to the classroom, students were sharing laptops and conversation. Grades began to rise as students were able to tap into the energy of the atmosphere. Who knew?
The coffee shop office
With technology everywhere, high school and college students began taking their tablets and smartphones along with them to access WiFi. The concept of being able to study or work in a public setting was hip and trendy. From that trend, coffee shops sprang up in college towns everywhere.
Access to WiFi, the background noise, and several cups of caffeine in a cup made the coffee shop the perfect home office for the student between classes or on their lunch hour at work.
This caught on so fast that the education experts barely kept up. Suddenly people were leaving their apartments with deafening silence, to go to a crowded and noisy coffee shop and their grades were getting better! Suddenly all those times their teenagers complained, ”I can’t study here. It’s too quiet!” flooded their memory.
Studying, Studying
The pros in the field began doing in-depth studies on concentration and noise. The findings backed up the coffee shop students. Concentration showed to be easier to attain and maintain in the busy setting. Furter, when students were sitting near other students that were deep in thought, it was contagious. The background noise of lattes being stirred and cups clinking actually allowed the student to block out their environment and stay focused.
The smell of coffee puts the mind into anticipation mode. You associate the smell with the caffeine punch that comes with the heaven in a cup drink.
Other options
All this means, it is not the noise that keeps us from reaching our peak concentration. It is the quality of the noise. It is noise that blends together and allows you to block out distractions. Here are some good places to study that allow for the same concept.
- The gym
- The laundry room
- Cafeterias
- Public parks
- On the bus or train
If you find that these places are a bit too much for you, consider creating a study group. The atmosphere of the group will boost your attention and concentration. The group will create enough noise to keep the momentum, but not so much that it is distracting. Some students need time to adjust. Once you have tapped into that learning curve, you can grab your laptop and study almost anywhere.
Interesting tidbit
Many people think that listening to music while you study makes you retain information better. Some studies back that up, but on in certain situations. If you are doing something like memorizing facts, soothing music may help you concentrate, but loud and aggressive music will stall you. Tedious study requires a quieter environment. So when it comes to popping in the earbuds so you can study, first consider the subject. The key to this seems to be finding a level of noise in a certain condition, that works for you.
